For Immediate Release
June 28, 2023
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
517-281-1084
Agreement on 2024 state budget includes significant funding for important, people-centered priorities
League applauds additional focus on equity in K-12 and School Aid budgets, healthcare coverage for more children, increases in funding for essential public health programming and improvements to healthy food access
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on the bipartisan 2024 budget agreement finalized by the Michigan Legislature tonight. The statement can be attributed to League President and CEO Monique Stanton.
“Tonight’s budget agreement is a solid step in the right direction as our state leaders continue to reckon with the social and economic drivers that have contributed to Michigan’s current challenges with population, prosperity and child well-being.
A recent report by Altarum and the Citizens Research Council of Michigan and the recently released national 2023 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation have alerted state leaders to some sobering findings about our great state, including a population that grew slower than all but one other state in the nation from 2000 to 2020 and a child well-being ranking that continues to be among the bottom half of states at 32nd.
This data shows that investing in what Michiganders want and need–like healthy food access, high-quality education and healthcare access–are necessary to making a state where people want to live, work and grow their families. And tonight’s budget agreement shows that the Legislature and governor understand the importance of investing in these critically important areas.
In this historic session, Legislative leaders and the administration continue to make bold strides to meet the needs of Michiganders, and tonight’s agreement builds on the momentum of several policies enacted earlier this year, including the historic increase of Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit to 30% of the federal credit and the permanent, dedicated revenue stream for Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund.
But, even with these wins, we can’t stop working until every Michigander can access what they need to not only survive, but thrive. Our state leaders must build on these smart investments by continuing to lift up Michiganders and make our state a better place to live. This can only happen once we have things like a true weighted school funding formula, full funding for early childhood services and a strong safety net to help Michiganders in difficult economic times.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The League applauds these 2024 Budget items:
- More alignment of school funding with the needs of Michigan students, including increases in funding to better support English-language learners, students with disabilities and at-risk students who are economically disadvantaged or struggling to succeed academically.
- Improved access for healthy foods, including providing universal breakfast and lunch for school-aged children and an increase in funding for Double Up Food Bucks.
- Expansion of the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies initiative to waive the five-year waiting period for healthcare coverage for lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant people through the Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act, which will extend healthcare coverage to thousands more Michigan residents at a critical time in their lives and make Michigan a more welcoming place for immigrant families.
- A funding increase for Essential Local Public Health Services, ensuring Michiganders receive the preventative care they need.
- Investments in early childhood services.
2024 Budget Priorities from the League:
The People’s Budget from the League includes a number of the policy areas addressed in the 2024 state budget. The People’s Budget includes detailed data and analysis on the benefits of: increasing essential local public health funding; allowing more children access to healthcare coverage; improving access to healthy food for all Michiganders; protecting Michiganders from environmental health threats; supporting continuous coverage and access to healthcare; supporting Michiganders with very low incomes; providing more funding to schools in high-poverty communities; putting an end to the misuse of the School Aid Fund; improving Michigan’s child care system; expanding Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit; adopting a progressive income tax in Michigan; and ensuring access to safe, affordable housing.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
