For Immediate Release
June 27, 2024
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
517-281-1084
Agreement on 2025 state budget includes strong investments in what Michiganders need most; sustained funding still needed for positive, long-term impacts
League applauds basic cash assistance improvements, continuation of universal free school meals, child care funding improvements and more
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on the bipartisan 2025 state budget agreement finalized by the Michigan Legislature today. The statement can be attributed to League President and CEO Monique Stanton.
“Today’s budget announcement is big and broad, but the news we’re celebrating the most is that Michigan’s lawmakers are finally making transformational changes to our cash assistance program. These are the first meaningful improvements to the Family Independence Program (FIP) since 2008, and will ensure that fewer Michigan families will struggle to make ends meet. We have long advocated for FIP to be strengthened through the use of more Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding, and we will continue to advocate for ongoing improvements to counteract the years of disinvestment in this program.
This budget will do a lot to help the nearly 1 in 5 Michigan children and 13% of Michigan households currently living below the poverty line, as well as the 28% of our state’s households that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE). This budget invests in what these households need–like better access to healthy foods, health insurance for kids and parents, and support for child care–all of which is critical to boosting outcomes for Michigan kids and families.
We know that tonight’s budget agreement makes so many investments in what Michigan’s families need most, but lawmakers must continue to focus on the future of our state and determine how to allocate more funding to families who are struggling to make ends meet and students who are struggling in their classrooms in the years ahead. As pandemic funding comes to an end, it’s critical to make bold and enduring investments in priorities that will keep Michiganders out of poverty and keep kids on track to thrive.
Improving equity in school funding is necessary to ensure that every student’s needs are fully met, and in recent years the state has made significant progress by more carefully targeting funding to the schools and students that need it most. And while we applaud the continued investments in weights, we are disappointed that more funds were not allocated to the foundation allowance and mental health services for students. Focusing on educational outcomes and emotional well-being for kids is critical to keeping people in Michigan and attracting new people to our state, while also ensuring children have better opportunities to thrive.
The recently released national 2024 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation should have alerted lawmakers to the urgent need to better support our state’s families and education system. Michigan continues to rank in the bottom half of states for overall child well-being at 34th and in the bottom 10 states for education, at 41st. While last year’s historic K-12 investments are not yet reflected in the data, we know that bold, sustained investments in families, schools and students who need it most is essential to getting kids back on track.
Without positive, long-term funding, we aren’t going to see the positive, long-term impacts that are essential to a strong state for all people. We envision a Michigan where everyone has what they need to thrive, including a high-quality education, accessible child care, affordable housing, healthcare access, nutritious food and financial security. This year’s budget agreement takes us a step closer to that vision, but we must continue to build on our investments in Michigan’s people if we want to see that vision fully realized.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The League applauds these 2025 state budget items:
- An increase in basic cash assistance for families with low incomes, including a shift of some of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to the Family Independence Program and a reduction in lifetime limits.
- An expansion of Rx Kids, a program that targets cash payments to families during the challenging time of pregnancy and infancy.
- Improved access to healthy foods, including continuing to provide universal free breakfast and lunch for school-aged children and an increase in funding for Double Up Food Bucks.
- An increase in child care funding to better support families and the early child care workforce.
- Investments in healthcare access and health equity, including waiving the $10 co-pay for MIChild.
- More alignment of school funding with the needs of Michigan students, including increases in targeted funding to better support English-language learners, students with disabilities and at-risk students who are economically disadvantaged or struggling to succeed academically.
2025 budget priorities from the League:
The People’s Budget from the League includes some of the policy areas addressed in the FY 2024-25 State Budget. The People’s Budget includes detailed data and analysis on the benefits of: adopting a state Child Tax Credit, improving cash assistance for families with low incomes, improving child care systems, expanding Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit, supporting safe and affordable housing, funding schools that need it the most, improving access to food, strengthening postpartum coverage, improving our safety net systems, supporting access to healthcare, adopting a progressive income tax and reducing health threats.
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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 use data to educate, advocate and fight for policy solutions that undo historic and systemic racial and economic inequities to lift up Michiganders who have been left out of prosperity. 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.
