A version of this column appeared in The Alpena News. For more columns like this, subscribe to In the Loop, the League’s monthly newsletter.
Well, we’re certainly enduring an unpredictable summer. From horrendous storm surges to horrendous variant surges, we’re still battling a lot as a state. But Michigan’s communities are standing strong and we’ve got plenty of allies across the nation who are working to build powerful recovery efforts.
On August 11, the U.S. Senate passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and a budget resolution calling for $3.5 trillion more in spending. The House will likely wait to act, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she won’t take up one of these plans without the other. Now is the time for action.
For too long, Michigan families have been held back by racial and economic inequality. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a quarter of households in America—including more than one-third of households with kids and one-half of Black and Latinx households with children—were experiencing economic hardship. But in 2020, 55 of America’s largest corporations paid nothing in federal income taxes, and the nation’s top billionaires saw their fortunes grow by leaps and bounds, even as millions of Americans experienced hardship during the pandemic.
Instead of continuing tax breaks for wealthy Americans and corporations whose profits have soared, including during the pandemic, we can deliver what all our families deserve:
- Affordable and accessible health care
- Housing vouchers, child care, and nutrition to help families meet their needs
- Money back in people’s pockets through permanent expansions to the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit
- Subsidized jobs to help people facing barriers in the labor market build work experience
- A modernized, stronger unemployment system that works for everyone
Yesterday marked an important step toward passing the transformational policies our country needs to improve lives, create a stronger, fairer economy, advance racial equity and ensure all people can share in the prosperity of our nation.
Our elected officials are drafting recovery legislation now, so it’s time to make yourself heard. Click here to tell them you want our government to support families and invest in communities. You can also register for our annual policy forum, which will take place virtually on Oct. 25, 2021. Our keynote speaker Janelle Jones is Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Labor and we’ll focus on an equitable federal recovery plan that will benefit all Michigan residents.
And as summer comes to a close, let’s mask up and vax up if we can. It’s going to take all of us to help Michigan stay on the road to recovery.
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.
Jacob Kaplan 
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. 
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.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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.
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.
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.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
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.
