For Immediate Release
Feb. 8, 2023
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
517-281-1084
Gov. Whitmer’s budget puts people first, targets investments toward families, workers
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2024 state budget presentation today. It can be attributed to League President and CEO Monique Stanton.
“The Michigan League for Public Policy has worked since 1912 to make sure that our state values the people who live, work and raise families here. But for too long, many of those people have been left out of prosperity. Today, Gov. Whitmer’s budget proposal shows a true commitment to improving outcomes for Michiganders and their families—especially those who have struggled to make ends meet. The League has long been a force in building a Michigan that puts people first, and this budget—along with the governor and legislature’s support of raising the EITC to 30% of the federal credit—does just that.
“The governor’s investments in Michigan’s people start with those who are the youngest. Infants, toddlers and their families should be highly valued in our state, but the workers that provide care for these little Michiganders are woefully undercompensated. Many of them rely on public assistance to make ends meet, and nearly one in five child care workers lives below the poverty line. The low wages are resulting in major staffing turnover…as high as 30%. The governor’s efforts to recruit new workers and help these critical caregivers make ends meet at home are a necessary first step to ensure our earliest learners receive high-quality care. A secure and stable early childhood workforce, along with the governor’s proposed investments to expand access to child care, will lead to better outcomes for kids and their families, and is good for the state’s economy as a whole.
“All of our students deserve a strong educational foundation. But gaps in opportunity have long existed in our K-12 education system, and the COVID-19 pandemic further widened those gaps. The governor’s budget builds on efforts to address these disparities by increasing targeted funding for students in poverty, English-language learners, and children with disabilities, and there are strong funding proposals to help counter learning loss, improve student access to food, and address the increasing need for mental and behavioral health services in schools. And at a time when schools are facing crisis-level teacher shortages, we’re glad to see the governor continue her investment in recruiting new teachers. We hope policymakers will build on these efforts recognizing the impact targeted funding has on student achievement and support additional dollars through a weighted funding formula that truly reflects the needs of students to access the same high-quality education as their peers.
“We’re also pleased to see the governor putting kids and families first by expanding funding for the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies initiative, including prioritizing health insurance coverage. The League and our partners have long advocated for removing the five-year waiting period for immigrants who are pregnant to receive Medicaid coverage. Families living in our state should have access to care no matter their immigration status—and a five-year waiting period has meant thousands of kids and pregnant people can’t get the health services they need during a critical period of their lives. The governor’s plan to remove barriers to coverage for kids and parents goes a long way in helping families start out healthy and strong, provides financial security for families and communities, and assures families they belong in Michigan.”
Background and Useful Links:
The state budget is a major area of advocacy for the Michigan League for Public Policy and our organization has long promoted many of the investments that the governor proposed today. The League’s 2024 state budget priorities, The People’s Budget, can be found here.
The People’s Budget
Confronting Michigan’s early childhood workforce crisis
EITC Budget Priority
Covering More of Michigan’s Children: Remove the Five-Year Waiting Period for Immigrant Children & Pregnant People
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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.
