For Immediate Release
October 3, 2025
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
517-281-1084
League weighs in on 2026 state budget agreement following months-long stalemate
While the agreement does not truly put the people of Michigan first, the League applauds some bright spots
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on the bipartisan 2026 state budget agreement finalized by the Michigan Legislature today following a months-long stalemate. The statement can be attributed to League President and CEO Monique Stanton.
“We’re relieved that state lawmakers were finally able to come to the table and reach a budget agreement. Despite the current political climate, bipartisanship is possible, and we’re glad it happened in Lansing last night. While we wish it were a budget that was finalized back in June and that truly put the people of Michigan first, there are some bright spots in the agreement. We were pleased to see protections for affordable health care at a time when they are greatly needed and stronger school investments, including more per-pupil spending focused on the students that need it most, additional funding for student mental health services and the continuation of universal free school meals. And a significant down payment in the expansion of the Rx Kids program will help babies and parents get a strong start toward health and economic security.
“While it’s a positive step that the Legislature looked at state revenue streams and recognized that the status quo just isn’t good enough, we are deeply concerned that roads are being prioritized at the expense of more meaningful investments in our state’s children, seniors and families.
“While the state budget agreement does include some things that center the needs of Michiganders, it doesn’t do enough to truly shield people from the harm that will be caused by federal cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as a result of the federal Republican megabill passed in July. The most vulnerable Michiganders will be hit the hardest by the megabill at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet.
“We know from our latest Kids Count in Michigan data released two weeks ago that more than 17% of our state’s children are living in poverty. And we also know that over 40% of Michigan households are either in poverty or can’t afford the basic cost of living. In the face of rising housing costs, increases in child care costs and unknown future health care costs, our state lawmakers need to continue to champion policies that will protect Michiganders from what we know are going to be some extremely challenging times ahead.
“Our state budget is not just a spreadsheet, it is a moral document, and the people of Michigan — kids, families and workers — should always be central to it. While this budget agreement doesn’t completely miss the mark in that regard, we had hoped to see more people-centered investments to mitigate more of the harm caused by federal funding cuts to programs Michigan families and our local communities rely upon to stay healthy and thriving.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The People’s Budget features some of the policy areas that the League prioritized the 2026 state budget. The People’s Budget includes detailed data and analysis on the benefits of: creating an equitable tax system, building a stronger early childhood education and care system, better preparing Michiganders for the workforce, working to meet the needs of all students, ensuring affordable and quality health care, meeting the basic needs of Michigan families, and supporting justice-involved Michiganders.
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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.
