For Immediate Release
September 24, 2019
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-487-5436
Legislature’s budget bills whiff on biggest needs of Michigan kids, residents
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statements on the Michigan Legislature’s 2020 State Budget bills passed today, addressing action and failure on its key priorities—including the need for more revenue. Additional budget analyses on these and other issues can be found at mlpp.org/budget. The statements can all be attributed to Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
Department of Health and Human Services Budget
“If a single person loses life-saving healthcare coverage inadvertently because of these work requirements, it’s one too many. But apparently the Legislature is ok with tens of thousands of people, or perhaps more, losing coverage because of the Healthy Michigan Plan work requirements they pushed and the education and outreach funding they quashed. This is the latest attempt to undercut the highly successful Healthy Michigan Plan and the life-saving healthcare it provides for more than half a million residents with lower incomes. After multiple failed tries, Medicaid work requirements were pushed by President Trump as another way to undercut the Affordable Care Act, and Michigan’s Republican-led Legislature and then-governor unfortunately followed suit. And now, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and DHHS do their best implement this partisan policy, Republican lawmakers ignored their request for funding to lessen its impact, poising Michigan to replicate the outrageous health coverage losses the other foolhardy states to follow Trump’s lead have experienced.”
School Aid Budget
“There is a difference between ‘adequate’ and ‘appropriate,’ and it’s clear that when it comes to K-12 funding, the Legislature is content to be simply ‘adequate.’ And unfortunately, while lawmakers’ boasts on record funding are no stranger to inflation, actual School Aid dollars are the same that they were in 1995. While we acknowledge that the Legislature continues to ‘invest’ in schools, we’re disappointed in their failure to address Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed weighted funding formula that would improve outcomes for kids in high-poverty schools. According to a report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation yesterday, Michigan is the worst state in the nation when it comes to African American kids living in high-poverty, low-opportunity neighborhoods. The governor’s funding model—which is in line with recommendations from the bipartisan School Finance Research Collaborative—would have helped those kids in particular, giving their schools the appropriate resources. But the Legislature has ignored the fact that teaching kids in high-poverty districts comes with an added cost, instead sticking with traditional funding that contributes to racial and economic inequities.”
Department of Corrections Budget
“While it is heartening to see the Legislature paying greater attention to the needs of incarcerated individuals and their families, both in the Department of Corrections budget and in stand-alone policies like Raise the Age and bail and sentencing reform, a new political villain has unfortunately replaced them. State Republicans are following their president’s playbook and making immigrants the scapegoat for a variety of Michigan’s economic and policy woes. A mere two days after the state-supported, pro-immigrant ‘Welcoming Week,’ the Legislature has passed another policy telling immigrants they are NOT welcome here. The Department of Corrections budget passed today includes boilerplate language that would pull state reimbursements to jails in counties with sanctuary policies or rules preventing law enforcement or employees from speaking to federal agents about the immigration status of an individual. In one fell swoop, they’re eating away at the lives of our residents, the rights of local government and the very fabric of our state.”
Department of Education Budget—Child Care Funding
“We’re pleased that the Legislature has included $15 million to raise provider rates, which will go a long way toward making child care accessible. But unfortunately not much was included to help parents. Michigan has one of the most restrictive eligibility requirements for child care assistance in the nation, at just 130 percent of the poverty level. The League had supported Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request to increase the eligibility rate to 140 percent, but the Legislature disregarded this increase that would have helped thousands of families gain access to child care. In Michigan, the cost of child care for families rivals that of a mortgage payment or rent, and many families simply can’t make ends meet in the current system. A higher eligibility rate would help more parents enter the workplace and help more kids get high-quality care that will prepare them for school.”
Revenue Needs and Overall State Budget Process
“This budget, like every other state budget we’ve worked on since 1912, has some good and some bad. Compared to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget, we know the good could have been a lot better. But without shared power and the threat of her veto pen, we know the bad could have been a lot worse. The biggest disappointment in the 2020 budget passed today is that it yet again ignores the need for real revenue, courageous leadership and bold action. It continues to spin paltry increases as record highs. It continues to ignore our state’s crumbling infrastructure and it continues to put Band-Aids on broken bones and pennies in potholes. And it continues to play shell games with limited funds and pit our schools, our higher education institutions, our roads, our public safety officers and others against each other. It’s unfortunate that the budget process dragged on so long to ultimately earmark the status quo, and we hope that the revenue conversation continues.”
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. 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.
