For Immediate Release
Jan. 31, 2019
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-487-5436
“The Owner’s Manual for Michigan” is driven by Michigan residents, geared toward policymakers
LANSING—Today the Michigan League for Public Policy released The Owner’s Manual for Michigan, a clear and comprehensive public policy plan informed by residents from around the state. The plan is intended to help the state’s leaders better understand the challenges facing many Michiganders and offers tangible policy recommendations on how the state can better serve its people.
Over the last few months, League staff met with local residents in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Lansing, Muskegon, and Petoskey and solicited additional input online to learn how state policies have been affecting state residents. The big takeaways? Michigan’s economic “recovery” is still far from reaching ALL people and there are a lot of policies that are in need of significant repair. And in nearly every issue area, there are drastic inequities by race and ethnicity, income and geography.
“The League has been around since 1912—almost as long as the automobile itself—and we have always put people at the center of our work,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO for the Michigan League for Public Policy. “As we drove around the state, the residents we met were very different, but the problems they were facing were universal. We may have organized the information, but this plan really belongs to the 10 million people who call Michigan home—they’re the real owners of this great state and the real stakeholders in our policy decisions.”
The League’s policy analysts combined this public feedback with data and analysis and their decades of experience in state policy to compile a list of 16 concrete policy recommendations for Michigan policymakers. These policy improvements focus on four core areas: Strong Workers, Thriving Families, Healthy Communities and Top-Notch Education. The Owner’s Manual includes a two-page analysis of each policy issue, the current problem, and the solutions—including how to address racial inequities in each area.
“These policies are meant to resonate with all Michiganders and all policymakers,” Jacobs said. “If we’re going to fix our state and pave the way for everyone, then residents, advocates and elected officials are going to need to pop the hood, roll up our sleeves and work together to get things running smoothly.”
The Owner’s Manual is intended to generate policy improvements in the new legislative session getting underway this month. From child care costs to justice reforms, many of these issues are gaining traction on both sides of the aisle right now, and the League hopes to build on that momentum to make these recommendations a reality. Cost often is seen as a roadblock to any meaningful public policy change in Lansing, so the Owner’s Manual outlines some tangible recommendations for increasing state revenues to pay for these important priorities, including passing a graduated income tax, expanding the sales tax to services, and eliminating the harmful triggered income tax rate cut and other tax cuts that disproportionately benefit wealthy taxpayers and businesses.
Just like the real vehicles we all depend on, it takes a lot of components and tools to make our state go. Here is The Owner’s Manual for Michigan’s full list of policy recommendations to get all Michigan residents on the road to prosperity and security:
- Jumpstart Early Learning
- Ramp up School Funding
- Develop a Road Map for Reading
- Pave the Way for Better Jobs
- Create a Route for Building Skills
- Put Justice-Involved Residents Back on the Road
- Curb Public Health Threats
- Drive Healthcare Forward
- Build Bridges for Immigrants
- Give Kids Keys to a Strong Future
- Fill up Workers’ Pockets
- Move the Needle on Child Care Access
- Create Safer Homes for All
- Fuel Families with Healthy Foods
Interested residents and lawmakers can get involved with the Owner’s Manual at mlpp.org/michmanual, facebook.com/michmanual and twitter.com/MichLeague.
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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.
