A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
It’s more important than ever that our state lawmakers take bold action in making Michigan a more welcoming and attractive place for people to not only live, but thrive. Not doing so will only worsen Michigan’s population plight and declines in prosperity.
In May, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRC) and Altarum released the first two research papers in a five-part series, ringing alarm bells in regard to our state’s future outlook in terms of population growth, jobs, earnings, health, educational achievement, and quality of public services at the state and local levels.
The research shows that Michigan has been falling behind other states in all six of these areas over the past 50 years and that things will only get worse if policy changes and investments are not made to help change the trajectory.
Concerning highlights from the two papers include the fact that Michigan’s population grew slower than all but one state from 2000 to 2020 and that the state’s population growth has lagged the nation for half a century, with more people leaving for other states than moving to Michigan and the state projected to lose an additional 270,000 people on net to other states by 2050. Michigan’s population is also older than average and getting older, while the population of children and young adults is projected to shrink by 6% and the working-age population is projected to stagnate by 2050.
The papers also highlight that Michigan is lagging in college degree attainment and had standardized reading and math test scores well below the national average for fourth and eighth grade students in 2022. Michigan is also behind economically, ranking 34th in real per capita personal income and real median household income.
While Michigan’s challenges are stark, we at the Michigan League for Public Policy believe there are opportunities to change the trajectory by investing in what we value most: our people. We must make the state a better place to live by focusing on improving the well-being of all Michiganders through smart policy decisions and people-centered budget priorities.
The historic increase in Michigan’s state Earned Income Tax Credit to 30% of the federal credit was a step in the right direction, but we must do more.
As Michigan lawmakers wrap up their 2024 budgets, it’s critical that they remain focused on Michigan’s people. Lawmakers should prioritize expansion of the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies initiative, maintaining investments in the child care subsidy program, strengthening social safety net programs, strengthening healthcare and implementing a weighted school funding formula that targets resources to address opportunity gaps faced by students.
These and many of the other people-centered budget priorities the League is advocating for will help lift up Michiganders with low incomes, including communities of color who have historically been left out of prosperity and who, according to the CRC-Altarum research, are projected to make up 40 percent of Michigan’s working population by 2050. It is vital that we support these communities by reducing the health, educational and wealth-generating disparities that exist in our state.
Lawmakers must also focus on making Michigan a more welcoming and inclusive place for immigrants through budget and policy solutions like the Drive SAFE bills, which would restore driver licenses for undocumented immigrants, and the Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act option, which would waive the five-year waiting period for healthcare coverage for lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant people.
These solutions, along with a weighted school funding formula that better supports English-language learners, would go a long way in making Michigan more welcoming at a time when the state’s future population growth is becoming increasingly dependent on international and domestic immigrants choosing to call Michigan home.
In fact, during the state’s Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference in May, Michigan’s state demographer shared that the migration of international immigrants coming to Michigan has partially offset people leaving the state. Since natural population growth in Michigan has slowed over the past decade, with more deaths than births, international and domestic migration has become more important than ever.
To make Michigan a better place to live, we at the League are also advocating for a more progressive and sustainable tax system. As it stands, Michigan’s tax system is upside down and deeply unfair, with the lowest earners paying a greater share of their income in taxes than top earners. This contributes to income and wealth inequalities, while exacerbating racial inequities. It also adversely impacts Michigan’s ability to raise revenue for public services that support the overall well-being of communities. It is time for Michigan to join the 32 other states in the U.S. that have a graduated income tax.
While the CRC-Altarum research warns that Michigan’s current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state’s competitiveness and quality of life, there are clear opportunities to change that path.
As we stand at this crossroads, the path forward must include stronger investments in people.
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.
