This column originally appeared in the The Alpena News
The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides unprecedented cash resources to families and significant investments in key areas like housing, child care, education and health coverage. It also provides significant resources to help states, localities, tribes and territories meet COVID-related challenges.
With these funds, Michigan has a chance to right our fiscal ship, undoing bad policy decisions of the past and paving the way for a brighter future for all Michiganders.
After decades of disinvestment, critical programs and services in Michigan have been underfunded, making it even harder for kids, families and workers to thrive. By prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations over investments in our state’s residents, the state Legislature weakened Michigan’s foundation so that when COVID-19 hit, the state was already on shaky ground. ARPA is a historic opportunity for Michigan to invest in an equitable economic recovery that could leave our communities better off than they were before.
To ensure that we move forward with a better economy and stronger communities, Michigan lawmakers should spend this federal relief where it is needed most. Michigan lawmakers should also make budget decisions that address the future, not just create patches for the dire problems that currently exist. It’s past time to raise additional revenues—the state will need them to make investments that can build on the foundation laid by this one-time federal stimulus.
It’s key that this unprecedented aid should be targeted to essential workers, communities of color, households with low incomes and others most affected by the COVID-19 crisis through investments in child care, education and infrastructure. Prioritizing these areas helps Michiganders right now, but will also help workers and their children down the road.
Now is the time to advance long-term, equitable policies like strengthening our safety net programs, developing a statewide housing plan, and fully funding the At-Risk School Aid program. Robust state investments must be sustained to mitigate the crisis and foster inclusive recovery. It remains critical for Michigan’s lawmakers to create a state budget that strengthens programs that help families make ends meet, businesses reopen, and students return to classrooms.
Lawmakers must also avoid making decisions that could cause Michigan to lose money. ARPA has an important provision: states can not pass tax cuts using this funding. It’s an important guardrail that ensures states are using the federal dollars to help families, businesses and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. This means that if any state changes its laws in a way that reduces net tax revenue after March 3, 2021, and before the state has spent its entire federal ARPA allocation, the U.S. Department of Treasury may deduct an equivalent amount from the aid received by the state.
But Michigan lawmakers are already considering bills that could cost the state up to $60 million in federal aid. We learned through the Great Recession, from which the state still has not recovered, that tax cuts for the wealthy and budget cuts to critical services will NOT get the economy moving again. Tax cuts like these were an ineffective strategy at the time, and they are a bad idea now.
The American Rescue Plan Act is a critical response to a global pandemic and economic downturn, and will help many Michiganders recover in the short term. But this stimulus will run out, leaving the effects of the tax and budget choices that state policymakers make today in full view. Michigan’s lawmakers cannot rely on federal relief alone; they must make and sustain critical investments for the state.
Instead of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations as has been done in the past, Michigan should prepare for the future by building revenue. Some ideas include: eliminating the triggered state income tax cut set to take place in 2023; expanding the state sales tax to personal services; and implementing a graduated income tax through a ballot initiative. These revenue-generating policies will keep families in their homes, keep workers employed, keep students enrolled in college, and keep businesses open.
Our federal government has taken bold, sweeping action to provide real relief for struggling families and deal a significant blow to poverty and racial and economic disparities. We need to make sure that our state lawmakers follow suit. More information on ARPA can be found here. We hope you will join us in advocating for the sound investment of this funding.
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.
