What a difference a year makes. This time last winter, Michigan was enduring a historic cold snap. And we were coming off of a major election, starting a new legislative session and a new governor’s term, and the League was launching our Owner’s Manual for Michigan to help guide them.
We’ve certainly seen a change in our literal climate, as we’re now flirting with 50 degree days and sunshine. As far as political climates go, we’re gearing up for another big election and looking back on the highs and lows of Michigan’s first year of shared political power in nearly a decade. And we’re taking this time to reflect on and evaluate our Owner’s Manual’s impact in Lansing and its resonance around the state.
As a refresher, the Owner’s Manual is a plan the League put together to provide a vision of what Michigan could be with the right investments.
To that end, the Owner’s Manual covers four broad areas—Healthy Communities, Thriving Families, Strong Workers and Top-Notch Education—and a number of specific policy recommendations within each of those categories.
These policies were created with the help of residents from around the state and representing all different ages, races and ethnicities, backgrounds and experiences. And the final product was delivered to all 110 Michigan legislators, the governor and her staff, and countless new department heads and advisors.
As we continue our Owner’s Manual’s automotive theme, it’s time to run some diagnostics to see if our policy priorities have been firing on all cylinders and things have been running smoothly so far.
The question is simple: have we been getting things done on behalf of the people of Michigan?
We’re happy to report that we’ve made it pretty far on this first leg of the drive.
Working alongside some great partners, we helped “raise the age” of Michigan’s juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 years old to 18. This has been a key issue for the League and our Kids Count work over the past few years and this is a win for kids, families and all of Michigan. Treating justice-involved 17-year-olds as juveniles helps protect these kids physically, mentally and emotionally, and improves their chances of rehabilitation as well as their educational, professional and financial opportunities.
Another victory for Michigan residents in 2019 was increasing the asset test limit for public assistance programs. With input from the League, which has been working on the issue since 2012, Gov. Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are increasing the asset test limit for the state’s cash, food and heating assistance programs to $15,000.
After President Donald Trump’s federal overtime change left behind around 200,000 Michigan workers that the Obama administration’s rule would’ve included, the League’s advocacy also helped draw attention to this major oversight. Gov. Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity are working to address this issue and make more workers eligible at the state level and get the threshold closer to what President Barack Obama had intended.
Progress on these priorities from our Owner’s Manual is certainly noteworthy, and we hope it are a sign of many more things to come. Gov. Whitmer’s State of the State address and upcoming budget presentation certainly bode well for our other areas of emphasis—and what we continue to hear from residents.
As we talk with communities around the state, today’s outrageous child care costs come up over and over again. The expense of child care is debilitating for many families, and in a lot of cases is more than parents earn. Child care is a key policy solution in a two-generation approach that helps parents and kids—one that prepares our kids to thrive in school and beyond. We are pleased to be working with the governor, current and former lawmakers, and partners to make sure child care is a priority.
The health of moms and babies is an important indicator of a state’s overall well-being, and is another focus of our policy agenda. And quite frankly, Michigan is not doing well in this area. The state’s infant mortality rate—we rank 38th in the nation—is deeply troubling, especially for babies of color. And 44 percent of maternal deaths are preventable. It’s 2020, and our babies and mothers shouldn’t still be at such high risk. That’s why maternal and child health is part of our Owner’s Manual, our Kids Count work and our 2021 budget priorities. We are pleased the governor is addressing this issue and we hope the Legislature will share her concerns for moms and babies and make maternal health funding a priority.
We also applaud the governor for her work on adult education. We know from our work on the Owner’s Manual that Michigan’s older workers need to go back to school to better prepare for the new job market and earn more money, but the cost continues to be a huge barrier. Gov. Whitmer’s bold goal of 60 percent of residents getting some type of higher education certificate by 2030, and Michigan Reconnect and MI Opportunity, are great ways to get us there. We hope legislators from all over the state recognize this growing problem and work with the governor to address it.
Too many people in our state are working but not making enough to survive, let alone thrive, and the real-world struggles and kitchen-table budgeting of Michiganders are too often overlooked in state policy decisions. Our Owner’s Manual for Michigan was designed to change that. It continues to be driven by the people of Michigan, and we hope it can continue to steer our state in the right direction.
P.S. Want to be part of making change in 2020? Sign up for updates on our 2020 priorities for Michigan. We’ll keep you informed on ways you can help share information and talk to elected officials and candidates about what’s important.
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.
