|  | Serving You
Serving the constituents of the 36th Senate District is very important to me, and I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You may call toll-free at 1-855-347-8036 or email [email protected]. Also, please check out my Facebook page. I look forward to serving you, and I encourage you to contact me if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward. | | | | | | It was great to meet with friends at the Michigan Farm Bureau’s Lansing Legislative Seminar. The annual event provides an opportunity for farmers to interact with lawmakers in person to help promote policies on issues that impact Michigan’s vital food and agriculture industry. | | During another day in the district, I toured the Alternative Education Academy of Iosco County in East Tawas. The academy provides innovative and responsive educational opportunities based on meeting each student’s individual needs and circumstances. Keep up the good work! | | I was proud to recently welcome Alpena Fire Chief Bill Forbush to the Michigan Senate. Forbush was in Lansing to testify in support of Senate Bill 46, which I co-sponsored. The bill would allow the use of corner flashing lights on emergency vehicles as an option instead of rotating or oscillating lights attached to the roof. | | | | | | | March is National Reading Month
Reading is vital to a successful education and lays the foundation to a rewarding future. To help promote the importance of reading, I will be reading to hundreds of students at local elementary schools throughout the 36th District. I encourage parents to join in the effort to help our children succeed through reading. | MDOT 2017 construction map available
Traveling this year? The Michigan Department of Transportation has posted its 2017 Paving the Way state construction map online. It can be downloaded at www.michigan.gov/mdotmaps. Also, the most up-to-date construction information for state roads is always available at www.michigan.gov/drive. | Fighting against Asian carp
An Asian carp invasion of the Great Lakes would forever change our way of life and threaten a fishing industry that contributes roughly $7 billion to the regional economy. If these voracious fish were to get into the Great Lakes, the environmental and economic impacts would be permanent and devastating. We must continue to support all efforts to fight Asian carp. I recently co-sponsored a resolution supporting the recommendations of the Chicago Area Waterway System Advisory Committee to prevent Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes. (read more) | Want to appeal your property tax assessment? If you are a homeowner and you believe your property tax assessment is incorrect, you may appeal it to your local Board of Review this month. A free packet to help make the process less confusing may be downloaded from my website or by clicking here. | | | | | | Free tax preparation guide available online
The Michigan Taxpayer’s Guide 2017 is designed to help residents prepare their state tax returns. The guide contains information on Michigan’s income tax, property taxes and tax credits. Included is a year-long listing of important property tax dates and deadlines as well as copies of the most commonly used tax forms. Free copies may be downloaded at www.SenatorJimStamas.com/Publications. Need additional assistance? A list of places that provide free help with taxes is available by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-552-1183. Also, the online self-service page is the quickest and easiest way to check on your refund, and you can click here to see one of the ways the state is protecting your refund from tax fraud. | | | | | | The 36th Senate District is made up of 10 counties, which includes: Presque Isle, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda, Alcona, Iosco, Arenac, Gladwin and Midland counties. | Thank you for subscribing to my electronic newsletter! I am honored to represent you in the 36th Senate District of Michigan. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Please feel free to forward this on to others who may be interested in receiving the 36th District E-news. You may sign up for it also at my website or via Facebook. | Senator Jim Stamas 201 Townsend Street Suite #5200 P.O. Box 30036 Lansing, MI 48909-7536 Visit my website at: www.SenatorJimStamas.com | | | | | |