I have two office hours meetings scheduled in Clare and Mt. Pleasant on Friday, June 10.

I will be available to answer questions and provide information and assistance, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting communities and businesses in the district.

My upcoming office hours are scheduled for:

Friday, June 10
9 – 10 a.m.
Cops and Doughnuts — Central Precinct
1327 S. Mission St.
Mt. Pleasant

11 a.m. – noon
Cops and Doughnuts Headquarters
521 N. McEwan St.
Clare

Please feel free to stop in! No appointment is necessary.

The Senate recently passed legislation to provide Michigan families, seniors, and veterans with $2.5 billion in tax relief. The bills mark the third time this year that the Legislature has sent bipartisan tax relief to the governor for her signature.

The MI Family Inflation Relief Plan would help every Michigander by lowering the state’s income tax to 4% and increasing the personal income tax deduction by $1,800. It also would support Michigan families by creating a $500 tax credit for each child under the age of 19.

House Bill 4568 and Senate Bill 784 also would increase the tax exemption for Michigan seniors over 67 to $21,800 for individuals and $43,600 for couples and ensure Michigan’s fully disabled veterans and the spouses of those lost in combat receive a 100% property tax exemption.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has already vetoed two previous tax-reduction measures the Legislature has sent her. In April, she vetoed HB 5570 to temporarily suspend the state’s gasoline and diesel excise tax. In March, she vetoed SB 768 to reduce the state’s personal income tax, create a $500 per child tax credit, and increase the tax deductions for all seniors.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day. Prior to the holiday, the Senate last week celebrated its 27th Annual Memorial Day Service honoring the Michigan men and women who died in military service to our country.

I had the pleasure of welcoming Michigan Army National Guard veteran Jessica Wright to Lansing on May 26 as my guest for the morning’s service.

Wright served from 2001-2009 and spent time in Iraq throughout 2005. She held the role of a logistics specialist during her time of service and is currently a member of the VFW Hough-Pontius #3701 Post in Lakeview — of which I am also a member.

The annual ceremony was a moving experience and I want to thank Jessica and other Michigan veterans for coming to Lansing to help honor our fallen soldiers.

Last week, I voted to suspend the state’s excise, sales and use taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels for three months to provide relief to Michigan drivers.

This package is about once again acting to use part of our state’s record surplus to help Michigan families and workers struggling with runaway inflation and record-high gas prices. This summertime pause on the taxes people pay at the gas pump will provide much-needed relief to drivers at a critical time for Michigan’s economy — especially for those in our state’s agriculture and tourism industries.

Senate Bill 1029 would suspend the state’s 27.2 cents per gallon excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuel from June 15 to Sept. 15. It would also provide $300 million for local governments to cover revenue lost during the gas tax pause. SBs 972-974 would suspend the state’s 6% sales and use taxes on motor fuel for the same time period.

According to AAA, on June 2, the average price per gallon for regular gasoline in Michigan was $4.80 and the average diesel price was $5.36 — both of which are the highest recorded average in the state’s history. Suspending the excise and sales taxes on gasoline is estimated to save Michigan drivers 51 cents per gallon at the pump.

Legislation to penalize organized retail crime under the state’s racketeering statute easily passed the Michigan Senate.

Over the last year, Michigan and other states have experienced an increase in organized retail crime. In a matter of seconds, dozens of thieves run into a store, grab thousands of dollars in merchandise and then they’re gone. This kind of activity, sometimes referred to as flash mob robberies, is costing the retail industry millions of dollars annually.

Michigan’s Organized Retail Crime Act, which was passed in 2012, prescribed felony sentencing for organizing, supervising, financing or assisting another person in committing organized retail crimes. Senate Bill 691 would add similar language to the state’s racketeering penal code, providing law enforcement with more leverage against the criminals at the top of these efforts.

The Michigan Attorney General, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Michigan Retailers Association all support this bipartisan measure.

The Michigan Department of Treasury is warning Michigan taxpayers with past-due tax debts of a new scam.

Taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill that requests individuals to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve an outstanding state tax debt. The letter threatens to seize a taxpayer’s property — including bank accounts, wages, business assets, cars, real estate, refunds and cash — if the debt is not settled.

The piece of correspondence appears credible because it uses specific personal information pulled from publicly available information.

The department reminded residents that they correspond through official letters that use state of Michigan letterhead that embody both the names of the governor and state treasurer. These official letters are sent through the U.S. Postal Service, provide several options to resolve an outstanding debt and outline taxpayer rights.

Taxpayers who receive a letter from a scammer or have questions about their state debts should call the Treasury’s Collections Service Center at 517-636-5265. A customer service representative can log the scam, verify outstanding state debts and provide flexible payment options.

To learn more about Michigan’s taxes and the collections process, go to Michigan.gov/taxes.

Beginning July 2020, the Michigan Department of Education implemented an online certification system for educators and school counselors to report their Professional Development and Continuing Education hours online.

The MDE website offers dozens of resources for educators at all levels of their careers. From students or professionals interested in exploring a career in education to seasoned educators looking to further their own knowledge and bring new experiences to their classroom, educators can explore dozens of exciting and enriching opportunities for new teacher certification or professional development, including:

For more information about these and many others, visit MDE’s Professional Leading Resources web page. Scholarships are available for most programs.

Last week was National Safe Boating Week. Data shows that life jackets save lives! All boaters and passengers should wear a properly fitting life jacket for any boating activity, regardless of age or experience level.

Make sure you and your friends always have properly fitting life jackets on while enjoying a day on the water. For more information about boater safety, visit SafeBoatingCampaign.com.

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