Serving You
We have much to be thankful for as Americans. I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and hope you can gather together this holiday with family and friends and give thanks.

Serving the people of the 36th Senate District is 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. Let me know if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.

Governor should quit using northern Michigan as a pawn for tax hike
Stealing funding meant for children, veterans and the less fortunate for political gain is shameful and represents the worst kind of politics. Sadly, that is exactly what our governor did.

With bipartisan support, the Michigan Legislature delivered a responsible and balanced budget plan to the governor before the Oct. 1 deadline. The plan increased K-12 education funding by nearly $400 million and invested $400 million more into our roads.

Unfortunately, the governor decided to gut much of it because the budget didn’t include her massive $2.5 billion tax hike on Michigan families. She made a historic 147 line-item vetoes to cut nearly $1 billion in funding, including $375 million in road funding; $128 million from schools; and funding for children with autism, job training and access to health care.

As if her reckless cuts weren’t bad enough, the governor then circumvented our co-equal system of government by taking the unprecedented action of using an administrative board to move $625 million around various departments without legislative or public input.

The governor needs to quit playing games with the lives of northern Michigan families.

She stole vital resources for northern Michigan through her administrative transfers, including $1 million for child advocacy centers, $7.5 million for private well water testing, and funding to study the impact of PFAS on Michigan wildlife and fisheries. She even eliminated $3.5 million in funding for the Centers for Independent Living, which provide support and training for people with disabilities and their families.

The worst part is the governor did it to try to gain political leverage for a 45-cent gas tax increase. Read more

Car insurance fee to drop by 55% for some, be eliminated for others
According to an October 2018 report, Michigan drivers pay the highest auto insurance rates in the country — 83% higher than the national average. Our sky-high rates were impacting Michigan families and job providers.

Earlier this year, I proudly supported a bipartisan measure to finally reduce car insurance rates while ensuring that accident victims still receive the medical care they need.

Senate Bill 1 was signed by the governor in May. As a result of this new law, the annual Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) fee of $220 will be reduced to $100 in 2020 for drivers selecting unlimited, lifetime coverage. Drivers who choose other levels of coverage will pay no annual fee at all.

SB 1 will allow Michigan drivers to choose the option that fits the individual needs of their families and will require lower rates for drivers who select limited coverage.