Dear Friends:

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on at Michigan’s Capitol.

I am the state senator for the 18th District – covering all of Barry County and parts of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. Please feel free to contact me with any issues related to state government at SenTAlbert@senate.michigan.gov, or by calling 517-373-1734 (toll-free at 855-347-8018).

Sincerely,

Thomas Albert
State Senator

The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk is deeply troubling and very sad for our country. I wish to convey my most heartfelt sympathies to the Kirk family.

Unfortunately, politically related violence seems to be on the rise, as evidenced by the recent shooting of Minnesota state lawmakers, assassination attempts targeting President Trump, threats against elected officials here in Michigan and other disturbing incidents.

Violence and threats of harm to others have no place in politics and must be condemned.

We have a right to disagree on policies, and at times those disagreements are emotional. But we must continually strive to address our political differences with respect and civility.

Thank you.

I am a firm believer that a reasonable and workable state budget should be finalized before Oct. 1. This is particularly urgent for schools, which are already back in session. That’s why I introduced my own proposal for K-12 funding way back in April.

I continue to talk to my legislative colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, with the goal of adopting a sensible state budget and avoiding any sort of government shutdown.

That said, we must also recognize that the status quo is not working in Michigan. Our school budget should truly help kids learn and improve Michigan’s dismal standing in national test scores. Our general fund budget should look for savings where possible and invest those savings in roads without tax increases.

I was fortunate recently to visit the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy in Battle Creek. It’s an example of a government-supported program that actually works, and we should take time to celebrate it.

The Youth Challenge Academy helps teens seeking a positive change in their lives. The National Guard program, established in Michigan in 1999, holds students to a military standard of dress, speech and behavior. The roughly six-month residential program is structured around education, physical exercise and community service. The program graduates more than 200 cadets every year.

I wrote more about my visit here.

Students can’t learn if they are not in class.

Nearly 28% of public school students in Michigan were chronically absent last school year, according to recently released state numbers. This means they missed 10% or more of the academic year.

While the percentage of chronically absent students has decreased slightly in each of the past few years, the rate remains far higher than it was before the pandemic. Before those statewide school shutdowns, fewer than 20% of kids were chronically absent.

I continue to support efforts by school districts to engage in their communities and increase attendance. When kids miss too much school, they fall so far behind that it is difficult to ever catch up.

Michigan summers are rightfully celebrated, but fall is when the state shows its true colors.

Plan your fall color tour with the Pure Michigan fall color map to find peak viewing of the season’s changes. Along the way, stop at a cider mill or pumpkin patch, or explore a state park.