Dear Neighbors,

Welcome to this month’s edition of my e-newsletter. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to tackle the tough issues that will help lower the cost of living, help families get ahead and build a brighter future for all who call Michigan home.

As always, I welcome your feedback on current issues facing Michigan or the Greater Rochester Area, Troy, Sterling Heights, Shelby Township and Utica communities. Constituent feedback is vital as I represent our communities in Lansing. If you are experiencing a problem with one of our state government agencies, my office is always available to assist with finding a solution. I respect your opinion and will always do my best to make myself available and accessible to you.

Please take a moment to visit my website, like my official Facebook page, send me an email or call my office at 517-373-0994. If you have any questions, concerns or opinions on what is happening, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Michael Webber
State Senator
9th District

Rep. Mark Tisdel and I introduced legislation, Senate Bill 883 and House Bill 5588, to honor Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Reckling, who was killed in the line of duty. The legislation would rename Auburn Road from Adams Road to Rochester Road in Rochester Hills as Deputy Sheriff Brad Reckling Memorial Highway.

Our local law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe, and we too often take that for granted. This senseless crime took a husband from his wife and a father from his children. We owe the Reckling family an incredible debt that we will never be able to repay, but I sincerely hope this memorial serves as a reminder of what this man and his family gave up for our community’s safety.

Reckling joined the sheriff’s department in 2015. He spent much of his career working in the Rochester Hills substation before being promoted to the Detective Bureau and transferring to the Auto Theft Unit.

Reckling was working undercover on June 22, 2024, investigating a stolen SUV from Red Oaks Waterpark. He followed the vehicle to northeast Detroit, when it suddenly stopped. The occupants then exited the car and shot and killed him. He is survived by his wife and four children.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard commended Reckling’s service and echoed the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers.

“We tell the families of our fallen heroes that they will never be forgotten,” Bouchard said. “This is one tangible way to show that dedication. Deputy Reckling was an amazing father, husband, brother and son, as well as a great deputy. He will live in our hearts forever.”

The memorial highway will have no fiscal impact on the state or local government. Under state law, the Michigan Department of Transportation can place markers indicating the name of a memorial highway only when sufficient private contributions are received to completely cover the cost of erecting and maintaining the markers.

Click here to see a story by WDIV-TV 4 about our legislation.

I have been visiting local elementary schools across our community to read to children as part of National Reading Month. Reading at a young age is critical to education and future success, and I am glad to help encourage children to read. Too many students struggle to read at grade level, and early encouragement is important to fostering those abilities.

National Reading Month is a nationwide celebration that promotes the fun of reading and strengthens literacy skills. People of all ages are encouraged to read every day, which has been found to have numerous cognitive, social and health benefits.

Michigan’s defense industry has a proud history as our nation’s Arsenal of Democracy and is growing in strength. At the center of it is the Michigan Defense Corridor, which includes Sterling Heights and the rest of Macomb County. Sixty-five percent of our state’s defense work, which drives $30 billion in economic activity and employs over 166,000 Michiganders, is done in the corridor.

Last April, President Trump announced a new fighter jet mission, consisting of 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets, would be stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, replacing the aging A-10s. This announcement was the culmination of years of hard work from the Legislature, the Michigan Aerospace and Defense Caucus, our congressional delegation and local leaders, and will ensure that Selfridge remains a major economic driver in Southeast Michigan. The base alone supports 30,000 jobs and generates $850 million in economic impact, much of which would be lost without a fighter squadron.

However, Selfridge’s runways must be upgraded to properly support the F-15EXs. The House of Representatives passed HB 4572, which appropriates the necessary funding to complete the upgrades.

The Air Force has made it clear that the runway expansion is necessary to support the new mission, and time is of the essence. The Senate must act while we have the support of the administration, and we cannot risk losing momentum or funding under a new president. This funding is critical to protecting jobs that support tens of thousands of Michigan families, our communities and our national defense.

The governor agrees that this mission will deliver huge dividends for the states’ economy, 17 military bases and the jobs they support. I am working to ensure that this funding is approved, as growing Michigan’s aerospace and defense industry is a bipartisan priority.

Click here to see my comments on the Senate floor advocating for Selfridge.

The cost of medical care continues to rise, and more than 700,000 Michiganders are now burdened with medical debt. To address this crisis, the Senate approved a bipartisan package of legislation: SBs 449, 450, 451, 701 and 702.

The bills would require hospitals to create and implement a financial assistance program based on a patient’s ability to pay and create new protections for patients facing medical debt.

The affordability crisis is affecting all facets of life in our state. It is a priority to work to lower costs, especially as no person should face crippling debt after receiving critical medical care. I will continue to work with my colleagues to advocate for this legislation and to innovate new ideas on how to make everyday life more affordable for Michigan families.

I also supported SB 95 to require hospitals to publicly disclose the cost of services and prohibit debt collection if a hospital is not in compliance with price transparency laws.

I will be holding office hours from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13, at Rochester Hills City Hall, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive, in the Planning Department Conference Room on the second floor. No reservation is required to attend.