LANSING – State Representative Tom Cochran (D-Mason) along with Reps. Theresa Abed (D-Grand Ledge) and Andy Schor (D-Lansing) held a press conference in Holt today to announce Michigan’s Middle Class Agenda, the House Democrats’ plan for helping families, seniors and kids. The plan is based on the response Democrats received during their recent statewide, Real State of Our State Listening Tour. Representative Abed held a Mid-Michigan Listening Tour in Delta Township on March 8.

“We heard from the residents of our communities that they are unhappy about what Republicans are doing in Lansing. Their agenda hurts our families, our kids and our communities by failing to adequately support public education, local governments and the services that families and businesses rely on,” said Rep. Cochran. “My colleagues and I are ready to turn their ideas into legislation that would allow our state to once again work for Michigan’s middle-class families.”

“We are fighting policies that harm our children starting with inadequate funding for our schools; that harm our middle-class families who rely on good paying jobs; and that harm our seniors who now struggle with the additional burden of having to pay taxes on their pensions,” said Rep. Abed. “Our plan will put Michiganders first instead of corporate CEOs.”

The House Democrats’ Middle-Class Plan includes real solutions to problems facing Michigan’s families, seniors, kids and women. The plan calls for middle-class tax relief, restoring and protecting funds to public education, eliminating barriers to health care for women, and provides solutions for fixing our roads and bridges. Michigan’s Middle-Class Plan will:

  • Repeal the tax on seniors’ retirement income, restore the per-child tax deductions, restore the Earned Income Tax Credit to 11 percent and restore the Homestead Property Tax Credit.

  • Level the playing field for overweight and out-of-state trucks, ensure existing transportation funds are used for road construction and refinance existing infrastructure bonds.

  • Make the School Aid Fund only available for use in funding K-12 education and increase per-pupil funding by $320.

  • Improve access to health care for women by removing barriers to clinics and increasing access to family planning services.

“Michigan families have been struggling under the policies of Gov. Rick Snyder and legislative Republicans for the past two years. These policies must change if Michigan is going to attract talent and grow, and for Michigan to retain our families, children and seniors by ensuring a good quality of life,” said Rep. Schor.

For more details, or to view the plan in its entirety, visit www.realstateofourstate.com