Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It is and continues to be a privilege to represent Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing. I encourage you to stay up to date on what is going on in Lansing and continue to let me know about the issues that matter to you.
If there is anything I can do to help you and your family, please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-1530, or email me at LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov. You can also catch me on Facebook.
Legislative Update
Vote Post
Follow this link to see what we voted on over the last couple of weeks. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (517) 373-1530 or lauriepohutsky@house.mi.gov.
Constituent Resources
Attorney General’s Office Alerts Consumers of Nationwide Venmo Scam
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is issuing a consumer alert about payment apps and scams following nationwide reports of scammers targeting Venmo users. The scam involves a scammer “accidentally” sending money to consumers on the peer-to-peer (P2P) services and then asking for the money back.
The Attorney General advises consumers to never send back the money. Instead, they should contact the P2P service about the error. Scammers often use stolen funds that Venmo and other P2P services will eventually flag as fraudulent. A common version of this happens when a scammer uses a stolen credit card number to deposit funds into a consumer’s P2P account. Eventually, the real holder of the credit card may succeed in getting that payment reversed as a fraudulent charge. This means the innocent consumer who returns the supposedly accidental deposit to the fraudster will experience a debit from the credit card company, and any transferred funds will come from the consumer’s P2P account balance.
P2P scams can take many forms, including:
- Scammers impersonating a consumer’s bank to alert them about “suspicious activity” on their account and direct them to send money to themselves or “the bank’s address” to reverse a transaction or verify the account is not frozen.
- Fraudsters reaching out to consumers claiming to represent a fraud department or merchant and ask them to confirm information such as their bank account username and password, credit or debit card data, or Social Security number.
- Scammers posing as a legitimate business requesting a P2P payment for a product or service.
- Scammers connect a stolen credit card to a payment app then look for people selling big ticket items (such as a computer, tablet or car) online. The scammers will offer to pay for the product using the app. Once the sellers accept the payment and send the item, they will soon discover that the payment sent is not a legitimate buyer, and the money collected is removed from their account. The seller is then without either the item or the money.
- Fraudsters sending spoofed emails warning that an account is about to be suspended and that the account holder must enter their password on a spoofed webpage.
The Attorney General reminds consumers to never share their personal information, treat P2P payments like cash, and not pay for products until they receive them. Victims of a scam involving P2P payment apps can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 335-7599
Fax: (517) 241-3771
Toll-free: (877) 765-8388
Community Update
Livonia Severe Weather Update
This week’s severe storms have created damage in several areas across Livonia, including Rotary Park, which will be closed until further notice. As damage assessments continue, please use extra caution, and remember these important safety tips:
- Stay at least 25 feet away from any downed power line and assume the wires are live. Contact DTE Energy’s 24-hour hotline at (800) 477-4747 to report any issues with power or to report downed power lines.
- Report any trees blocking roadways to the Livonia Police Department at (734) 466-2470.
- Drive carefully and treat intersections without power as a four-way stop.
The Kirksey Recreation Center will be open as a temporary shelter for anyone who needs access to air conditioning, electricity to charge their phones or water to take a shower.
Additionally, the city is not able to remove fallen trees on private property. If trees are down on your property, you will need to contact a removal company. The city of Livonia Department of Public Works will begin circulating on Monday, June 10, to remove branches at the curb. You do not need to call in a request for pickup. Branches and limbs longer than 4 feet in length, up to 4 inches in diameter, should be stacked with all of the cut ends in one direction, facing the street. Stumps, logs, vines or roots cannot be placed out for disposal.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office and we can help get you connected to additional resources.
Redford Dog License and Vaccination Program
You are invited to join Redford Township Treasurer, Lily Cavanaugh, and Animal Control in partnership with Tail Waggers as they roll out the new dog license and vaccination program for 2024. Redford residents will be able to make appointments with Tail Waggers through the end of June at their Livonia location, or they can come to the Community Clinic at the Public Service Building June 15 and June 22. Licenses are sold at the time of the appointment. Package prices are for Redford residents only. Call (313) 387-2670 with any questions. Please see below for more information.
Tailwaggers
- 16322 Middlebelt Road Livonia, MI 48154
- Call (734) 855-4077 to make an appointment.
Community Clinic
- Public Service Building: 12200 Beech Daly Road, Redford, MI 48239
- June 15 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Dog License Fee: $15 (all pet owners) or $10 (Seniors 62+ years)
- Payment method: License with vaccines (cash/credit/debit) or license only (cash & checks only)
Package Prices
- Rabies vaccination
- Bordetella vaccination
- Distemper/parvo vaccination
- Lepto vaccination
- Heartworm test
- Microchips (includes registration)
To purchase your license by mail, please complete and return this form, along with a current rabies vaccination, check or money order made payable to Redford Township, and a business size self-addressed, stamped envelope. If you are requesting senior pricing, proof of age is also required.
All paperwork will be mailed to you along with your license. If you have multiple dogs, please use separate forms for each dog.
Detroit Summer Property Taxes Reminder
Detroit summer property tax bills will be mailed out starting in early July, and the payments are due Aug. 31.
Below are some important reminders:
- You can pay summer property taxes in two installments.
- You can take part in the Plan Ahead program to make deposits over time on your upcoming tax bill.
- Help with current property taxes is available to those in need and qualified through the HOPE program: www.detroitmi.gov/HOPE
- The Detroit Taxpayer Service Center (DTSC) team is ready to answer your questions about current property taxes at www.detroitmi.gov/dtsc or (313) 224-3560.
Events
Coffee Hours
I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues families face in our community. I host two coffee hours a month, one in-person and one virtual. The location for in-person coffee hours will rotate throughout the year between Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit. My in-person July Coffee Hour will be in Livonia at Biggby Coffee (33443 West Seven Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48152). You can join the livestream for my virtual coffee hours on my Facebook page.
Virtual: Monday, June 17, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
In-Person: Sunday, July 7, from 2-3 p.m.
Never hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns!
Sincerely,
Laurie Pohutsky
Speaker Pro Tempore
17th House District