Dear Neighbor,
As 2025 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to check in and look back on the year we’ve had together. For families, progress doesn’t show up in headlines — it shows up in everyday life. It looks like a kid eating breakfast at school without worrying about the cost. It looks like fewer surprise car repairs from crumbling roads. It looks like local communities actually seeing state dollars show up where they live.
These results aren’t an accident; they’re the result of long days in Lansing, tough budget negotiations and a constant focus on fixing the real problems people face every day.
Here are a few highlights of what we’ve delivered this year.
- Passed a state budget that sent record dollars back to local schools, roads and communities.
- Protected free school meals and expanded funding for student mental health and school safety.
- Invested in fixing our local roads and expanding public transit.
- Introduced legislation to tackle grocery price gouging, housing junk fees, big utilities and private equity.
- Continued fighting pay-to-play politics and corporate influence.
- Delivered funding for local projects and community programs.
Schools, Kids and Families
This year, we delivered the largest K-12 education budget in Michigan history.
That means record per-pupil funding for every district, continued funding for free school meals and hundreds of millions invested in school safety and mental health services. These investments show up in our classrooms and give our teachers more support. Our students have more stability and more opportunity and families have fewer gaps to fill on their own.
For so many kids across our state, a school breakfast or lunch is the most reliable meal they get in a day. Protecting that funding helps families stretch their budgets and helps our kids focus on learning instead of thinking about an empty stomach.
We also expanded funding for early learning and job training to make it easier for parents to find child care they can rely on, as well as to build skills that lead to steady, good-paying jobs.
Roads and Transit
Michigan is known for incredible wonders like the Sleeping Bear Dunes, the University of Michigan…and the crater you flew over that cost you a grand in repairs.
Since the beginning of my time as your state representative, I’ve been fighting for a budget that recognizes what we’re all feeling when we drive to work, drop kids off at school or go anywhere: our local roads are in rough shape, and our communities need real support to fix them.
That’s why I’m proud to share that this year’s budget put billions into fixing local roads and bridges. It made sure these dollars are going to reach the places people drive every day. Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw counties will see hundreds of millions of dollars invested into road repairs that make travel safer and help families avoid costly car damage.
We also secured record funding for public transit, giving people more choices on how to get to work, school, medical appointments and entertainment without relying on a car for every trip. Better transit saves time, reduces traffic and gives people more freedom to live their lives.
Cost of Living
Families are paying more for groceries, housing, utilities and basic necessities. People are working just as hard as they were a few years ago, and they’re still falling even further behind.
That’s not right.
This year, I introduced legislation to stop grocery price gouging, crack down on junk housing fees, make it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions and strengthen protections for utility ratepayers.
These bills focus on reducing the extra costs you shouldn’t have to pay for in the first place. When prices are transparent and businesses play by the rules, families actually keep more of what they earn.
STOP Private Equity
Across Michigan, people are trying to do one simple thing: buy a place to call home. But starter homes are disappearing fast, prices keep climbing and many families are losing out before they even get a chance.
A big part of this problem is private equity firms and hedge funds buying up all the homes. These companies move faster than any regular family ever could. They come in with cash, scoop up houses, and sometimes whole blocks at once. This affects everyone — rent goes up, property taxes rise and longtime residents worry whether they can afford to stay where they’re at.
That’s why I introduced legislation that stops private equity in their tracks and protects people from predatory cash-buying operations that pressures financially distressed people into bad deals. I’ve heard from so many parents who are scared their kids won’t be able to afford to live nearby. Seniors are worried they won’t be able to downsize without being pushed out, and workers who want to afford a home near their work.
Homes are for people, not hedge funds. When hedge funds push families out, that’s not the market “working,” it’s the system being rigged. It’s time we take on the Wall Street billionaires that are trying to change that.
Power to the People!
For too long, big corporations have used their wealth to bend the rules in their favor, drowning out the voices of everyday Michiganders.
That’s why I introduced legislation like the BRITE Act and Taking Back Our Power to shut down pay-to-play politics and curb the influence of corporate money in government.
These changes would help create clear lines between public service and personal profit. Decisions should be made because you, the people, are asking for them, not because of a corporate donation.
Local Wins
Our work this year delivered real results right here at home.
Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw counties secured hundreds of millions of dollars for local road improvements. The Ann Arbor Community Foundation received $1 million to strengthen local philanthropy. Trinity Health’s Food is Medicine program received $500,000 to help families facing food insecurity and chronic health challenges. The Treeline Conservancy received over $1 million to connect downtown Ann Arbor with the Huron River and the Border-to-Border (B2B) trail.
These investments support people where they live and address real needs in our community.
Thank You, and See You Next Year
As this year comes to a close, I want to say thank you.
So many of you have reached out to share your ideas, your challenges, and your hopes for our community. Those conversations are the reason why I went into public service, and they guide our work every day, from fighting private equity manipulation in the housing market to taking on grocery price gouging, and landfill violations.
We read your emails and letters, listen to your phone calls, and see you out in the community. We carry your stories into every meeting, every legislative drafting session, and every fight over Michigan’s future. Whether you’re offering encouragement or holding us accountable, I’m grateful for the trust you place in me and my team.
Thank you for being part of this with me. Take care of yourselves, enjoy some well-earned rest, and we’ll be back in 2026.
In solidarity,
Jason Morgan
State Representative
Michigan’s 23rd House District
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