Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It continues to be a privilege to represent Livonia, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing. I encourage you to stay up to date on what’s 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) 373-3920 or email me at LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov. You can also catch me on Facebook.
Events
Coffee Hours
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I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming in-person and virtual coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues families face in our community. The in-person coffee hour will be held at Coffee + Cream here in Livonia, and for virtual coffee hours, you can join the livestream on my Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/RepPohutsky.
In-person: Sunday, Sept. 5, from 2-3 p.m.
Virtual: Monday, Sept. 20, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Constituent Resources
Power Outage Update
This past week, nearly 1 million Michiganders lost power. I know our community has faced several outages this year already, and this only adds to that frustration. However, DTE’s crews are out working as quickly as they can to clear debris and restore power. The severity of the outage is obviously stretching crews thin, but progress is being made.
Regarding the outages that the Bell Creek Circuit in Livonia has been dealing with, I spoke with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) who informed me that DTE is going to prioritize tree trimming in that area. It had previously not been done for nearly a decade, so I am hopeful that this will be a positive step and help decrease the outages we face. Thank you to everyone who helped me collect information to pass along and demonstrate how dire this situation is for our community.
If you have experienced several power outages this year, I’d strongly encourage you to file a complaint with the MPSC using any of the options listed at this link. These complaints help both me and the MPSC work with DTE to do things like change the rebate system and prioritize our community for tree trimming. If you have any difficulties, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.
Legislative Update
Water Quality Month Resolution
Last week, my resolution to designate August 2021 as Water Quality Month in the state of Michigan was adopted by the House of Representatives. We must prioritize the health and safety of all Michigan residents by developing meaningful water quality standards to preserve the state’s most precious natural resource. Millions of residents rely on the water in and around our state each and every day, but we’ve too often fallen short of the high standard we must live up to. Far too many Michiganders have been forced to question the safety of the water coming out of their taps. This resolution affirms my commitment to ensuring that every Michigan family, no matter where they live, has access to the clean, safe water they need to thrive.
To see my floor speech on the importance of HR 145, please click here.
Community Update
Training with Growth Works
This past week, my team and I spent some time with Patrick Stropes and Laura Reiners from Growth Works to learn more about the dangers of opioids and how we can keep our community safe. Growth Works has worked closely with the Livonia Police Department and Mayor Brosnan’s office to train officers and city employees on the use of the life-saving treatment, Narcan. I am grateful for Patrick and Laura’s dedication to our residents and look forward to partnering with them in the future.
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Legislative Check-ins
It is crucial to have the voices of our community heard in Lansing. During the Legislature’s in-district work period, my staff and I hit the ground running on our door-to-door legislative check-ins. So far, I have had great conversations about the importance of investing in education, repairing our economy and expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare. My team and I will be out in the district throughout the summer, and we look forward to meeting you!
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Federal Unemployment Insurance Programs Update
A number of federal unemployment programs, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) are ending on Sept. 4. Even if you have unused weeks remaining on a PUA or PEUC claim, weeks after Sept. 4 will not be paid.
These programs were set to end on March 14, 2021, but were extended to Sept. 4 by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
Weeks prior to Sept. 4 that are pending review, protest, non-monetary issues etc. can still be paid once those issues are resolved. These programs ending will not affect claimants on a regular state unemployment claim.
For more information on these federal unemployment programs, please visit Michigan.gov/uia.
Never hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns!
Sincerely,
Laurie Pohutsky
State Representative
19th House District