Dear Neighbor,
Welcome to my first e-newsletter! My name is Natalie Price. I am proud to represent the people of the 5th district in the Michigan House of Representatives. Our district comprises parts of Detroit, Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Bloomfield Township, Oak Park, Southfield and Royal Oak.
In this newsletter are some important updates, along with a few resources I hope will prove helpful. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-0844 or email at NataliePrice@house.mi.gov for questions about any state-level issue. Feel free to also follow me on Facebook to get regular updates as well.
In service,
Natalie Price
State Representative, 5th House District
Upcoming Events
Save the date!
Please save the date. On Monday, Feb. 27, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. my office will be hosting a community conversation at the Oak Park Community Center where I will provide a legislative update and answer questions from the community. Hope to see you there!
Legislative Updates
I was officially sworn in as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives last month. It was an amazing moment, and I am filled with excitement about all the work we will get done for the people of Michigan this session!
Committee Assignments
I also received my committee assignments. I am proud to serve on the following committees, which will have a significant impact in determining our state budget:
- Appropriations Committee
- Joint Capital Outlay Subcommittee (Chair)
- Health and Human Services Subcommittee
- School Aid and Education Subcommittee
- Higher Education and Community Colleges Subcommittee
- Tax Policy Committee
Lowering MI Costs Plan
These past few weeks, my colleagues and I have been working with the Michigan Senate and Gov. Whitmer to deliver a plan that would bring economic relief to a great number of Michigan’s working families and seniors.
This plan includes the working families tax credit, which is a revision to the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit that will increase it from 6% to 30% of the federal credit. This will save an average family around $3,000!
The plan also includes a repeal of the state’s tax on retirement income. This could save seniors in our state an average of $1,000 per year. This legislation is incredibly important to delivering tax fairness for our working families and seniors and will put money back into the pockets of Michiganders.
Executive Budget Presentation
On Feb. 8, my colleagues on the Appropriations committee and I had the privilege to listen to Gov. Whitmer’s presentation of her 2023 state budget recommendation. I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues in both chambers to craft a budget that improves the lives of all Michiganders, especially through historic investments in public education such as expanding access to pre-k programs and higher education, closing our literacy gaps, providing free school meals, and supporting our educators.
Click here for more details on the Gov.’s Executive Budget Recommendation.
State Updates & Resources
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is hosting a public hearing on the proposed plan for the new 679 area code overlay for Detroit’s 313 area code.
Detroit’s 313 area code is projected to run out of unassigned telephone numbers in 2025, and a proposal has been made to add a new overlay area code (area code 679) covering Detroit and its nearby suburbs. While local calls will continue to be billed as local, this proposed change would require all callers to begin including the area code when dialing.
The 313 area code covers Detroit, its enclaves, Hamtramck and Highland Park, and the suburbs of Allen Park, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Ecorse, the Grosse Pointes, Inkster, Lincoln Park, Redford Township, River Rouge, and Taylor.
The MPSC is hosting a public hearing to take public comment on the proposal on Thursday, March 9 from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Frank Hayden Community Room at Wayne County Community College, 1001 W. Fort Street in Detroit.
MPSC Staff will be providing a presentation summarizing the proposal. Anyone is welcome to attend and encouraged to provide comment. For more information on this event, please visit the Commission’s event page.
EGLE Awards MI Clean Water Grant to the City of Birmingham
The city of Birmingham has been awarded a Drinking Water Asset Management (DWAM) Grant totaling $745,680.
This grant program was the first to be developed by EGLE under the MI Clean Water Plan — a plan to invest $500 million to help communities around the state upgrade drinking water and wastewater. The DWAM grant is available to assist water suppliers in Asset Management Plan development or updates, and/or Distribution System Materials Inventory as defined in Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule.
Michigan Achievement Scholarship Provides Affordability and Opportunity for Michigan Students, Families
State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks encouraged Michigan students and families to unlock the assistance available from the Michigan Achievement Scholarship by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students who graduate from high school in Michigan with a diploma or certificate of completion or achieved a high school equivalency certificate in 2023 or after will be eligible for more financial aid from the state of Michigan:
- Up to $2,000 if they attend an eligible training provider in Michigan, per year, up to two years.
- Up to $2,750 if they attend a Michigan community college, per year, up to three years.
- Up to $4,000 if they attend a Michigan private college or university, per year, up to five years.
- Up to $5,500 if they attend a Michigan public university, per year, up to five years.
Completion of the FAFSA is required to be considered for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. To get started with the FAFSA, visit www.fafsa.gov.
Upcoming Webinars:
To learn more about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, high school students and families are encouraged to register for an informational webinar provided by Michigan Department of Treasury’s MI Student Aid team. The webinar will cover the following topics:
- Michigan Achievement Scholarship eligibility requirements.
- Michigan Achievement Scholarship award amounts.
- Important action items for students and families.
- Additional resources and program information.
All sessions are free of charge and open to the public. Please register for one session only, as space is limited:
- March 7 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- March 21 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- April 4 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- April 18 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
- May 2 at 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Additional information about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship is available at www.michigan.gov/achievement.
Detroit Individual Income Tax Taxpayers Can Now Pay Tax Bills Online
The city of Detroit and the Michigan Department of Treasury are pleased to announce that taxpayers now have a new electronic option when paying city income tax balances for Detroit individual income taxes.
Effective immediately, city of Detroit individual income taxpayers can now pay by eCheck or debit or credit card their estimated payments, annual return payments, proposed tax due payments, 10-day demand payments, assessment payments or audit payments. Previously, taxpayers were required to mail a check to the state Treasury Department in Lansing.
To make a city of Detroit individual income tax payment, taxpayers must go here and then click on the “City of Detroit Individual Income Tax” button. Afterward, select “Sending Payments to Treasury,” review the available electronic payment options and then select “Make e-Payment.”
The state’s eCheck system does not accept payments for Detroit property taxes and other fines. Those looking to pay property taxes can continue to do so in-person, by mail or online.
Taxpayers have the option to pay using eCheck for free or pay using a debit or credit card for a fee. Payments will typically clear taxpayers’ bank accounts within a couple of days and update on statements after a couple of weeks. Payment of city income taxes by eCheck or with a debit or credit card must be made by the due date of the payment.
Federal, state and city individual income tax returns and payments for the 2022 tax year are due on April 18..
Tax returns can be e-filed or completed using paper forms and mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. If not paid by that date in person, by eCheck or with a debit or credit card on or before that date, payment by check will only be timely if included in the forms mailed and postmarked on or before April 18.As a part of a partnership with the city, the Michigan Department of Treasury has been processing the city of Detroit’s individual income tax returns since the 2015 tax year. In the 2022 calendar year, more than 350,000 city individual income tax returns were received and processed by the state.
To learn more about city of Detroit income taxes, go here.
Other News
Detroit Taxpayer Resource Fair
On Friday, Feb. 24, from 1 .- 4 p.m., at the Northwest Activities Center (18100 Meyers in Detroit), the city of Detroit’s Taxpayer Service Center will be hosting its first Taxpayer Resource Fair where residents can get information about available resources regarding property taxes. Residents will have the opportunity to inquire about these topics at the fair:
- Current year tax bill questions.
- Plan Ahead Program (city of Detroit).
- Learning about convenient ways to pay your taxes .
- Delinquent tax questions.
- IRSPA Program (Interest Reduction Stipulated Payment Agreement).
- Pay As You Stay (Wayne County).
- HOPE Program.
- Exemptions and much more.
For more information, feel free to email DTSC@detroitmi.gov
Mayor Kicks Off Ninth Year of ‘Grow Detroit’s Young Talent’(GDYT) to Provide Summer Jobs for 8,000 Youth Ages 14 to24
- Portal now open for youth to sign up at org through May 31..
- Employers and partners can also sign up via the same website.
- GDYT program has provided 62,491 summer work experiences for Detroit youth since 2015.
- Program is one of the few nationally that has provided a complete program of opportunities for youth throughout COVID-19 (2020, 2021, and 2022).
- While the target for total GDYT enrollments for 2023 will remain at 8,000, the program will introduce new enhancements for the 2023 program year.
Important Dates
February
- Black History Month
- American Heart Awareness Month
March
- Women’s History Month
- National Reading Month