In this newsletter: 

  • Silver Alert legislation
  • 2023 Tax Filing information
  • New Office Intern
  • New year, new you! Mindfulness and wellness tips
  • MLK Day, a day on, not a day off

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Silver Alert Legislation

I recently introduced legislation to establish a missing senior or vulnerable adult medical alert system, also known as a “Silver Alert.” 37 other states and the District of Columbia already have similar Silver Alert programs that parallel the existing Amber Alert system.

Michigan currently has the Mozelle Senior or Vulnerable Adult Medical Alert Act, but unlike Amber Alerts, this system does not utilize the Wireless Emergency Alert system and other forms of notification reserved for Amber Alerts. Spreading awareness to the public of a missing senior, particularly those affected with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other conditions which lead to confusion, can lead to a better outcome for those missing seniors since finding these missing individuals as soon as possible is critical.

That is why I introduced my bill to bring Michigan in line with other states. The bill has over 20 co-sponsors, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to see it come before the House floor for a vote.

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2023 Tax Filing Information — we have some updates! 

As we start a new year, tax season is just around the corner. I wanted to provide information that will help you with filing your paperwork and ensure you reap the tax benefits recently enacted. There were two major tax changes for Michiganders this upcoming tax season:

  1. The Working Families Tax Credit, or EITC, was expanded.
  2. Taxes on retirement rollback

The EITC is a benefit for working individuals with a tax credit of up to $2,080. Your eligible credit amount depends on several factors — including your income, filing status, number of “qualifying children” and/or if you have a disability. This tax change will be retroactive to the 2022 tax filing. The rollback of the retirement tax is part of the Lowering MI Costs plan. It rolled back the three-tier system of limitations and restrictions on the retirement and pension subtraction. If you think you may benefit from either of these tax changes, then please ensure that your address is up to date with the Department of Treasury.

If you qualify for either the EITC or new retirement tax rollback, the Michigan Department of Treasury will hold tax returns to be processed until after the relevant laws take effect on Feb. 13. You DO NOT need to do anything else to ensure you qualify for these benefits, other than ensuring your physical address is current with the Department of Treasury. To update or change your physical address, go to www.michigan.gov/taxes/questions/iit/accordion/general/change-address, which has guidance on how to update your address through the IIT e-Service, via phone or by mail.

As always, I encourage you to consult with your individual tax preparer or accountant for further information and to advise you on your best options when filing your taxes.

Finally, tax season runs from Jan. 23 to April 15, 2024 for on-time filing. To file a late filing extension, Oct. 15 is the late filing deadline.

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New Office Intern

We have a new intern in our legislative office! Madeline Hollander, who is originally from Ann Arbor and is in her junior year attending Kalamazoo College, will support constituents in Kalamazoo and across the 41st District. She is majoring in political science and French. She is excited to join us in the Capitol.

New year, new you! Mindfulness and wellness tips

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we can sometimes forget to take a moment to stop and appreciate all that we have. Prioritizing both our mental and physical health is important! Daily meditation is a powerful tool for managing your stress and enhancing your health and bringing present-moment awareness to all your daily activities is important. Additionally, increasing our movement and being mindful of how long we sit can add significant benefits to our wellbeing.

  • Try meditation: Daily meditation can help relieve your stress, boost your happiness and enhance your thinking.

  • Slow down, eat mindfully: Mindfulness applies to eating, too. In fact, studies show that employing mindfulness techniques can be helpful in reducing binge eating and emotional eating.

  • Find opportunities for mindfulness: Throughout the day, identify opportunities to practice mindfulness like focusing on one task at a time, listening to others and appreciating the natural world.

  • Wind down at night: An hour before bed, dim the lights, and turn off all electronic screens. This can substantially help those with trouble sleeping.

  • Practice gratitude: Research shows that an attitude of gratitude is associated with better mood, better sleep, less fatigue and even lower bodily inflammation.

  • Be mindful of how long you are sitting! Get up and move every 30-45 minutes and consider increasing your steps or overall amount of time spent moving in a day.

MLK

MLK Day: a day on, not a day off

Team Rogers will have a table at the Western Michigan University “Teach In” event on MLK Day this coming Monday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Western Michigan University Student Center located in the heart of campus at 1903 W. Michigan Ave. in Kalamazoo. This year’s theme is “Chaos or Community.” Stop by to learn about what our office can do for you or advocate for important issues of the day.