TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., March 5, 2025 — Recent workforce cuts and funding freeze threats by the Trump administration under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have a significant negative impact on services vital to northern Michigan residents. This includes staffing cuts already enacted at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, as well as cuts to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff whose job is to curb the invasive sea lamprey. Left unchecked, the sea lamprey threatens to decimate the Great Lakes trout and salmon populations. A funding freeze would heavily impact a wide range of popular and essential programs for northern Michiganders including Meals on Wheels, domestic violence shelters, and child abuse survivor services, veterans services and more. Health care access for over 2.7 million Michiganders on Medicaid as well as nursing homes that rely on Medicaid dollars would also be affected. In response, state Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) issued the following statement:

“Chaos from the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE are having a negative impact on northern Michigan, from our national parks like Sleeping Bear Dunes to our Great Lakes, to vital programs like Meals on Wheels, Medicaid and veterans services. These are widely supported services and programs among northern Michiganders, regardless of how they vote. These programs serve some of the most vulnerable in our state — whether by ensuring seniors have access to nutritious meals, providing health care to those in need or supporting veterans who have given so much for our country. The Musk/DOGE firings threaten our precious natural resources, and the threats to freeze funding threaten our ability to care for those who rely on these services. They also cause great stress and uncertainty to the people who power our dedicated local nonprofits and other organizations that provide those services. 

“Due to a significant uptick in constituents calling and emailing my office and coming to my public Office Hours worried about federal matters, I have written to both U.S Congressman Jack Bergman and Senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters requesting a joint town hall so our constituents can hear and speak directly to their federal representatives. I am pleased Sen. Elissa Slotkin has responded with plans to host a virtual town hall soon to address these issues. We must work together to protect our most important services and ensure that Michigan’s future is bright for all.”

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