Hello Friends,

Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It continues to be a privilege to represent Northville, Plymouth and eastern Canton, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing.

Although we are currently in our in-district working period, I will continue to fight to ensure that every Michigander has access to the tools, resources and opportunities they need to succeed. I encourage you to stay up to date with what’s going on in Lansing and to let me know about the issues that matter to you, so I can continue to best represent the interests of our community.

If there is anything I can do to help you and your family, please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-3816, email me at MattKoleszar@house.mi.gov, or stop by my office in Lansing. You can also catch me on Facebook and Twitter.

Sincerely,

Matt Koleszar

State Representative, 20th House District

School Aid Budget

Supporting schools has always been extremely important to me. As such, I was proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the historic 2021-2022 school aid budget. This budget makes the largest investment in preK-12 schools in Michigan’s history.

House Bill 4411 finally closes the funding gap for the first time in 25 years; invests substantially in at-risk funding, special education and mental health services; increases access to early education through the Great Start Readiness Program; and funds pre-K at the same level as K-12. By providing nearly $240 million more for school counselors, psychologists, nurses and social workers, we can be sure our students receive the support they need to be successful in the new school year.

Election Ride Along

On Aug. 5, I accepted the invitation of Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus-Lyons to do an “Election Ride Along.” I got a tutorial of the step-by-step process that happens from election night returns through certification of the election.

Clerks like Posthumus-Lyons and their teams work hard to ensure our elections are safe and accurate and are who we should be relying on when it comes to updating our election standards.

Legislative Canvassing

Other members and staff from the House Democratic Caucus joined us in our community to knock on doors and ask constituents what they’d like to see from the Legislature when session returns in the fall and make sure that they know how to reach out office if they need assistance with anything.

SOS Visit and News

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson invited myself and other local legislators to join her on a tour of the Livonia branch office. I have heard concerns from numerous people about the changes being made, and I was eager to see it for myself.

While COVID-19 did create a large backlog, I’m happy to report that it has largely improved, and Livonia has next day appointments available almost every day. Many of the changes we’re seeing, like expanding mobile centers, were driven by SOS branch staff, and they were eager and excited to tell us more.