Gun Violence Prevention Town Hall, Governor’s State of the State, reporting Lansing potholes, and more

Dear Neighbor,

Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.

Please join me Monday, March 23, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for my Gun Violence Prevention Town Hall at the Ingham County Human Services Building, Conference Room A, 5303 S. Cedar St., Lansing. I will be joined by special guest Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan, who will present on the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s 2025 report and recommendations. We’ll also hear from local gun violence prevention activists, experts, and community leaders. Community members are welcome to share their questions and concerns during this event. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP:

I was happy to have Erika Brown-Binion, Executive Director of the Refugee Development Center, join me for the governor’s final State of the State address. The Refugee Development Center is based in Lansing and offers adult English classes, free child care, workforce development, health and housing navigation services, driving lessons, digital literacy classes, citizenship education, and more. I am proud to have such a wonderful organization in Lansing working to help refugees who have experienced significant hardships adjust to life and succeed in their new home country.

The City of Lansing’s Public Service Department is asking residents to report potholes in the city at lansingmi.gov/connect or by calling 3-1-1. More information and a map of reported potholes can be found at lansingmi.gov/557/Potholes.

Follow my official Facebook account for the most up-to-date information. E-news contains a lot of good information, but it takes several days – up to a week – to get it approved and sent.

Sincerely,

Kara Hope
State Representative
House District 74

Starting this tax season, the IRS will no longer send paper checks to taxpayers for their federal tax refunds. Refunds instead will be issued by direct deposit or other secure electronic methods. Having an account with a financial institution is necessary to receive your refund. To prepare for this, taxpayers should establish a relationship with a bank or credit union now if they have not already done so. The Michigan Open Account Coalition offers certified low or no-cost account options at nearly 40 financial institutions. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/DIFSOpenAccount.

United Way of South Central Michigan’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program will have mobile tax prep units at Capital Area District Library branches in Lansing starting this month through mid-April. Households earning up to $69,000 can get free tax preparation services from trained, IRS-certified tax preparers. Register for an appointment here.