| Dear Neighbor,
Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government. |
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💬 Making Michigan Affordable Town Hall – Aug. 22
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| Please join me tonight from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the Making Michigan Affordable Town Hall, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, 5509 S. Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing. Come learn about how House Democrats are working to improve access and lower costs for housing, food, and medication. Please RSVP on the Facebook event page. |
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☕ Coffee & Conversations in the District – Sept. 8 |
| Join me for my next Coffee & Conversation on Monday, Sept. 8, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Sam Corey Senior Center, 2108 Cedar St., in Holt. You can register for the event and share any questions or topics you would like covered here. See you then! |
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📉 Progress on State Budget Stalled as Schools Start and State Government Shutdown Becomes More Likely |
| Michiganders continue to wait for a final state budget. House leadership has not yet finalized a deal, even as schools across the state have started the 2025-26 school year.
With no state budget, schools cannot make an informed plan or write their own budgets. Consequently, some districts have already ended universal free breakfast and lunch. Others, like Holt Public Schools, have told parents that free school meals will continue through September, but the future of the popular program is uncertain after Sept. 30, when the state’s fiscal year ends. In my view, the delay has been accompanied by shifting explanations that have created uncertainty. I am deeply concerned about what this indefinite delay means for our state. As I’ve mentioned before, the lack of a complete budget is unprecedented in my 7 years in office (even with all but two of those years in divided partisan control of government), and it does not bode well as the state’s fiscal year starts Oct. 1. If a budget is not passed before Oct. 1, it will result in a state government shutdown, and it would occur under a House led by Republicans. I am worried because many residents of South Lansing and Holt work for the state government. If they aren’t paid, even for a short time, it could create serious problems in their own household budgets. Many in our community live paycheck to paycheck, and many state employees are among them. The preceding section has been heavily edited and does not fully reflect my personal assessment of the current budget situation.
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📝 Make Your Voice Heard in the House Dems Vision Project Survey |
| Michigan House Democrats are working on a vision for the future of Michigan that reflects the needs and aspirations of Michiganders. Please fill out our brief Vision Project Survey to share your concerns and ideas about the future of our state. The survey can be found here or by clicking the button below: |
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| 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, |
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| Kara Hope State Representative House District 74 |
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In Case You Missed It . . . |
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🎓MI Student Aid Hosts Webinars on the MI Achievement Scholarship |
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Students and families seeking financial aid for college are invited to register for one of MI Student Aid’s upcoming informational webinars on the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. Topics that will be covered include:
You can view the list of upcoming webinars, register, and watch an online recording of the informational session here. |