What’s at Stake Now: State Budget and Our Community

Dear Friend,

Thank you for subscribing to my e-news and for allowing me to serve you in the 1st House District and act as your voice in Lansing. My team and I remain committed to helping constituents with their questions and issues, while also providing useful resources.

As your representative, I am most effective at my job when acting on your input. I am proud to serve on the following House committees: Judiciary (minority vice chair), Finance, Regulatory Reform, and the Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses. I encourage you to reach out to me and my staff with any questions, comments or concerns you may have about issues in the district or legislation that will impact our state.

You can contact me at (517) 373-0154, toll free at (888) 254-5291, by email [email protected] or through my website. Thank you for your commitment to the community we both call home — I look forward to hearing from you!

In service,

Tyrone Carter
State Representative
1st House District

In this issue:

• Budget update
• Upcoming changes to Medicaid and SNAP
• Hispanic Heritage Month
• 313 area code reminder
• Community updates

I’m writing to share where things stand right now with the state budget and what it means for us in Detroit, Ecorse, River Rouge and Southwest Michigan more broadly. I believe transparency is essential, especially when families and neighborhoods are counting on leaders in Lansing to get this right.

By law, the Michigan Legislature was supposed to pass the full fiscal budget by July 1. That date has passed without resolution. We are now approaching Sept. 30, after which a failure to act could lead to a partial government shutdown and serious disruptions in services our families rely on. I want you to know exactly what I’ve seen so far — where the gaps are, what was proposed and what I’m fighting for — so we’re all on the same page.

Here are specific impacts we could face if a budget like this becomes law, or if there is a delay that causes disruption of government services:

• Community safety: Cuts to state police, law enforcement and community violence prevention threaten our ability to keep neighborhoods safe. Local governments could also lose support for police, fire and public works.
• Students, teachers and schools: A delayed or underfunded budget creates serious uncertainty, disrupting everything from staffing to student services. The Detroit News reports some districts have already laid off teachers, while others may drain savings or take costly loans if a shutdown hits Oct. 1.  One small district may face over $70,000 in loan fees and interest just to keep its doors open.
• Health care and mental health services: Michigan hospitals warn that the Republican budget would cut 20,000 jobs statewide and deliver a $4.9 billion blow to our economy. For families, that translates to fewer care options, longer waits and higher costs. It would also mean fewer resources for mental health, leaving more people without the support they need to manage stress, addiction or crises.
• Support for families and vulnerable populations: When assistance programs are cut or delayed, it’s our seniors, children, people with disabilities and low-income households who feel the pain first. Families are left dipping into hard-earned savings just to cover services they should be able to count on.
• Neighborhood infrastructure and local services: Local governments rely on state funds for street repairs, parks maintenance and emergency services. When state dollars are pulled back, that disruption filters down fast.
• Business and economic growth: Instability in state budgeting undermines confidence, slows workforce development and creates risks for growth. The longer this process drags out, the more strain we place on Michigan’s economic climate. Businesses and families alike need predictability.

As your state representative, and with 25 years in law enforcement before serving in Lansing, I know what safety and stability look like — and what happens when they are threatened. I want you to know how I’m acting in this moment:

• I’m pushing to preserve funding for public safety — including for state police, local law enforcement and violence prevention.
• I’m demanding no cuts to essential health care, and that we maintain or expand access for those who need it most.
• I’m advocating for student-centered investments for our schools, teachers and families.
• I’m opposing budget moves that disproportionately hurt low-income community members, seniors and historically underserved neighborhoods.
• I believe we can do this without putting our community at risk or sacrificing our values.

Negotiations are still underway. The House has passed its plan to the Senate, but major disagreements remain over schools, roads, public safety, health care and how deep the cuts should go.

I remain cautiously hopeful that leaders will step up and deliver a budget that meets the needs of Detroiters — and all Michiganders. In her latest address, the governor made clear she cannot support the House majority’s proposal as written. At the same time, the House speaker expressed confidence this week that a shutdown can be avoided.

All that said, I am preparing for every outcome. Delays or missteps in this process can bring very real consequences for families, schools and communities across our state.

Your voice matters more than ever. Here’s how you can stay involved:

• Reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-0154, through email at [email protected] or in person with your questions, stories and concerns. When I hear from you, I will bring your experiences into my work in Lansing.
• Be informed and become active. Article 1, section 1 of our state constitution places all political power in the people. That means your voice not only has an impact, it is critical.
• Share this message with family, friends and neighbors who may be affected and want to stay informed.

Thank you for your trust. I take seriously the responsibility to represent you and I will always fight for a Michigan where all people have fair opportunity, dignity and security.

Republicans in Washington have enacted federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP that I believe create more hoops for families to jump through to receive healthcare or food for their kids, including new work requirements and more frequent renewal requirements.

According to the KFF, these changes will cause thousands of Michiganders to lose coverage. That’s why it’s vital to stay informed; so that we can keep helping as many Michiganders as possible retain access to the healthcare and food assistance they need.

• MDHHS will still provide Medicaid and SNAP, known as the Food Assistance Program (FAP) here in Michigan, benefits to people who qualify, but you may see your benefits decrease.|
• Children, seniors, and people with disabilities will still get benefits without new work requirements. Despite that, new work requirements will still have a negative impact on hundreds of thousands of Michiganders.
• Emergency medical care and pregnancy care through Medicaid will still be covered.
• If you get paperwork from MDHHS, make sure to fill it out completely and correctly, sign it, and return it by the deadline with any required documents.

• Work requirements: Starting in Jan. 2027, many people covered through Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) will need to show they are working or doing other approved activities for 80 hours a month when they apply for or renew their Medicaid benefits. Some individuals may qualify for an exemption from this requirement.
• Eligibility redeterminations: Also starting in Jan. 2027, people covered through HMP will need to renew their health care coverage every six months, instead of once a year.
• Co-payment changes: Starting in Oct. 2028, people covered through HMP who make more than 100% of the Federal Poverty Line may have to pay more for their healthcare visits and services.
• Retroactive coverage changes: If you apply for Medicaid or forget to turn in a piece of paperwork and have a gap in coverage in Jan. 2027 or after, the number of months your coverage can go back (called retroactive coverage) will be less:
  1. Healthy Michigan Plan: Will cover 1 month back instead of 3 months
  2. Other Medicaid programs: Will cover 2 months back instead of 3 months.

Non-citizen eligibility: Beginning Oct. 2026, some people who are legally residing in the U.S., but are not citizens, will not qualify for full Medicaid coverage. However, they will still have coverage for emergency medical services.

• Expense deduction changes: Some deductions that help increase your FAP benefits are changing. These changes do not yet have a set start date:
  • Only people who are age 60 or older or have a disability will still get the larger utility deduction in their FAP budget if they receive a payment under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). If you are younger than 60, you will no longer receive the utility dedication and receive payment under LIHEAP.
  • The internet expense deduction will no longer count when your FAP amount is calculated.

Once these changes take effect, your monthly FAP benefits may go down.

• Delayed increases to benefits: Changes to the Thrifty Food Plan starting in Oct. 2025 may slow down future increases to FAP benefits. Usually, benefits go up each year as food prices rise, but that may not happen as often. This means you could get less in FAP benefits than expected.
• Work requirements for some adults: More people may need to meet work requirements to keep their FAP benefits. Today, most people are excused from these work requirements, but the new law may mean many adults must show proof of work to receive benefits. If you don’t meet the requirements, your benefits may stop after three months. These changes do not yet have a set start date.
  
•  Immigration Status and Eligibility: If you have not been approved as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) in the U.S., you may no longer qualify for FAP benefits for yourself. Other members of your household may still qualify if they meet immigration eligibility rules. This change does not yet have a set start date.
• Nutrition Education Programs Ending: Support for nutrition and physical fitness education through SNAP-Ed will end starting Oct. 2025.

The federal government will no longer cover the full cost of FAP benefits in states with an error rate above 6% starting in Oct. 2027. This may potentially cost the state of Michigan over $300 million. In order to get Michigan’s error rate below 6%, it is important that you report all information for your FAP case to MDHHS accurately and timely.

Without your help reporting your information, the state is at risk of losing the money and services that currently allow Michigan to provide the FAP program to you.

Please join me in recognizing Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Michigan, celebrating the rich history, culture and contributions of Hispanic-Americans in shaping Michigan’s diverse communities.

Hispanic Heritage Month, also called Latino Heritage Month, encompasses the independence days of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua on Sept. 15; Mexico on Sept. 16; and Chile on Sept. 18. Also included in this time frame are the holidays recognizing Hispanic contributions, such as Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day, celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the past Latino and Hispanic changemakers who have helped shape our state and our country.

Starting Oct. 7, 2025, 10-digit dialing will be mandatory for local calls within the 313 area code. Local calls dialed with only seven digits, without the area code, will not be completed.

This is the final phase of the implementation of a new 679 area code in metro Detroit, as the area’s long-serving 313 area code is running out of available numbers to assign to new customers.

An important note: Current 313 area code customers will not have to change their phone number and will be able to keep the 313 area code. The new 679 area code will apply to new phone numbers issued once the 313 area code’s numbers run out.

The Wayne County Register of Deeds has launched a new alert system to help protect residents from property fraud. The updated Property Alert service replaces the older Fraud Guard tool and offers expanded search options and stronger monitoring.

With Property Alert, you can track activity using your name, property address, parcel ID or legal description. This makes it easier to catch suspicious filings tied to your property before they become a problem.

If you were previously enrolled in Fraud Guard, you will need to register again. Visit www.waynecountylandrecords.com and click “Property Alert” near the top of the page to get started.

The Michigan Secretary of State and the Wayne County Sheriff announced recently that the Michigan Department of State (MDOS) is expanding its re-entry services to provide a state ID or driver’s license to newly-paroled Wayne County residents upon their release.

In 2020, MDOS launched a partnership with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to ensure newly paroled Michiganders receive a driver’s license or state ID at the time of their release. The Secretary of State Mobile Office visits MDOC facilities and helps residents secure, complete, and submit all required documents for state IDs or driver’s license renewals.

Approximately 20,000 returning citizens have gotten their state ID or driver’s license — over  98% of all people leaving prison. Since Sept. 2020, MDOS has increased transactions for returning citizens statewide from 400 to more than 6,000 per year.

MDOS has expanded the program in partnership with county sheriffs across the state. Wayne County joins Kent County, Ingham County, Genesee County and Washtenaw County in offering this essential service to their returning citizens.

Under state law, returning citizens and people with a felony or misdemeanor conviction can register to vote in Michigan as long as they are not actively serving a sentence in jail or prison. Michiganders detained by pretrial or pre-sentencing can also register to vote. MDOS is working with Nation Outside, Black Voters Matter, Voting Access for All Coalition, Here to Help and other organizations to dismantle misinformation and stigma around returning citizens’ eligibility to vote.

To mark September as National Voter Registration Month, all eligible citizens are encouraged to register to vote. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Vote.