Late September 2025 Newsletter

Stakeholders to Lawmakers, Find Common Ground, Pass A Budget
Labor, health care, education and child care organizations across the state are begging the Legislature to find common ground and pass a budget.

"The state budget is not a spreadsheet. It is a moral document that reflects our values and priorities,' Monique Stanton, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, said during a media roundtable Friday morning. "Budget proposals at both the state and federal level threaten to undermine the very programs that help Michiganders keep food on the table, access health care and support their families through difficult times."

Stanton said Michigan residents are facing a "perfect storm" given the uncertainty in the economy and the budget.

"Paychecks are not stretching as far as they used to, and now the real possibility of losing health care, job training, food assistance, free meals at schools are all under threat," she said. "When budgets are slashed, people suffer…We risk undoing years of progress in improving health outcomes reducing poverty and strengthening Michigan's workforce in a single budget cycle."

Ryan Hundt, CEO of the Michigan Works! Association, spoke about the importance of workforce development programs.

The $1.2 billion Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity budget passed by the House late last month proposed big changes, including eliminating the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund and the Michigan Strategic Site Readiness program, cutting the Going PRO workforce training program along with other workforce training initiatives

Hundt highlighted the success of the Going PRO Talent Fund, Registered Apprenticeships and workforce barrier removal programs.

"With the proposed budget that we have seen recently and cuts to critical programs, those cuts are going to impact the way in which people learn new skills," Hundt said. "If those proposed budget cuts do go through, we could see many of those opportunities for our residents and our businesses in Michigan disappear very quickly."

Amy Zaagman, executive director of the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health, talked about the importance of providing support for pregnant women and young children through wraparound services.

"When we disinvest in those systems, we send a message to providers that their work isn't valuable, and we send a message to families that we're not committed to their success," she said.

Zaagman also spoke about funding for mental health care programs.

"We really need to maintain the gains we've made in those areas," she said. "We need a budget now, and we need a budget that reflects those priorities."

Alicia Guevara, chief executive officer of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, said that cuts at the state and federal levels will put families in an impossible position.

"More working parents are facing impossible choices about whether they can stay in the workforce or afford the childcare their family needs," she said. "Not only do we see cuts, but we see there's not serious investment in children and families."

Child care, Guevara said, should be a central part of Michigan's economic recovery and growth strategy, and it must be funded as such.

Bridget Clark Whitney, the CEO of Kids' Food Basket, a children's food equity organization, talked about the effects of cutting SNAP and food assistance programs amid inflation.

"That is affecting our families experiencing food insecurity more than anyone else," she said. "403,000 children in Michigan deal with food insecurity consistently."

Clark Whitney went on to say the state will experience a 25% increase in SNAP administration costs due to federal cuts.

If the budget it delayed or if it has significant cuts, Michigan residents will be the ones to pay the price, Stanton said.

"Our policy makers will be making a choice to make lives difficult for kids and families," she said.

Child care locations, which already operate on thin margins, could miss payments and shut down without state support, and health care providers' ability to provide services could be affected if the flow of Medicaid funding from the state is held up, the roundtable participants said.

Zaagman urged lawmakers to come together and decide what they could agree on.

"Difficult decisions are already happening because people are making presumptions about if there will be a shutdown, how long a shutdown will go, and if they'll be able to come together around some of these important programs," she said. "There's lots of blame to go around, and it doesn't do us any good. I just need them to get to the table and negotiate."

Tim Daman, president and CEO of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, also put out a statement Friday urging lawmakers to come to an agreement.

"Uncertainty surrounding the state budget has real impacts on our region's economy – delaying critical infrastructure projects, creating planning challenges for schools and local governments, and leaving businesses without the clarity they need to make hiring and investment decisions," he said. "Our region's employers expect and deserve a budget that prioritizes economic growth, invests in talent and infrastructure, and provides stability for Michigan families."

The Michigan College Access Network asked the Legislature to finalize a budget that invests in education and Michigan's future.

"Our talent needs demand a strong educational system, from pre-K through postsecondary education, that prepares students for the wide variety of career opportunities available," Ryan Fewins-Bliss, MCAN executive director, said in a statement. "We're asking all parties to come to the table and work toward a budget that keeps our promises to Michigan's students and acknowledges the vital role education plays in creating a better future for all Michiganders."

Further budget delays hurt families and hurt people's relationship with those elected to represent them, Stanton said.

"The reality is that a budget shutdown means real pain for families, and it also erodes the trust that people have in their lawmakers," Stanton said.

Nesbitt Wins the MIGOP Conference Straw Poll for 2026 Candidates for Governor
Among 492 attendees at the Michigan Republican Leadership Conference, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) led the Midwesterner-run poll as the gubernatorial candidate most attendees preferred.

he biennial event hosted by the Michigan Republican Party has traditionally been a place for party activists to shop around possible candidates ahead of the coming election year. Nesbitt led with 29.2 percent, former House Speaker Tom Leonard was preferred by 23.5 percent and Mike Cox, the state's attorney general from 2003 through 2010, was backed by 18.5 percent of attendees.

In fourth place was U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township) with 13.8 percent support. Earlier this year, James was perceived by many as a frontrunner for Republicans' 2026 nomination for governor. He attempted to run for the U.S. Senate in the 2018 and 2022 election cycles, receiving endorsements by President Donald Trump each time.

Now he represents one of Michigan's most competitive Congressional districts, the 10th U.S. House district containing southern Macomb County and the Rochester area in Oakland County. On Friday, MIRS reported that as conference attendees arrived on Mackinac Island, there were no "John James for Governor" banners or T-shirts to be seen, while Nesbitt, Leonard and Cox each had flocks of campaign volunteers welcoming visitors excitedly.

During Saturday afternoon, the James camp hosted a reception at the Gate House restaurant, providing free alcoholic beverages, fried cheese curds and sliders. MIRS spotted several folks in Cox T-shirts grabbing small food plates.

"Look, I haven't met anybody who says they support John James for governor," said political commentator Dennis Lennox during the reception. "I mean, there's a bunch of people here, but they're here because it's an open bar, and it's free food."

Kaitlyn Buss, The Detroit News' assistant editorial page editor, said James is receiving criticism from a lot of different corners.

" . . .That he's maybe not getting out there as much as he needs to be, and they keep riding on this name ID and polling such as it is, but that's not going to be enough as we keep going forward. He is going to have to get out there," Buss said.

James today did not participate in a 3:30 p.m. "MI Issues" panel that Buss co-moderated with WOOD TV political reporter Rick Albin. The panel featured Cox, Nesbitt, Leonard and 2022 candidate for governor Ralph Rebandt, the police chaplain who entered the 2026 lineup Thursday.

Also, there were two other 2022 candidates seriously looking at getting into the latest race for governor, Bloomfield Hills millionaire Perry Johnson and Kevin Rinke, who ran his family's General Motors dealerships.

"I have been through many campaigns since 2008. I've never lost an election: close elections, primaries and general elections, and unless you're unopposed. I always run like I'm behind, and that would be my advice. Don't take anything for granted," said Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake), chair of the Michigan Republican Party, on the poll's warnings.

When asked about not attending the “MI Issues” panel, James said during his reception that he wished he could multiply himself, but he's right now going around the state talking to people. MIRS asked James how, if Republicans gave him the nomination for governor, he would address independent candidate for governor Mike DUGGAN, Detroit's mayor. James said “more votes.”

“The focus of this race is always on the people, and that's the reason why we're here, because this race is about the people, and I think that if you're able to articulate that message well, then the people will give you a shot,” James said. “I think Michigan right how is looking for someone who could deliver on five critical items: academic excellence, economic mobility, public safety, government accountability and healthy families. These are reasons that even in blue states, Republican governors get elected."

During the “MI Issues” forum, Nesbitt talked about it being tough to make it in Michigan right now, where the whole goal is to make things easier for families, workers and small business owners.

“We can do a full DOGE of our state government on regulations, line by line, on our permitting, on our spending . . . who else here has gotten a 50 percent pay increase the last five years? I don't see them, but your state government has, lower the cost of government, lower the cost of insurance, lower the cost of energy,” Nesbitt said. “That's how you make it easier for families and workers to make it right here in Michigan.”

In other results from the straw poll:

- Secretary of State candidate Melissa Yatooma won the straw poll over fellow candidate Amanda LOVE, a Clarkston School Board member, 38.5 to 29.7 percent. Macomb County Clerk Tony Forlini, who is not an official candidate, received 14.3 percent as a write-in candidate and Timothy Smith of Muskegon got 8.6 percent. Another 8.8 percent were undecided or voted other.

- For Attorney General, Kevin Kijewski, who successfully represented one of the 15 GOP electors who had charges thrown out of court earlier this month, won the straw poll with 52.6 percent of the vote. Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd was second with 33.5 percent and attorney Matt DePerno finished third with 7.5 percent. Another 4.8 percent preferred other.

Budget Spat Could Delay Medical Procedures
Michigan state policymakers have been a “little too preoccupied” on the federal budget discussions when crafting the state's spending plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, according to one social service organization head, who has seen a state budget process or two in her day.

It's time to come to get around the table, negotiate and come together on the programs important to people, said Amy Zaagman, executive director of Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health, who has more than 25 years in Lansing as a legislative staffer and official with MCMCH and the mental health boards under her belt.

She said during a reporter roundtable today that clearly a lot of state funding is dependent on what happens in Washington D.C. “but we need to take that in stride and should still be moving forward.”

Also, she understands that schools are concerned about when they can expect their state aid payments, but “schools are not the only entity that's highly dependent” on state money.

“Health care providers are highly dependent on the flow of Medicaid funding from the state,” Zaagman said. "We could see procedures delayed. That type of thing will start to happen very quickly before the 20th of October.

“The reality is that there's a lot of people pointing fingers at who's to blame for the hold up. I'm not alone in saying, ‘I’m sick of it.' Let's decide what you all can come together on and get it done.”

Health care, child care, food security and state workforce data are at risk as the state budget remains unresolved and the Oct. 1 start of the next fiscal year draws near, Zaagman and other social service advocates said today at a roundtable today.

Advocates for social services said Senate Democrats “definitely priorized” public health in their budget by investing in Medicaid and expanding RX kids. The same couldn't be said about the House Republican budget proposal.

“When budgets are slashed, people suffer. We risk undoing years of progress in improving health outcomes, reducing poverty and strengthening Michigan's workforce in a single budget cycle,” said Monique Stanton, president and CEO, Michigan League for Public Policy.

She said proposed cuts at both the state and federal levels are about whether people can go to the doctor, parents can find childcare and families have enough food to get through a week.

Alicia Guevara, chief executive officer of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, said the budget should reflect the reality of families' daily lives in that childcare is “essential infrastructure like roads and broadband.”

She said parents are working more, but still struggling to find affordable, accessible childcare. Childcare businesses are operating on thin margins due to rising costs and decades of underinvestment.

According to the Michigan Association of United Ways, 41 percent of Michigan households are struggling to meet basic costs, affecting 40 percent of the state's population. Also, 19.1 percent of Michigan children experience consistent food insecurity, according to Bridget Clark Whitner, president and founding CEO, of the Kids' Food Basket.

DCD AT MACKINAC GOP LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE:

DCD's Mat and Justin Dunaskiss and Jake German had a great time visiting with legislators and reconnecting with friends from across the State of Michigan this past weekend at the MIGOP Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island.

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Marijuana News, Updates, & Articles of Interest

THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM: YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE!

DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

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ARTICLES OF CANNABIS INTEREST:

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