why policy matters to southeast michigan
DESCRIPTION
Webinar presented July 10, 2013 by Michigan League for Public Policy. Sponsored by the Council of Michigan Foundations, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Jewish Fund.TRANSCRIPT
July 10, 2013, 10 a.m.
Gilda Z. Jacobs, President & CEORenell Weathers, Outreach Director
Why Policy Matters to Southeast Michigan
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1223 Turner St. Suite G-1, Lansing, MI 48906-4369 (517) 487-5436Fax: (517) 371-4546 Web site: www.mlpp.org
A United Way Agency 2
The League is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and advocacy organization dedicated to economic opportunity for all in Michigan.
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a permanent community endowment that works to improve the quality of life in Southeast Michigan by connecting those who care with causes that matter.
The Jewish Fund The Jewish Fund was established in 1997 from the proceeds of the sale of Sinai Hospital to the Detroit Medical Center. The Jewish Fund continues the tradition of assuring excellent and compassionate care for those in need in Metropolitan Detroit through its annual grantmaking.
The Council of Michigan Foundations is a nonprofit membership association of more than 350 grant-making organizations working together to strengthen, promote and increase philanthropy in Michigan.
Used with permission3
• Child poverty in region up by 28%• Detroit has most concentrated
poverty of 50 largest cites• Unemployment in region higher
than before Great Recession
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SE Michigan families struggle long after Great Recession receded
A decade of disinvestment
-30%
-15%
0%
15%
30%
45%
60%53%
21%
-7%-0.8% -5%
-29% -25%
16%7%
Perc
ent C
hang
e
Change in DetroitCPI FY 2003-FY 2013: 21%
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The (wrong) solutions
• Cut business taxes
• Raise taxes on working poor
• Cut programs for kids and families
• Disinvest in education
• Fight Obamacare
• Sequestration…. 6
The cost of not expanding Medicaid
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Wayne Oakland Macomb Livingston Monroe St. Clair Washtenaw
47%
38% 38%34%
38%41%
45%
Percent of Uninsured In SE MI That Would Be Covered with Medicaid Expansion
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• Without expanded Medicaid, many women will not get needed preconception care.
• Infant mortality reduction plan remains underfunded at $2 million in FY14.
Infant Mortality
Michigan7.1 deaths per
1,000 live births
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$132(201)
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$132(201)
Many children still can’t
visit dentists
• 442,000 children now covered in 75 of MI’s 83 counties.
• Only five counties are not covered including Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties.
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Poverty in Michigan
20.7%
8.6% 8.3%5.9% 6.8%
12.3% 12.7% 14.0%
25.9%
11.1%
14.3%
6.5%
12.2%
15.9% 16.9% 17.5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Wayne Oakland Macomb Livingston Monroe St. Clair Washtenaw Michigan
2007 2011
25% 29% 72% 10% 79% 29% 33% 25%PercentChange
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Poverty in SE Michigan
0%
10%
20%
30%
Total Poverty Child Poverty
13.7%
20.0%17.8%
25.7%
2007 2011
Source: American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
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Overall ranking in child well-being
County RankLivingston 2Oakland 5Washtenaw 6Monroe 16Macomb 18St. Clair 33Wayne 76
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Average monthly
recipients for all public
assistanceprograms
FY 12
Michigan$148.9 million
1.1 million people
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Cash Assistance caseloads in SE MI
31,610
4,385
272
4,037811 1,055 1,275
20,566
2,955172
3,210447 673 769
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
Wayne Oakland Livingston Macomb Monroe St. Clair Washtenaw
2010 2013 83,085
54,161
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
2010 2013
Michigan
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Average number of households
receiving food
assistance in SE MI
49.7% of all Food Assistance Program cases are in these seven
counties
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Median Household Incomein SE Michigan
$42,470
$66,483
$55,101
$70,735
$53,750
$45,873
$61,049
$47,950
$38,479
$61,888
$50,891
$67,441
$53,744
$45,676
$56,612
$45,981
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
Wayne Oakland Macomb Livingston Monroe St. Clair Washtenaw Michigan
2007 2011
-9.4% -6.9% -7.6% 4.7% 0.0% -0.4% -7.3% -4.1%PercentChange
Adjusted for inflation
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SE Michigan Unemployment Rate
7.3%8.4%
14.4%13.3%
11.0%10.0%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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The Big Tax Shift
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Taxes on Businesses CUT
83%
Taxes on Individuals UP23%
$132(201)
EITC losses for families
in SE Michigan
total $125
million
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$132(201)
Michigan2011: $353,494,0822012: $106,048,225
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Tax policy changes hurt
Food Bank Council of Michigan20
SE Michigan sequester fallout
Automaticacross-the-board cuts
Head start, education, healthcare, job training
21,000 kids losing clothing allowance
for one year21
Changes since 2010• 48-month lifelong limit on cash assistance.• Asset test added to limits on who can receive food assistance. • Annual clothing allowance rules tightened for kids on cash assistance• Clothing allowance eliminated in FY13• Unemployment benefits reduced• Cash assistance cut to parents of truants• Pending bill to reimburse the department if they’ve won more than $600 from the Michigan
Lottery in the past decade• Pending legislation would mandate public assistance applicants or clients undergo testing if
they’re suspected of drug use. Those testing positive would have to undergo treatment to keep their benefits.
• New legislation would create an asset test to further limit the number of parents qualified for public-funded child care.
• The state Earned Income Tax Credit rate was dropped last year to 6 percent of the federal rate, down from 20 percent.
• The homestead property tax credit, also a state income tax write-off, was reduced.• A $600 per-child state income tax exemption was eliminated. It applies to everyone, but hits
low-income people the hardest.• Charitable tax deductions were eliminated, causing a drop in donations to food banks,
homeless shelters and other resources for the poor. 22
Policy changes impact SE MI
ANNUAL LOSS OF ASSISTANCE:
= $82.2 Mil = $53.6 Mil
TOTAL = $135.8 million each year for region
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Education matters
• State has cut $1.6 billion a year in spending over the last decade
• Half came from education
• Good news: $65 million for preschool
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Questions? Click hand icon to raise your hand to ask a question. You will be unmuted.
ORType your question in the webinar tool box.
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• Put it in writing
• Make a call
• Put in face time
• Build a relationship
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Advocacy tools
• Friends• Title or position• Information• Numbers• Constituents• Money
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What influences decision makers
Voices Leadership Training Michigan's Children
Voices Leadership Training Michigan's Children
Fur Affection
Costliness
Sneezing
Shedding
Kitty LitterCleanliness
Cat Food
Vets
Cat frame
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“When you need a friend, it’s too late to
make one.”—Mark Twain
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Tips
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Form emails
Form letters
Phone calls
Individualized emails
Individualized letters
In-person meetings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
A lot ofinfluence
Someinfluence
No influenceat all
Influence of Advocacy Communications on Legislators
Source: Congressional Management Foundation
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o Learn if you need to be a registered lobbyist, and if you do, register to be a lobbyist and become an active participant in impacting policy decisions.
o Registration handled by the Michigan Secretary of State’s office - http://www.michigan.gov/sos/.
Know the rules
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No No's• Nonprofits classified 501(c)(3) cannot endorse,
contribute to, coordinate with, or align in any way with candidates or political parties.
• Nonprofits may not lobby using government funds.
When in doubt…• As an individual, you are entitled to engage in
unlimited lobbying and political activity, provided you do so on your own time without using nonprofit assets.
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• The Michigan League for Public Policy is here as a resource to you as you advocate for low-income Michigan residents
• Sign up for our Budget Briefs series at www.mlpp.org
• Join the Prosperity Coalition• Access the League’s advocacy trainings
We can help!
1223 Turner St. Suite G-1, Lansing, MI 48906-4369 (517) 487-5436Fax: (517) 371-4546 Web site: www.mlpp.org
A United Way Agency34