HELPING MICHIGANDERS GROW AND THRIVE
Every child in Michigan deserves a quality public education, and the work that Governor Whitmer and my colleagues and I have done will finally give our schools the resources necessary to help every child succeed. Education in Michigan is directly tied to our future, and, with increased funding and support, we will ensure our society, economy, and job market can grow and thrive with a strong educational foundation.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
As the daughter of a vocational education teacher and the wife of a teacher, I know that supporting teachers is the most important part of public education. Teachers can do their best work when they have manageable class sizes, ongoing training, and resources to help them accommodate unique learning styles.
I know how committed teachers are to preparing our children for the future and we must be committed to them, too.
Already, I’ve introduced legislation to keep teachers’ pay competitive with other professionals in their areas and to allow administrators to engage in collective bargaining. I also secured $400,000 for the Novi Education Foundation. I’m committed to making sure investment in public education is consistent, equitable, and makes the best use of our valuable tax dollars.
I will also bring our educators and administrators to the table to hear about their experiences, and enlist their help in finding a sustainable strategy for providing resources to public schools.
Finally, I will work toward building an education system that prepares our students for whichever career path they’ve chosen. This solution starts with giving every child the benefit of early childhood education through universal pre-kindergarten programs and continues by funding higher education options like vocational and trade schools in addition to traditional colleges.
BETTER JOBS
Small businesses make our communities stronger and bring jobs and services that our residents rely on.
We must be forward-looking and ensure our state is competitive by maintaining an educated workforce, updating our infrastructure, and incentivizing new industries and businesses to bring good-paying jobs to our communities. In 2021, I introduced HB 4996 to give commercial property owners with tax delinquencies the same chances to avoid foreclosure that we give to residential property owners. COVID had a devastating impact on so many local businesses, and it’s the right thing to do to help them bounce back.
I’m also committed to advocating for programs and resources that grow our local businesses and pursue industries that will bring well-paid, quality jobs, and important services to our region. For example, “blue and green” tech jobs in clean energy, conservation, mobility, and sustainable agriculture have massive growth projections and potential in Michigan. I will propose the use of strategies like public/private partnerships and Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant funding to help us grow and compete, today and tomorrow.
WORKER’S RIGHTS
Having practiced workers’ compensation law on both sides of the table, I’ve heard it all: “Workers don’t want to work, they just want something for nothing. They don’t deserve what they’re paid at union jobs. We don’t need unions anymore, workers have it good already.”
The reality is that we wouldn’t have any of the safety nets and benefits we have today if it wasn’t for organized labor. Their contributions to the workforce have been life-changing, and we must preserve them for the workers of today and tomorrow.
All that said, we can definitely improve our programs serving workers and employers. For example, with workers’ compensation alone, we need:
• A uniform standard on what qualifies as a good faith job search.
• A clear definition of “a good and reasonable cause” for when injured or ill workers are unable to seek or keep employment.
• More reasonable cut off standards to make it fair for both workers and employers.
Even small changes can have a big impact on people trying to support themselves and their families, so let’s dispel the myths and keep this conversation going.
EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Thriving means giving everyone the chance to succeed. We must give LGBTQ+ workers the same workplace protections as the rest of us, and finally ensure women—especially women of color—receive equal pay for equal work.
I introduced HB 4582 to address the wage gap and increase the reporting and documentation of wage disparities in various industries. Together, we can make sure we’re all represented, included, and respected in our workplaces.
