Bronna started by thanking our club for the work our club has done throughout the community and that she was proud to represent Lenawee County in Lansing. Bronna said she was proud of her accomplishments the past year and a half that strengthen our economy, raising incomes through additional training in skilled trades, reducing taxes and regulatory burdens, increasing resources to school classrooms, and rebuilding Michigan’s infrastructure. She went on to speak about the issues before the legislature in Lansing:
 
  • Securing the necessary resources for our senior citizens
  • Fixing Roads - $4B investment for roads & bridges
  • Reducing Debt – for our children and grandchildren so they are not saddled with this debt
  • Ending Driver Responsibility Fees – allowing thousands of Michigan drivers to get their licenses back so they can return to work
  • Making Government Open & Honest – increasing the transparency of our state government so it restores the taxpayers faith in the government
  • Respecting & Protecting Taxpayers – The state saved $1B in their Rainy Day Fund (Budget Stabilization Fund) which will better protect taxpayers during tough times
  • Work for Welfare – so that able-bodied people can work and be on a path of success in exchange for welfare payments that build people up
  •  Income Tax Relief – by increasing personal tax exemptions that tie in with those made at the federal level recently
  • Providing Tax Relief for Moms and Dads – various tax breaks that have been enacted
  • Combating Opioids – collaboration efforts have been successful between organizations like Rotary and the health community and need to continue
  • Improving Mental Health – we appreciate the suggestions we continue to get locally, Bronna said
  • Results for Students - Record funding for K-12 education – the biggest ever - $14.8B which represents 28% of Michigan’s budget. Bronna has been able to leverage an additional $6.8M for Lenawee County schools during her time in the state legislature!
  • School Safety - $25M has been set aside for grants to improve building security and the school reporting system
  • More Skilled Trades – better opportunities to prepare students with the help of local educators to help break down the barriers to training that still exist to moving these programs forward. A big skill gap still impacts this state.
  • Getting Real World Experience – helping high school students earn course credit and even get paid by completing an internship or work study program so they can build experience while they are still in school to see if they like it before investing in college
  • Stopping Identity Theft – for seniors in particular. Securing free credit freezes
  • Tax Credits for those 62 and Older
  • Protecting Meals on Wheels – Bronna continues to push hard for increased funding to insure nutritious meals for the homebound
  • Helping Victims of Human Trafficking – through continued legislation
Other efforts she is working on, Bronna said, include auto insurance rates, anti-bullying and Alzheimer’s Awareness (Bronna was selected to receive the Champion for Alzheimer’s Award from the Alzheimer’s Association last year!). Thank, Bronna, for a great update and all you do for Lenawee County.