E-Newsletter, January 16, 2009
LIGHT RAIL BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW
Governor Jennifer Granholm signed the Woodward Light Rail package of bills into law earlier this week. I am proud to have been the sponsor of Senate Bill 1590 in this bipartisan and bicameral package which allows for a street railway car system in Detroit. This light rail system will run from Woodward in downtown Detroit to the New Center Area. The new law allows a nonprofit organization to build and operate this system, and supporters have already raised $100 million to fund and build it. Adding this kind of mass transportation to Detroit will help attract businesses and spur economic development within the city. The new law also allows for the creation of nonprofit entities in other cities to fund and build rail lines such as the one planned for Detroit.
NEW PROMISE ZONES COULD HELP DETROIT STUDENTS
Two bills recently signed into law could help more Detroit students with the cost of a college education. The new laws allow local communities to establish Promise Zones, which will help students living in these zones with the cost of either a two-year or four-year degree. Up to 10 Promise Zones can be created to capture one-half the growth in the state education tax to support a local effort to promise a college education to students who live in the zone. Before given approval for the tax capture, the zone must show that it has the means to fund the first two years of the promise. Promise Zones will be located in cities with high rates of poverty. They are modeled after the private Kalamazoo Promise, which guarantees students who graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools free tuition at any state university or community college in Michigan.
DEARBORN HEIGHTS LIBRARY OFFERS HELP FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS
The Dearborn Heights Caroline Kennedy Library is hosting a meeting to help unemployed workers with their job search. A financial professional from New Directions will help people regroup, reevaluate and plan for the future. The program will be held on Wednesday, January 21, from 7:00-9:00 pm. Please pre-register at the library’s circulation desk or by calling 313-791-3800. The library is located at 24590 George Street, Dearborn Heights.
RECYCLE IN INKSTER
The City of Inkster has a drop-off recycling center scheduled for the first Saturday of every month (except for holidays). The site is located at the parking lot at Kurtsell Street and Huck Court located one block north of Michigan Avenue and one block west of Inkster Road. The following recyclables are collected: NEWSPAPERS: Tied or placed in brown paper bags; PLASTIC CONTAINERS: Marked #1 or #2 (inside the triangular recycling symbol), rinsed clean with caps removed, and flattened when possible; GLASS: Clear, brown, and green, rinsed and unbroken; TIN, STEEL AND ALUMINUM: Clean cans completely; PAINT: Paint must be dried out and in solid form with lids off. The recycling program does not accept aluminum foil products, oil, or glossy magazines.
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FILING TIPS
You may have heard recently about the problems some unemployed workers are having accessing the internet and telephone based unemployment filing systems. There are large numbers of people filing for benefits and this has posed some problems for the system. If you or someone you know is filing for unemployment benefits, here are some tips that may help you through the process.
If you are filing online at the Unemployment Insurance Agency’s (UIA) website at http://www.michigan.gov/uia you will need the following information: Social Security Number; MARVIN PIN (personal identification number), if one has been issued in the past; driver’s license number, or state identification number; date of birth; complete home address, including zip code, telephone number and county of residence. For each employer during the past 18 months you will need: employer’s name and address; first and last day of work; and earnings during the last 18 months. For those who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, an alien registration number and the expiration date for the work authorization are needed.
If you are filing by telephone there is a schedule for people calling to file. Unemployed workers can call 866-500-0017 to apply for benefits based on the last two digits of their Social Security Number. The schedule is 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday for those whose last two digits of their Social Security Number are 00-15; Tuesday for those with 34-38 digits and Wednesday for those with 67-81. Those with the last two digits of 16-33 are to call between 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday; 49-66 on Tuesday and 82-99 on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday are open call-in days.
MARVIN is the Michigan Automated Response Voice Interactive Network. Once you have a MARVIN pin number you can call into that system at 866-638-3993. You will have to call into MARVIN once every two weeks at a specified date and time to certify your claim.
If you have general questions about unemployment benefits you can call the Claimant Customer Relations hotline at 800-638-3995 on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also visit a UIA walk-in Problem Resolution Center for help. The Detroit center is located at 3024 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-500, Detroit, MI 48202.
DTE ENERGY AND CONSUMERS ENERGY OFFER UTILITY BILL ASSISTANCE
With winter upon us, it’s important that we begin preparing ourselves and our houses for the colder weather. DTE Energy and Consumers Energy offer a number of programs to help customers with their energy bills.
Payment assistance programs offered to customers include:
Medical emergencies program to postpone shutoffs in the event of a medical issue;
Shutoff protection plan to spread future bills out over the year and to include equal monthly payments on an unpaid balance in order to avoid a shutoff.
Some consumers and all senior citizens regardless of their income also qualify for DTE Energy’s Winter Protection Plan. This program protects seniors and low-income customers from shutoff between November 1 and March 31. During this period, customers must pay a portion of their estimated annual bill plus regular payments on any past-due bills. After March 31, the required bill payments will increase to cover winter bills.
Many assistance programs are available by calling 2-1-1 at United Way. Programs that are available include:
Low-income weatherization that includes caulking, weather stripping, and insulation;
THAW, the Heat and Warmth Fund, which helps people facing a shutoff and who have exhausted all federal and state funding programs. Visit: http://www.thawfund.org
You may also wish to take steps this season to reduce the amount of energy that your household uses in order to offset the usual increase in utility bills that comes with colder weather. The U.S. Department of Energy has developed a useful guide with suggestions on how to reduce your energy consumption that they have made available online at: http://www.energysavers.gov/.
There is also the State Emergency Relief Program to help with paying energy bills. This program can be accessed through your local Department of Human Services office or the Energy Assistance Hotline at 800-292-5650. Additional information about this program can be found at:
http://www.michigan.gov/heatingassistance/0,1607,7-215--105988--,00.html
JANUARY IS MICHIGAN MENTORING MONTH
Governor Granholm recently designated January as Michigan Mentoring Month, a designation that coincides with the national celebration of mentoring month, which calls on volunteers across the state to mentor in 2009. Mentoring is simple and can make a huge difference in a person’s life. There are many children waiting to be matched with a caring adult in Michigan. For more information on mentoring, call 2-1-1 or visit http://www.mentormichigan.com.
DIGITAL TV CONVERTER BOX BARGAINS
As you may already know, February 17, 2009, is the date of the nationwide change to digital television––and it’s sooner than you think! This is a problem for many people who use an old-style antenna and do not have a TV set fed by cable service, satellite dish or telephone provider and will not be able to get a signal until they buy a new TV or a converter box.
Converter boxes will cost $50-$70, but every household can receive two coupons good for a $40 discount by calling the info line sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters at (toll-free) 888-388-2009 or visiting their website at http://dtvanswers.com.
Remember that if you have cable television, you will not need the conversion box. You will not have to take any action for the conversion.
TALK TIME WITH TUPAC: COFFEE HOUR TIMES & LOCATIONS
Detroit Coffee Hour: Every First Friday, 10 - 11 a.m.
Mary's Grill, 20804 Plymouth Road
Dearborn Heights Coffee Hour: Every Third Friday, 10 - 11 a.m.
McDonald’s, 6412 North Telegraph Road
Inkster Coffee Hour: Every Second Friday, 10 - 11 a.m.
McDonald’s, 27125 Cherry Hill Road
You are invited to attend whichever coffee hours work best for your schedule. If you are interested in joining me, please call my office toll-free at 1-866-262-7305 in order to confirm your attendance. Please be sure to leave a message if you call after hours.
