Statement, HoCo 2025-04-08

I am Sarah Green of Calumet Township.
I am here to again express alarm at the ongoing federal chaos and draw your attention to local impacts.
I have three short points today: Tariffs, Head Start, Meals on Wheels

1. Tariffs
We have just seen the imposition of hugely irresponsible tariffs, widely condemned by business people, are likely to increase costs for all construction projects, including the jail currently being discussed.

2. The Head Start regional office serving Michigan shut without notice this week.
Head Start is federally funded and operated locally. These regional offices help match the funding to local needs and provide training and oversight.

In Houghton County 293 kids are enrolled in Head Start programs, which include special education.

As Commissioner Roy Britz mentioned earlier, these modest investments in children have huge returns in the long term.

For perspective, in 2024 the entire federal budget for the Child Care and Development Fund, which includes Head Start, was $12.3B, which is about 0.03 ElonUnit, (3% of Elon Musk’s wealth).

Cutting programs for children does nothing to improve our economy.

3. As we have just heard, Meal on Wheels and other food programs receive federal funds, which also help our local small farmers.

Meals on Wheels is requesting that local taxpayers help support the program, already inadequately funded before current cuts.

We can clearly see that when federal funding goes away, the needs don’t. Nor do we see federal tax breaks to compensate for the loss of services because the federal tax cuts enacted in 2017, and scheduled to be renewed, are overwhelmingly skewed toward extremely rich people.

I urge the commission to communicate our concerns to state and federal representatives and to take steps to protect your constituents.