Representative Jasper Martus

There was great food and a fun time as always at the Our Lady of Lebanon Mid-East Festival!

The last time I spoke to Tim Sneller just a few days ago, he ended the call as he always did: “I love you like my grandson, buddy. I’m so proud of you.” Tim was one of my first bosses in politics and when I decided to run, one of the first people to endorse me. He was my friend, my mentor, and one of the finest public servants our community has ever produced. This is a loss for our community, our state, and for every person who loved him.

From prioritizing mental health to creating good paying jobs, we passed a state budget last week that puts people first. In the coming weeks, we will roll out other major wins including record investments in Genesee County!

My friend Dr. Kenyetta Dotson did an amazing job organizing the 23rd annual Unity March Against Violence!

I am humbled to be named Legislator of the Year by the Small Business Association of Michigan. Members of SBAM have been tremendous partners during my time in Lansing. I will continue to work hard ensuring that Michigan has an economy that works for all Michiganders and small businesses can continue to thrive.

Yesterday, Bobby Crim was a guest on the House floor of Speaker Joe Tate. Crim served as Speaker of the Michigan House from 1975 to 1982, founded the Crim Festival of Races, and has been a tremendous advocate for Genesee County for decades.

The Michigan Capitol dome has been under construction for most of my time in office. Finally the scaffolding and construction have come down. It’s a beautiful sight to see!

Happy Pride Month! Less than a decade ago, gay marriage was illegal in most of the country. Until four years ago, someone could be fired from their job for who they loved or how they identified. I am proud of how far our country has come and will continue to be a champion for the rights of the LGBTQ community.

“Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.”-Harvey Milk

Thank you to the Detroit Chamber of Commerce for taking the time to discuss the Michigan House’s work on economic development. We are prioritizing creating good paying jobs, spearheading new technologies, and making our state a leader in the Midwest.

Today, I had the honor of speaking at the 95th anniversary of Temple Beth El in Flint Township. This synagogue has been a gathering place for Genesee County’s Jewish community for nearly a century. While members sang songs and told stories, I reflected on the memory of my late friend Pete Levine and how much he championed the Flint area Jewish community.

Today marks 25 years since the mass shooting at Columbine High School. My generation has grown up in a world shaped by that tragedy and the countless shootings that have happened in our schools, homes, businesses, and places of worship. When it occurred, Columbine was once one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history. Today it is not even in the top 15 deadliest shootings.

I’m thankful that my friends at the Flushing Senior Center put up with my laryngitis at our coffee hour today. As always, we had some excellent conversations about issues impacting our community. Maybe laryngitis isn’t all bad since I did a lot more listening than talking.

The Carman-Ainsworth Girl’s Basketball team is one of the best in the game! This morning, I stopped by to support their fundraiser at McDonald’s. Shout out to my friend Kenyetta Dotson for being such a tremendous community advocate.

Happy International Women’s Day to some of the important women in my life.

Last year, Senator Sam Singh and I’s legislation created the Office of Community & Worker Economic Transition. The Department of LEO has been hosting round tables across Michigan to hear from local leaders on the resources they need to create good paying jobs and how they can benefit from this new office. Today, the people helping to set up this office visited Mott Community College and listened to leaders from across Genesee County.

March is Reading Month! Today, I read to some wonderful classes at Daley Elementary in Beecher and Central Elementary in Flushing. I’ll be reading to more classes and talking to kids about the importance of reading throughout the month.

Thank you to our fantastic Attorney General Dana Nessel for hosting a senior scam town hall in Mt. Morris Township this morning. As she always does, the AG provided both helpful information and plenty of laughs.

Who is your favorite president?

Today is President’s Day. Because of their standing in American society, our views of history are often shaped by who occupied the White House during a specific time. When we elevate these titans of history far above us, it becomes more difficult to see ourselves in them. This keeps our understanding of presidents, and their place in our history, only surface level. When we seek to understand the person behind the presidency, we not only understand our country better but often times ourselves.

On White Shirt Day, we remember the importance of solidarity. This year is particularly special because we can celebrate some of the major wins we delivered for working people in Michigan. I spoke at UAW Region 1D on Friday about my great grandfather who participated in the Sit Down Strike and how the efforts then inspire all of us today.

Proud to march in solidarity with members of the UAW fighting for higher wages and better working conditions.

The National Federation of the Blind visited Lansing today to lobby for better accommodations for the blind and they brought muscle! Father Time is the country’s only blind professional wrestler and a constituent. He put me in a “Time Lock” but I didn’t tap.

The Lieutenant Governor and I went for a climb this morning to check out solar panels on top of Flushing Middle School. The Flushing School District saves $50k a year from utilizing solar panels on all of their building. They are installed and maintained by IBEW members who are also often graduates of Flushing!

I stand in solidarity with the UAW as they go on strike for higher wages and better working conditions. Organized labor built the middle class across America and those historic efforts began here in Michigan.

Fall is in the air.

From repealing Right to Work to record investments in trade programs, we have put together an agenda that puts workers first. This Labor Day, we celebrate how far we have come and look forward to the work we will continue to accomplish.