State Representative Matt Hall

My office is a resource for you. We want to hear your voice and help you get answers from your state government.

My staff will be hosting community listening hours tomorrow, Friday, September 6, from noon to 1 p.m., at the Richland Community Library.

Bring any questions or opinions you may have, as well as any problems you may be experiencing with a state agency (such as the Secretary of State, Health and Human Services, and Unemployment). We will help you navigate state government, and my team will share your thoughts and concerns with me.

A school resource officer bravely intervened and saved lives in Georgia yesterday.

We are so grateful for the courageous service of resource officers in Michigan. Restoring school safety funding will give our officers the support they need to protect kids at school.

A vast majority of 3rd graders can't read proficiently.

Instead of helping kids get on the right track, Democrats have taken away tools for helping students succeed. They even refused to increase foundational school funding in their new budget.

Michigan kids deserve better.

Reading scores at 10-year low for Michigan third-graders, M-STEP scores show Results of the 2024 exam known as M-STEP show only 39.6% of third graders statewide passed the state's English language arts (ELA) test.

As many students in Kalamazoo and Allegan counties start back to school today, I remain focused on supporting families, providing real educational opportunities, and keeping our schools safe.

Yesterday, the heavily Democrat State Board of Education, which rarely aligns with House Republicans, agreed that the Democrat cuts to the school budget will endanger children. They called for the Legislature to fully fund school safety and mental health.

House Democrats recklessly cut 92% of these critical resources in their new budget. Republicans have been calling to restore this funding to keep kids safe.

House Republicans want to protect the paychecks of Michigan restaurant workers, but top Democrats are silent. They even canceled the House session that was scheduled for tomorrow.

We need both parties to come to the table right now to protect Michiganders' livelihoods.

Another Eagle Scout is making Kalamazoo County proud! For his Eagle Scout project, Sean Willoughby of Cooper Township built a new house and pen structure for the birds kept at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.

My district director, Tim Culver, presented Sean an official state tribute and a flag that flew over the Michigan State Capitol on my behalf. Great work, Sean!

(Photos by the Willoughby family)

We have so many great businesses in Southwest Michigan! This week, I joined Schupan to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for their new JP Processing Center, which will recycle old aluminum so manufacturers can use it in new production.

Hard-working servers and bartenders will earn less because of an activist, partisan decision by the Supreme Court.

Michigan restaurant workers deserve better. Let's get to work to protect workers' paychecks.

Restaurant servers fear big hit to paycheck after ruling to cut tipped wages in Michigan Some workers fear servers could see a substantial cut in tips as these roles transition to standard minimum wage earners.

International criminals have targeted Michiganders' homes.

Republicans put forward a plan (sponsored by Rep. David Martin) to punish transnational gangs' crimes with the severity they deserve.

House Democrats: 🦗🦗🦗

5 men arrested in Troy home invasion are transnational gang members, prosecutor says What made possible these five fast arrests in Troy? A well-placed home security camera, an internet "app," fast 911 response and amazing police work.

Detroit News: "The ruling will cost an untold number of restaurant and hospitality workers their jobs."

"The Democratic-led current Legislature should ... fix the damage with a new law to avoid massive business closures and job losses."

Editorial: Minimum wage hike puts small biz at crisis point The unprecedented decision smacks of activism from the court.

My staff will hold listening hours from noon to 1 p.m. tomorrow, August 2, in the Community Room at the Richland Community Library, 8951 Park Street.

Please bring any questions to ask, opinions to share, and any issues you may be experiencing with state government.

My team and I are always hard at work to serve you.

The Legislature must return to the Capitol immediately, because this decision will completely disrupt the livelihoods of hard-working Michiganders. Restaurants and other small businesses will have to raise their prices, tipped workers will take home less pay, and some people will lose their jobs. The court has ruled, and now it’s time for the people’s representatives to take action.

While Democrats are out on the campaign trail, servers and bartenders are still hard at work. But they might be on the unemployment line soon if Democrats don’t come back and help House Republicans save Michigan jobs.

Legislature must return to work, protect Michigan jobs after Supreme Court ruling “While Democrats are out on the campaign trail, servers and bartenders are still hard at work. But they might be on the unemployment line soon if Democrats don’t come back and help House Republicans save Michigan jobs.”

Fentanyl infects our communities and destroys people's lives. Law enforcement must continue working to crack down on dealers like this one.

Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris border crisis has made the problem even worse, letting drugs pour into our country and our communities. Michiganders deserve better.

Man arrested after 547 grams of fentanyl, co***ne seized in Kalamazoo One man has been arrested following a drug bust in Kalamazoo.

Democrats' bad budget:
🐷 Throws hundreds of millions at pork projects in a few favored communities
📈 Relies on an income tax hike
🚗 Ignores local roads, but spends millions for electric vehicles
🏫 Offers no increase to per-student funding and cuts school safety resources

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs $59.1B state budget with loads of new money for Detroit When combined with the $23.4 B school budget Whitmer signed Tuesday, Whitmer's signature finalizes Michigan's $82.5B spending plan for 2025.

Democrats' budget:

✂️ cuts school safety and mental health funding 92%

💸 raids the teacher pension fund

🚫 includes no per-student funding increase for the first time since 2011

Michigan students, teachers, and parents deserve better, so I voted no.

Whitmer signs $23.4B education budget amid concerns over stagnant school operating funds Michigan's new state budget marks the first time in years that the baseline funding for K-12 public schools was not increased by state lawmakers.

School leaders and parents are rightfully frustrated by Democrats' 92% cut to school safety and mental health funding.

"appalled"

"concerning"

"shocking"

"the greatest blow"

I've made student safety and mental health a top priority, and I'll continue working to protect Michigan schools.

School officials ‘appalled’ by Michigan budget cut to mental health, safety | Bridge Michigan Michigan’s new education budget includes $25 million in dedicated funding for student mental health and school safety — but that’s $301.5 million less than last year.

Schools in our community are losing millions of dollars in school safety and mental health funding because of the 92% cut in Democrats' new budget.

I stood up for students in Kalamazoo and Allegan counties and voted against these cuts.

Everyone knew this was a bad deal for Michigan taxpayers, paying hundreds of millions of dollars for low-paying jobs. Then the project downsized.

Michigan taxpayers deserve better accountability measures — at every stage of the process — to guarantee value for their dollars.

Ford, Michigan cut $750M in planned public support for Marshall site, other EV projects The cuts come despite ballyhooed announcements about how the EV-related projects, championed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, would help Michigan's economy.

Earmark corruption wastes your tax dollars.

A prominent Whitmer appointee even bought herself a $4,500 coffeemaker.

Instead of increasing accountability and transparency, Democrats eliminated language from their budget that would have clawed back funds from corrupt projects.

Insider: Democratic-led Legislature axes reclaiming aid from controversial pet projects The Senate and House's budget drafts would have clawed back part of the Global Link International's $20 million grant and a health center grant.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
— Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Happy !

11 EV charging stations in 3 years for $5B is $455M/station.

Dems just included a $30M line-item for EV charging infrastructure in their new state budget.

By 2027, maybe that will get one charging station 7% of the way built.

That's not a good deal for Michigan taxpayers.

$5B for EV chargers yields just 11 power stations. Some lawmakers are unhappy The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, or NEVI, has been maligned for a slow rollout. But charger providers say progress is coming.

Democrats raised your income taxes and raided teachers' pension funds to pay for wasteful spending.

But they cut school safety funding by 92% and refused to increase per-student support for classrooms.

This bad budget puts special interests before kids' education and safety.

New Michigan budget could prompt cuts, hard decisions in public schools Michigan school superintendents were shocked when the state budget did not increase per pupil funding and cut other programs.

Congratulations, Liam!

It's official! The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) has published it's All-American list, which posts the top 100 times in each event. Otsego's Liam Smith has a spot in two events - the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Butterfly! He is only the 3rd Otsego swimmer/diver to earn this honor joining Owen Stender and diver Abie Sullivan. Congratulations, Liam!

Democrats' budget is built on their income tax hike, raids the teacher pension fund, and cuts school safety funding, all while funding hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks.

That's not the value taxpayers deserve for their dollars.

Michigan lawmakers add $411M in pet projects to state budget | Bridge Michigan From zoos to sports parks, see what special projects Michigan lawmakers funded with earmarks in the state budget.