MLK Jr. Day appeal: Help advance statewide water affordability!
Michigan House Speaker, Joe Tate
Dear Friend:
We need your help to pass statewide water affordability legislation: Senate Bills 549-554, and 25; and House Bills 5088-5093. These bills will enact a new affordability water program and fund, plus shutoff and tenant protections to help families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Dr. King spoke of the importance of ensuring that policies and laws protect the rights of poor people. He also recognized the importance of access to life’s basic needs for the fulfillment of individual health, livelihood, and potential. In Michigan, unaffordable water, sewage, and stormwater drainage bills are a growing problem for thousands of low-income Michigan residents. When local water utilities pass along costly water infrastructure upgrades, maintenance, and operations fees to customers, many households are forced to choose between paying their water bill, medication, food or other essentials. Affordable water bills are critical to human rights and civil rights protections that low-income Michiganders need for survival and health.
Please ask House Speaker Tate to use his leadership to move this bill package into law. Thank you!
Sponsored by
To:
Michigan House Speaker, Joe Tate
From:
[Your Name]
AN APPEAL FOR ACTION IN HONOR OF REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY: Please Support Michigan Statewide Water Affordability Legislation
Dear Honorable Michigan House Speaker, Joe Tate:
As a resident, I strongly urge you to help lead passage of statewide water affordability legislation: Senate Bills 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, and 25; and House Bills 5088, 5089, 5090, 5091, 5092, 5093. These bills will enact a new affordability water program and fund, provide shutoff and tenant protections to help vulnerable households, eliminate felony charges, and enact a review of the human right to water in state programs and policies.
Water and sanitation is a human right. Unaffordable water, sewage, and stormwater drainage bills are a growing problem for thousands of low-income Michigan residents. When local water utilities pass along costly water infrastructure upgrades, maintenance, and operations fees to customers, many households are forced to choose between paying their water bill or other urgent needs.
This legislation package can stop the practice of dangerous water shutoffs on households that struggle to pay their bills. It will create manageable ways for low-income and working families to afford water bills while helping our local water utilities operate with more financial stability. Moreover, the legislation will protect public health across the state and provide basic consumer protections for tenants.
Dr. King spoke of the importance of ensuring that policies and laws protect the rights of poor people. He also recognized the importance of access to life’s basic needs for the fulfillment of individual health, livelihood, and potential. In Michigan, affordable water bills are essential to the human rights and civil rights protections that low-income residents need for survival and health.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated a willingness by Michiganders to ensure vulnerable households had adequate and affordable water and proper sanitation for public healthy and safety. But middle class families were hard hit too when illness, layoffs, homeschooling, and high utility costs resulted in many people getting behind in their bills and worrying how to make ends meet.
Your active leadership in support of the water affordability package of bills is crucial! Water, sewer, and stormwater affordability is good for residents and community water systems in all counties and communities.
Thank you!