News & Events Digest: April 2025

Beth Spencer: Softball to Software

Beth Spencer is a 30-year Treasury employee who works as a departmental specialist in Enterprise Services. She is the ITAM coordinator in charge of keeping Treasury’s computers updated and compliant; the IT liaison lead for all the business areas; the Agency, Software, Asset Management (ASAM) coordinator who keeps an eye on software licensing; plus, she’s a liaison on IT projects with DTMB.

And Beth Spencer plays softball. Lots of softball.

Recruited to play softball for Central Michigan University, Beth and her team made it to the College World Series. She’s continued to play and now, 30+ years later, Beth is a sought-after softballer who is regularly invited to step in to sub on teams across the country.

“When my husband and I first moved to Lansing I had a CMU softball sticker on my car,” says Beth. “And my neighbor asked ‘Hey, do you play?”

A simple question that led to Beth playing on multiple local teams every summer. She’s been part of coed teams, and she’s played with and against people aged 20 through 60+ years old, including her own daughter.

Read more on Treasury's Medium page.

Secretary Benson promotes Michigan Organ Donor Registry in honor of Donate Life Month

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson recently joined state partners and organ and tissue donation advocates to recognize April as Donate Life Month. She spoke alongside Chief Deputy State Treasurer Jeff Guilfoyle, Gift of Life Michigan President & CEO Dorrie Dils, and Eversight President & CEO Diane Hollingsworth. Rachel Kuntzsch, a heart transplant recipient from Lansing, also shared her story on how an organ donation saved her life. 
 
Residents can join the Michigan Donor Registry at Michigan.gov/OrganDonation.  
 
"Our goal is to make it easier for everyone to sign up to become a donor and give that gift of sight or gift of life,” Secretary Benson said. “Even as we celebrate so many impressive accomplishments this year, there are still more people waiting for transplants than there are organs available. We still need to close that gap – but we have made so much progress and so many lives have been saved and transformed thanks to the many Michiganders who have signed up for something bigger than themselves.” 
 
In 2024, more than 206,000 residents joined the Michigan Donor Registry bringing the total across the state up to 4.6 million. Maintained by the Michigan Department of State (MDOS), the registry is a confidential database of residents who wish to be organ and tissue donors. Everyone who signs up to be an organ and tissue donor receives a heart sticker for their driver's license or state identification card. 
 
In 2024, Gift of Life Michigan helped over 530 people become organ donors and a record-breaking 1,960 gave the gift of tissue. Surgeons transplanted 1,110 organs, the state’s second-highest annual total transforming the lives of patients needing bone, tendons, heart valves, and more. The number of people who have lost their lives while waiting for a transplant has decreased in the last four years. From 2020-2024, deaths on Michigan’s waiting list have decreased by 45%. 
 
“We are saving more lives than ever before thanks to the tremendous work of our partners at the Secretary of State and Michigan Department of Treasury,” said Dils. “Growing the Donor Registry is critical, as the need for transplants far exceeds the organs available to save the lives of the nearly 2,600 patients waiting in Michigan today.” 
 
“Michigan is tireless in their work to grow the registry, and it resulted in 2,477 Michigan donors giving sight in 2024, an 18 percent increase in saying yes to donation. Their selfless gifts restored sight to 1,300 Michiganders,” said Hollingsworth. “Making the choice to be a donor is a shining example of kindness in the world today, with ripple effects that have impacted entire communities. When given the opportunity, Michiganders are overwhelmingly generous in the result to change lives through the gift of eyes, organ and tissue donation.”  
 
Michigan offers several convenient ways to join the Michigan Donor Registry and save lives. Michiganders can add their name online through the Online Michigan Organ Donor Registry, at any Secretary of State branch office or self-service station, or when filing their taxes. In 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the Check Your Heart Act into law, making Michigan the first state in the nation to let people add their names to the registry on their state income tax forms. So far this tax season, registrations through the state income tax forms have increased by over 60%.  
 
“Last year, 183,000 Michiganders checked the box on their income tax return. Many of those folks were already on the registry, but it led to 14,000 new names being added,” Guilfoyle said. “The checkoff will positively impact lives, potentially saving someone’s mother, someone’s child, or someone’s friend.” 
 
In 2018, Kuntzsch was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, a rare idiopathic condition. Ten days later on Thanksgiving Day, she received the gift of life through a heart donation.  
 
“Since that time, I’ve had the opportunity to climb mountains across our beautiful country. Next week, I will see my son graduate from college. I have had the opportunity to life a full life with no limitations, and I am so very grateful,” Kuntzsch said. “I also have the opportunity to give back working with Gift of Life Michigan to help send that message that registering to become an organ donor is both a personal decision to the donor and a very personal decision to the recipients. People like me all over the state of Michigan and beyond are so full of gratitude for people who made the choice to give that gift of life.” 
 
Learn more about the state organ donation registry online at Michigan.gov/OrganDonation. 

NEW EPISODE of Treasury Talk PODCAST: https://bit.ly/4jlQIep
"Bridging the Gap: Scholarships for MI Foster Youth"

Your Career Starts Here!

Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund Raises Nearly $40,000 for Foster Youth at Kalamazoo Fundraiser

Michigan's youth who have experienced foster care are eligible to receive college scholarships following a Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund Fundraising Dinner in Kalamazoo organized by the Michigan Education Trust (MET) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The April 11 event at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo was attended by around 200 guests who raised approximately $39,000 for scholarships. MET, the Michigan Department of Treasury's 529 prepaid tuition program hosted the event. 

"Fostering Futures Scholarship fundraisers are about breaking down barriers for Michigan’s youth who have experienced foster care and demonstrating how compassion can turn into action," State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. "We believe in these students and their potential. Every dollar raised will turn hope into reality and dreams into achievements. Our goal is to see success in college and beyond.”

A partnership between MET and MDHHS makes Fostering Futures Scholarships possible.

Close to 10,000 youth are in the Michigan foster care system run by MDHHS. Nationally, fewer than 10% of former foster youth enroll in college after high school and fewer than 3% eventually earn a degree.

The Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund provides former Michigan foster care students who may not have adequate financial resources to attend college with a scholarship to a Michigan college or university. During this academic year, 412 students at 52 different institutions benefited from the scholarship.  

“Every young person deserves the support and resources they need to pursue the education and career path that is right for them,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “MDHHS is proud to be part of Fostering Futures, which assists students who have experienced foster care with tuition and fees, books and supplies, and room and board for students at a vocation school, apprenticeship or college.”

Anyone who could not attend the event can make donations to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund by visiting www.FosteringFutures-MI.com.

Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund is a Section 170 (c) non-profit organization.  All contributions are eligible for an income tax deduction.

Since 2012, fundraising efforts have totaled more than $1.4 million, with funds awarded as scholarships in the year they were raised. 

State Treasurer: Tax Relief Available to Taxpayers Affected by Severe Winter Weather Emergency in Northern Michigan

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks on April 2 announced that individuals and businesses affected by the severe winter weather in northern Michigan can obtain state tax relief.

Individual and business taxpayers who reside in Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties can request additional time to file state tax returns and pay state tax bills, with penalties and interest waived.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for these counties to help with response and recovery efforts to the communities affected by the ice storms that caused thousands of residents to be without power and basic necessities.

“A natural disaster can be devastating both personally and financially,” State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. “By providing additional time to file tax returns or meet certain other payment deadlines, individuals and businesses will have more time to focus on recovering and getting their lives back to a sense of normalcy. Affected taxpayers should reach out to us to learn more about the process for obtaining this relief.”

The tax relief is not automatic. Taxpayers must contact Treasury either by eService, U.S. Postal Service or phone to request relief.

When requesting tax relief, the following must be included:

• Name and account number of the individual or business taxpayer.
• A description of how the taxpayer was affected by the winter weather and ice accumulation.
• Taxpayer address within one emergency area or address of the tax preparer located in the emergency area.

Online submissions for state tax relief can be made through Individual Income Tax eService or Business Taxes eService.

Taxpayers opting to send their request through the U.S. Postal Service should use the following address:

Michigan Department of Treasury
Attn: Disaster Tax Relief
Lansing, Michigan 48922

Taxpayers can inquire about state individual income tax relief by phone at 517-636-4486. For business taxes, taxpayers should contact 517-636-6925.

Some taxpayers may receive a preliminary assessment notice before a tax relief request is formally received by Treasury. Taxpayers within the emergency area who receive these notices should contact Treasury by phone to resolve.

Specific details related to the types of individual and business state tax relief available can be found in a Treasury-issued Taxpayer Notice. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to contact the Internal Revenue Service about federal tax relief options.

For the latest updates about this emergency tax relief, go to www.michigan.gov/taxes.

Amanda West Named Deputy State Treasurer of Advocacy, Policy and Analysis

The Michigan Department of Treasury is pleased to announce that Amanda West has been selected as the Deputy Treasurer of Advocacy, Policy and Analysis. This is a new position, overseeing Legislative Affairs, Advocacy Services, the Bureau of Tax Policy and the Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis.

The work of the Deputy Treasurer of Advocacy, Policy, and Analysis will concentrate on key partnerships and is expected to help close the gap for policy initiatives requiring a wide range of internal and external stakeholder input and engagement. Connecting with experts and mining their perspectives early in the legislative process will help ensure Treasury’s efforts lead to successful policy outcomes for the department and the administration.

Joining Treasury in 2023 as Legislative Director, Amanda’s position has given her the public policy insight and collaborative experience to frame strategic solutions for the department while advancing Treasury’s policy priorities.

Previously, Amanda served the Michigan Education Association as Temporary UniServ Consultant – Member & Political Organizer. She also consulted on projects related to the independent citizens redistricting process and elections. Prior to consulting, Amanda was employed as the Director of Government Relations for Planned Parenthood of Michigan.

Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University. Her background in legislative affairs paired with her strong relationship-building skills, strategic thinking and professionalism will be powerful assets in Amanda’s new leadership role as Deputy Treasurer.

Upcoming "Chart Chat" Webinar to focus on Sick Time Act, Reading Financial Statements and More

The Michigan Department of Treasury will hold the next "Chart Chat" webinar at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

The "Chart Chat" webinar series provides local governments with critical information related to accounting and auditing topics, measuring local government fiscal health, and other important updates.

Topics covered will include:

• Earned Sick Time Act Update
• Reading Financial Statements  
• Data, Statistics, Ratios   

Participants can register and submit questions prior to the webinar online.

Presentations and recordings from this webinar, along with previous webinars, can be found at TREASURY - BLGSS Learning Center. For support related to Treasury's local government services, visit TREASURY - Contact Information.

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