City, schools and non-profit in line for big bucks in state budget

State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), whose district includes Hamtramck, shows off a new office for the NAYA organization on Jos. Campau. NAYA offers behavioral services. The new NAYA office is also where Chang and State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) have an office. Photo by NAYA

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck is getting a huge financial lift from the state’s new 2024 budget.
That budget includes $500,000 for a local non-profit organization, NAYA, where Hamtramck’s State Senator Stephanie Chang(D-Detroit), and State Representative Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) have an office.
NAYA is the National Associations of Yemeni Americans.
State Rep. Aiyash is a Yemeni-American.
The state’s new bi-partisan 2024 budget carves out $15 million to the city.
The public school district is also in line to get almost $4 million in additional state financing in this new budget.
The school district is not only getting almost $4 million in extra financial aid, but it was also awarded — by the state, just a few weeks ago — $2 million to hire “learning coaches.”
Gov. Whitmer has made it a priority to shore up school districts statewide.
This is the financial news that State Rep. Aiyash has been hinting about for the past few weeks.
The Review reached out to the governor’s office for details, and this is what Stacey LaRouche, Press Secretary for the governor, says is what Hamtramck will be recieving:
• $5 million for water infrastructure
• $260,000 for sidewalk and alley repairs
• $500,000 for the Yemeni Foundation, located in Hamtramck
• Revenue sharing for fiscal year 2024 is $6,462,659
• Hamtramck Public Schools will receive $3,995,841 in additional revenue, or $1,347 additional per pupil
State Rep. Aiyash, who is the Majority Floor Leader in the Democratically-controlled state legislature, told The Review that the city will actually be getting $10 million for water infrastructure instead of $5 million.
As for the financial windfall Hamtramck will be receiving, Aiyash told The Review: “These budget wins are the largest appropriations to the City of Hamtramck in state history.”
The Review asked the governor’s press secretary Stacey LaRouche for an explanation for the appropriation of $500,000 to the “Yemeni Foundation,” and LaRouche said she had no other information about the organization.
However, she suggested, in an email to The Review, “It looks like it was sponsored by the Senate, so they might have more, if you reach out to them.”
The Review reached out State Sen. Chang, whose district includes Hamtramck, on whether she proposed that financial award. Chang did not respond by the time The Review went to press on Thursday.
Aiyash, however, told The Review, in an email, that the $500,000 is for “NAYA’s behavioral health program that opened on Jos. Campau.”
The NAYA office recently opened at 11521 Jos. Campau, and it’s a clinic that specializes in providing services for people with behavioral issues. It also provides a wide-range of other social services.
NAYA also has an office in Dearborn, on Dix. Rd.
Gov. Whitmer, who is also a Democrat, said, in a press release about the coming 2024 budget (which is being touted as “Make it in Michigan”):
“The Make it in Michigan budget will lower costs, deliver on the issues that make a real difference in people’s lives, and help anyone ‘make it’ in Michigan,” said Whitmer.
“The budget protects public safety, and improves access to health care, ensuring people feel safe in their neighborhood and have access to quality, affordable care that meets their needs.
“It supports our service members and veterans, connecting them and their families with the resources they deserve, and will build up all kinds of infrastructure so every family has safe roads, clean water, and affordable housing.
“Finally, it continues powering our economic development efforts to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and bring manufacturing and supply chains home to Michigan. …”
The 2024 state budget totals $81.7 billion.
Posted Aug. 11, 2023