Members of the Community Development Coalition of Northwest Michigan – which includes dozens of local entities and organizations – published an open letter to northern Michigan policymakers on Monday criticizing recent federal and White House actions. The letter outlines numerous developments in national politics – ranging from tariffs to Medicaid cuts to reductions in USDA programs – that local leaders worry will have negative impacts on the northern Michigan region.

“Northern Michigan business, nonprofit, and local government leaders have been closely following recent federal executive orders, funding recessions, tariffs, and proposed congressional spending cuts and share deep concerns that these actions will hurt our region’s efforts to create jobs, build housing, support local farmers and veterans, sustain a vibrant arts and culture community, and protect the Great Lakes,” the letter begins.

It continues: “Regardless of where one stands politically, certain facts are undeniable: recent executive orders, the cancellation of congressionally approved federal grants, and the administration’s tariffs are already having a negative impact on our region. Additional spending cuts and tax policies contained in major legislation pending before Congress are projected to further harm our region’s economy, environment and communities.”

The letter goes on to outline recent federal policy changes – most the work of Donald Trump’s White House, but some courtesy of a Republican-controlled Congress – that members of the Community Development Coalition are concerned about. Regarding proposed Medicaid cuts, for instance, the Coalition notes that some 10.3 million Americans stand to lose their health insurance coverage.

“Rural areas like ours will be especially hard hit and the loss in coverage will impact our most vulnerable residents including seniors, children, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities,” the letter says of proposed cuts to Medicaid. “In Northern Michigan alone, Medicaid covers nearly 70,000 people and nearly half of births at Munson Healthcare facilities. Rural healthcare systems like ours could face job losses and reduction in patient services.”

Tariffs are also addressed in the letter, with the Coalition citing a recent survey of the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance which predicts a largely negative outcome from new foreign trade policies. “[The survey] found that 52% of over 200 respondents expect a significant negative impact; 44% foresee a major drop in revenue in the next year; and only 1.4% anticipate a positive impact on employment, which would hinder business growth,” the letter notes.

Other topics broached in the letter include cuts to SNAP, USDA rural development efforts, Great Lakes initiatives, federal grant programs that support nonprofit organizations, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“There’s an old saying: when Michigan’s economy catches a cold, Northern Michigan gets pneumonia,” the letter concludes. “Lawmakers at all levels—federal, state, and local—must recognize that current policy and funding choices from Washington disproportionately harm rural regions across the country, including communities across our region. The impact of these decisions is not abstract—they are affecting real people and communities, and their consequences will be felt for years to come. We encourage the people and families who call Northern Michigan home to reach out to their elected representatives at all levels of government, ask questions, and express your concerns.”

Launched in 2020 by the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation (GTRCF), the Community Development Coalition is an alliance of “cross-section partners” from throughout the region, including units of government, educational institutions, nonprofits, utilities, private businesses, and economic development players. The Coalition formed with the goal of dismantling the silos that had previously kept those different sectors isolated from one another.

In addition to GTRCF President and CEO Dave Mengebier, signatories on the open letter include leaders from the City of Traverse City, Traverse Connect, Northwestern Michigan College, Northwest Education Services, Housing North, Child and Family Services, Rotary Charities, TART Trails, Traverse City Light & Power, Cherry Republic, and the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness.

The full open letter can be read on the GTRCF website.