Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
The state’s woes regarding unemployment insurance are creating a new problem as tax season kicks into full gear. In a phone call with State Senator Ed McBroom earlier this week, he said a vast majority of people have had no problems, but for those who have slipped through the cracks it has been an absolute nightmare. He shared his office was still assisting hundreds of constituents each week.
McBroom said the problems are split between two groups of people. There are those who were wrongly denied on their claims dating back to last spring and they have tried to navigate the system on their own for months before reaching out. A new cohort involves taxes.
McBroom spoke with The Keweenaw Report Thursday morning. Within an hour, an area resident called distraught. She described how her husband was not receiving any payments due to a paperwork issue that they had been trying to resolve since August. State records show them as having received the phantom compensation and that taxes had not been withheld. Attached to the notice was a warning that they would need to pay $4,000 to satisfy their income tax requirement.
Keweenaw Report was able to help her get into contact with Michigan Representative Greg Maarkanen’s office so that she would have assistance in resolving the issue. They are able to create a ticket with the unemployment agency that helps elevate constituent problems to priority status. Contact information for Rep. Maarkanen’s office and Senator McBroom’s office is below.
Maarkanen phone number: (517) 373-0850
McBroom phone number: (517) 373-7840
