I’ve lived in Michigan for 65 of my 75 years, and have been in my Oakland County home for 34 years. It’s nothing fancy, and there seems to be an unending series of needed repairs. But it’s mine – paid for just months before I retired.

Our son grew up in this house. My husband died in it. I take pride in my flowers and gardens, and love to host friends and relatives for gatherings and overnights. Like a lot of older folks, I want to stay here as long as I can.

But it’s getting harder. Prices continue their relentless march upward: groceries, prescription drugs, utilities, gasoline. And then there are property taxes. While I’m a staunch supporter of public services such as education, police and fire protection, and infrastructure, the tax bill gets tougher to manage every year. I know many of my neighbors, in a subdivision dominated by seniors living on fixed incomes, are in the same boat.

In fact, AARP recently discovered that 82% of Michigan residents over age 45 are worried that property taxes could force them out of their homes. That’s a heartbreaking number, but it’s also no surprise. When you’ve worked your whole life, paid your taxes and given back to your community, you shouldn’t have to worry about being taxed out of the home you love — your little piece of the American Dream.

That’s why I’m urging lawmakers to pass Senate Bills 344 and 345. This package of legislation would expand the Homestead Property Tax Credit and finally update it to today’s economy. The bills would raise the income limits to include more low- and middle-income homeowners and renters. It would make sure the tax credit keeps pace with inflation, so people don’t fall through the cracks again.

This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about fairness and dignity. It’s about making sure seniors like me — and working families, too — can afford to remain in their homes.

I hope our legislators do the right thing and vote YES on this bipartisan plan. And I hope you’ll join me in speaking up. Call your lawmaker, send an email, let them know this matters to you. It only takes a minute to send a message to your lawmakers through AARP’s website: https://aarpmi.org/hptc.

We’ve spent our lives building these homes and these communities. We deserve the chance to stay.