New 2020 Census data means the loss of a Michigan Congressional seat, and redrawing the district lines will happen through a new citizen-driven process. "The process this year is radically different than the past," said John Chamberlin. "The public...
“The idea is to build districts that work for the citizens, and actually works for the representative,” Chamberlain said, adding that if a representative has a coherent district, it’s easier for them and their staff to actually serve their...
As the state of Michigan could receive as much as $10 billion from the Biden administration stimulus package, officials are planning how to allocate the resources in the best way. “It’s hard to exaggerate how big of a deal it is,” Brideg Michigan...
In a recent opinion for The Conversation, tax policy expert Stephanie Leiser provides evidence to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% to pay for President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan. This increase would still be below levels...
As Pennsylvania considers legislation to cut the state's property taxes, which are some of the highest in the country, Stephanie Leiser commented that people need to consider property taxes when moving: "Every family will have different preferences...
By Jack Eichner (BA '21)
This week marks one year since the University of Michigan’s campus shut down. Questions swirled as students had to adjust to virtual learning while simultaneously adapting to new living situations in a rapidly evolving...
In a Bridge Michigan op-ed, Leiser and Ivacko call for COVID relief to foster greater cooperation, trust in government built at the local level.
"Across the country, nearly three quarters of U.S. adults say they have a "great deal" or a "fair...
John Chamberlin, Ford School professor emeritus of political science and public policy, describes himself as a "redistricting junkie." Not unexpectedly, he possesses a keen interest in and understanding of the efforts under way to develop Michigan's...
Stephanie Leiser discusses the importance of property taxes for personal financial decision-making and implications for policy. "Most economists agree that property taxes are the best tax base for local governments. Compared to other types of taxes,...
Michigan’s local government leaders reported mixed familiarity with the state’s new approach to redistricting, according to a 2020 survey whose results were released today by the the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the...
Commenting on the announcement that census data will be delivered up to six months late, Ivacko told Bridge Michigan, “The commission’s plate is already extra full because this is their first time. They’re building the plane as they're flying it,...
Despite the fact that some Michigan Republicans flout health protocols promoted by the state, medical groups, and hospitals, health care interest groups still contributed more to Michigan Republicans than Democrats. Joe Schwarz, former Republican...
"Absent some kind of other intervention, it's most likely that commissioners will hear from folks who are well-funded with lobbyists," Ivacko said.
Read the full Detroit News article on U-M's work to clarify the meaning of 'communities of...
Communities of interest "now have a very high priority to be kept whole, to not be cracked or split across different districts," Ivacko told the Lansing State Journal. "That's also going to significantly increase the challenge, I think, for the...
"Think of [ranked-choice voting] like choosing items in everyday routines, like ordering a slice of pizza," said John Chamberlin, who specializes in voting systems. "All it takes is a little planning before entering the voting booth. And sometimes...
"It's going to be a very challenging process this year, and certainly the late Census data will be a part of that," Ivacko told the Lansing State Journal. "Getting the 2020 Census data is going to be absolutely key for them to begin drawing versions...
As Democrats take control of government at the federal level, albeit narrowly, Professor Barry Rabe writes that congressional Democrats should follow the lead of Colorado and Virginia -- two states with similarly narrow Democratic-controlled...
"It really jumped out that for people of color in general, and Blacks specifically, how important it is to get a [vaccination] recommendation from a health care provider or government health officials," said Jeffrey Morenoff, commenting on findings...
As the Biden administration embarks on its first hundred days, experts from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy have produced a series of policy briefs on key issues. Download the PDF of this brief or read the web-formatted version...
"There are a lot of complicated laws governing elections and they can be confusing both to voters and to poll workers," according to Tom Ivacko. “Some of the recent changes have added to the complexity and the need for voters to really do their...
Ivacko joins other political experts to answer eight burning questions in Michigan politics. Will Mike Duggan be reelected? What will become of twice-failed candidate John James? Who will benefit from congressional redistricting? And more.
On...
Sarah Mills, senior project manager at the Center on Local, State, and Urban Policy, has been selected for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. Mills, along with School for Environment and Sustainability...
In a time of growing suspicion about the role of government at the state and national level, a good news story emerges when looking at local governance in Michigan. The conclusion of a new compendium study, The Functioning of Democracy: Insights...
“Going into this election season, he was not particularly well-known,” said Tom Ivacko, referring to Mr. Peters. At the same time, Mr. Ivacko said Mr. James’s 2018 challenge helped him build “some name recognition fairly recently,” he said. He lost...
Speaking about a recent racial incident in the Leelanau Peninsula to Bridge Michigan, Tom Ivacko said that the growth of Traverse City and the area’s influx of vacationers and retirees are shifting local politics. “If this pandemic pushes that even...
The political adage is that “All politics are local.” The same could be said of how local leaders feel about the health of democratic governance.
That is according to a report on Michigan’s local leaders released today by the Center for Local,...
More than half of local government officials in Michigan see improving energy efficiency for local businesses or residents as relevant to their jurisdiction's government, according to a survey by the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban...
Confidence in running accurate elections among Michigan local government leaders remains very high, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and an expected high voter turnout, according to a survey released October 5 by the the Center for...
Few local governments in Michigan report collaborating with another community on energy and sustainability issues, but nearly half expressed interest in teaming up with others to pursue opportunities, according to survey results released today by...
Four teams of undergraduate and graduate Ford School students embarked on research and engagement projects this past summer to help the Michigan Township Association (MTA) better understand the state of affairs for local townships and the challenges...
