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Latest CLOSUP survey shows declining confidence in Michigan’s leadership, direction

Jul 20, 2016

The latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), published by the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), finds that local leaders are less optimistic about the state’s direction.Statewide, only 44 percent of local leaders...

Latest Michigan Public Policy Survey report focuses on emergency medical services

Jul 6, 2016

One of the core functions of Michigan’s local governments is ensuring public safety. As such, the Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) focused its latest Michigan Public Policy Survey on police, fire, and emergency...

New undergrad politics, policy course offers opportunities to work with survey research data

Jun 28, 2016

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) is offering a new undergraduate course for students looking for opportunities to work with survey research...

Latest Michigan Public Policy Survey addresses local firefighting challenges, approaches

Jun 15, 2016

CLOSUP’s latest policy report, released today, examines Michigan local government leaders’ opinions on fire protection services in their communities, including satisfaction with fire services and funding of fire protection at the local...

Police funding reportedly lags behind in Michigan’s big jurisdictions, CLOSUP survey

Apr 29, 2016

ANN ARBOR—Nearly half, or 47 percent, of local leaders from the largest jurisdictions in Michigan say they lack sufficient funding to fight crime in their areas, according to the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), "Most local officials are...

CLOSUP MPPS survey, officials in large Michigan cities worried about potential unrest

Feb 24, 2016

While local leaders say police forces across Michigan have good overall relations with their communities, those in larger cities worry about the possibility of civil unrest after well-publicized incidents in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore.In...

"Responding to budget surplus vs. deficit," reviews citizen, leader preferences

Dec 10, 2015

As the Michigan economy improves, some local leaders are facing the welcome task of deciding how to allocate funds from budget surpluses. A University of Michigan Ford School survey, "Responding to budget surplus vs. deficit: the preferences of...

State & Hill

Latest CLOSUP survey explores Michigan public safety

Dec 9, 2015

I had to really drum up interest a decade ago; nobody gave a rip,” says David Thacher of his course, “Thinking about Crime.” These days, there’s a lot more interest in public safety—at the Ford School and elsewhere. Reflecting those concerns, the...

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Elective courses by new and returning faculty experts in health, social welfare, and more

Nov 11, 2015

This fall, the Ford School added six governing faculty members and two policymakers-in-residence while welcoming home three faculty members who had been on leave for high-profile policy service in Washington, DC. These new and returning faculty...

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Local leaders worry about retiree health care benefits, says latest CLOSUP MPPS report

Oct 29, 2015

ANN ARBOR—Health care benefits for retirees of Michigan's local governmental units are presenting significant fiscal challenges, and more than half of local officials surveyed indicate they are concerned they won't be able to fulfill their...

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In latest CLOSUP survey, local leaders say fiscal stress is low, but see red flags

Sep 22, 2015

ANN ARBOR—About two-thirds of local governments in Michigan rate the levels of fiscal stress as relatively low in their jurisdictions today, while just 7 percent rate the stress as high. While the latter percentage is low, the figure represents...

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CLOSUP wins Third Century Initiative grant to bring data to the classroom in a big way

Sep 8, 2015

CLOSUP, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, is ready to bring real-world data to the classroom in a big way. Through a recently awarded Quick Wins/Discovery grant, part of the University of Michigan's Third Century Initiative,...

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Local leaders' confidence in state's direction erodes, CLOSUP MPPS reveals

Aug 26, 2015

ANN ARBOR—For the first time since 2012, fewer than half of Michigan's local leaders believe the state is headed in the right direction—chief culprits include road funding fumbles, state tax policies and general dysfunction in Lansing, according to...

'Complete Streets' policies more popular in Michigan's urban areas

Jun 18, 2015

Complete Streets, policies that encourage local governments to take all users—pedestrians, cyclists, public transit users and drivers—into account when designing and constructing roads, have a good deal of support among Michigan local officials, but...

Local leaders give high marks to road commissions

May 29, 2015

By Greta Guest, Michigan NewsMost local government leaders have good things to say about their road commissions that maintain county primary and township local roads upon which so many Michigan residents rely.The Michigan Public Policy Survey at the...

CLOSUP’s Ivacko talks MPPS and ethics with Michigan Radio’s Stateside

Mar 23, 2015

The latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) reveals how local leaders feel about the need for ethics reform in the Great Lakes State. Tom Ivacko (MPA '93), program manager of the Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP),...

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CLOSUP survey findings on state of Michigan roads cited in AP, Free Press stories

Feb 24, 2015

A recent CLOSUP report presenting the opinions of Michigan local government leaders on the state of roads was cited by the Associated Press, Detroit Free Press, and other media outlets. Most of the media coverage focused on the fact that while 79...

Major funding increase needed to fix roads, local leaders say

Feb 23, 2015

By Greta GuestComplaining about bad roads in Michigan is about as ubiquitous as grousing about the weather.How bad are the roads? The Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy surveyed top elected and appointed officials in the state's...

CLOSUP survey results on local government pay, benefits highlighted by AP

Jan 28, 2015

CLOSUP’s recent report presenting the findings of its latest Michigan Public Policy Survey received coverage by the Associated Press (AP), among other national and local media outlets.The report, “Michigan local government leaders’ views on employee...

Informing local leaders about fiscal health and economic development image

More Michigan local governments report boosting pay, CLOSUP survey says

Jan 27, 2015

Five years after the depths of the recession, more local governments in Michigan say they've boosted employee pay while subtracting in other places such as benefits, according to a recently released report by the Center for Local, State, and Urban...

News

As Detroit bankruptcy wins federal judge approval, a summary of Ford School engagement

Nov 7, 2014

As the Detroit bankruptcy agreement wins federal judge approval, we’re sharing a quick roundup of stories highlighting the Ford School’s engagement. In July of 2013, just after the bankruptcy filing was announced, BBC Radio interviewed Tom...

News

For better or worse, Michigan's fiscal health post-recession

Oct 2, 2014

For the first time in six years, more Michigan communities report that they are better able to meet their fiscal needs this year than those who say they are less able to do...

News

Proximity to Great Lakes a key factor in local officials' views

Sep 4, 2014

By Greta Guest ANN ARBOR—Nearly all of Michigan's local leaders see the Great Lakes as a valuable economic resource for the state, but some don't see it that way for their own jurisdictions, according to a survey by the University of Michigan's...

CLOSUP illuminates local leaders' perceptions of tax-exempt properties

Apr 10, 2014

"It's no overstatement to say that property tax revenues are really the lifeblood of local government. So what do local leaders think about the tax-exempt properties within their borders—the ones that take up municipal services, but are exempt from...

Informing local leaders about fiscal health and economic development

Mar 28, 2014

Five years ago, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy launched an ongoing survey of the chief elected and appointed officials in every one of Michigan's 1,856 counties, cities, townships and villages, large and small. Among the survey's goals?...

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