Michigan Public Policy Survey

Showing 61 - 90 of 159 results

News

Ivacko makes sense of the recreational marijuana ‘haze’

Jun 18, 2019

As Michigan goes through the transition after voters said “yes” to legalizing recreational marijuana last November, there’s a bit of a “haze,” as the Ford School’s Tom Ivacko puts it, on policy in "‘Haze’ abounds as Michigan struggles to regulate...

Michigan’s local elected officials report positive working relationships

Jun 6, 2019

Michigan’s local government leaders report mostly positive relationships among officials on their local governing boards or councils, according to a University of Michigan survey that assessed the tone of discussions and how often they reach...

State & Hill

Stephanie Leiser and Sarah Mills on perception versus reality in local government budgets

Apr 10, 2019

Local government officials’ assessments of their own fiscal health is often at odds with—and worse than—what their financial statements indicate, according to work done by Stephanie Leiser and Sarah Mills. The researchers note that this could be...

News

Poverty Solutions & CLOSUP new report find local officials believe many Michigan residents struggle to make ends meet

Mar 7, 2019

AMany local governments in Michigan report poverty and economic hardships among their residents, according to a survey from University of Michigan researchers. Almost half (44 percent) of local officials say more than one in five of their...

Informing local leaders about fiscal health and economic development image

Partisan divide felt less at local level, writes Ivacko

Jan 9, 2019

In an opinion column for Governing, Tom Ivacko (MPP ’93), associate director of CLOSUP, breaks down the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) findings on civil discourse in Michigan localities.“Will the National Partisan Breakdown Infect Our...

News

CLOSUP survey reveals that local officials are perplexed on Prop 1

Oct 12, 2018

On November 6, Michigan voters will have the option to either affirm or oppose Proposal 1, an amendment to the Michigan state constitution that will legalize the use of recreational marijuana. While public opinion polls convey support for the...

Coverage of CLOSUP medical marijuana policy poll grows like weed

Sep 21, 2018

On September 13, 2018, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at U-M’s Ford School of Public Policy released a survey that found almost 75 percent of Michigan cities, townships, and villages report that they have chosen to prohibit medical...

CLOSUP report: 54 percent of Michigan local officials oppose marijuana legalization

Sep 13, 2018

A majority of officials in Michigan oppose medical marijuana facilities in their jurisdiction, according to a new survey by University of Michigan...

Photo with green background, imprint of a Marijuana leaf, and an illustrated town

News

Most local jurisdictions follow master plan, but struggle with too few planners

May 7, 2018

Nearly half of Michigan’s largest local governments feel they have little staff capacity for land use planning and zoning, according to a survey from University of Michigan researchers. This survey is the first statewide attempt to explore which...

News

CLOSUP publishes report, hosts webinar on local government workforce issues and challenges

Feb 7, 2018

In January, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) published a report and hosted a webinar on the views of Michigan local government officials regarding workforce issues and challenges. The results come from the Spring 2017...

Michigan Public Policy Survey results featured by AP and Michigan Bureau of Elections

Nov 14, 2017

Results from the spring edition of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) were highlighted by the Michigan Secretary of State’s Bureau of Elections in their November 9 newsletter, which is sent to election officials across the state.The latest...

News

Michigan News release: Local leaders say recovery is mixed, but slightly positive overall

Oct 12, 2017

Overall, the fiscal health of Michigan's local governments appears to have improved slightly since last year, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers. Across the state, 35 percent of the local government leaders surveyed...

On WEMU, CivCity founder discusses CLOSUP report on Michigan civic engagement

Aug 9, 2017

Mary Morgan, executive director of the CivCity Initiative, joined WEMU’s David Fair this Monday for an on-air discussion of local civic engagement. Among the topics discussed: New findings from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), a biannual...

Michigan News release: Survey says local leaders want more citizen engagement

Aug 1, 2017

ANN ARBOR—Increasing numbers of Michigan’s local government leaders want citizens to play a more active role in local governance, according to a new survey from the University of Michigan.Local leaders also reported that their citizens are less...

Michigan News release: Local views on state government preemption

Jun 15, 2017

ANN ARBOR—Statewide, 70 percent of Michigan's local government officials believe the state government is taking too much decision-making authority away from local governments, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers.The data...

Michigan News release: In CLOSUP survey, Michigan's local leaders ask Lansing to listen

May 4, 2017

Many local government leaders across Michigan aren't content with their jurisdiction's relationship with state government, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers. The latest Michigan Public Policy Survey explored factors...

State & Hill

A voice for local governments: CLOSUP and the M's, the power of partnership

Apr 29, 2017

It's been eight years since the Ford School launched the Michigan Public Policy Survey, which collects data and opinions about a broad range of state and local policy challenges from local government leaders across the state. After 16 surveys, 60...

Michigan News release: MPPS finds localities support emergency manager reforms

Feb 22, 2017

An overwhelming majority of local government leaders in Michigan support reform of the state's controversial emergency manager law, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers.Officials from more than 1,300 cities, counties,...

News

Michigan local leaders assess drinking water issues in latest Michigan Public Policy Survey

Nov 29, 2016

Over a quarter of local officials from Michigan jurisdictions that provide shared water infrastructure believe funding levels are not sufficient to maintain those systems, according to the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), "Local...

News

CLOSUP survey: Local leaders concerned about property tax appeals, "dark stores" assessing

Oct 26, 2016

Findings from the most recent Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), published by the Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), reveal broad concern by local leaders and administrators over property tax appeals. The survey...

New MSU/U-M policy survey will track attitudes, opinions of Michigan political insiders

Sep 14, 2016

Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) and the University of Michigan's Center for Local, State and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) are launching a new public policy survey designed to tap the attitudes and...

News

Detroit Free Press Editorial Board asks, “Lansing, are you listening to Michigan cities?”

Aug 25, 2016

The Detroit Free Press Editorial Board asks, “Lansing, are you listening to Michigan cities?” The piece draws attention to the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey on the fiscal health of the state’s local governments. The University of...

News

Michigan Radio's "Stateside" highlights CLOSUP's latest, and troubling, fiscal health findings

Aug 24, 2016

Michigan Radio’s Cynthia Canty interviews Tom Ivacko (MPP ’93), CLOSUP program administrator, for the segment “Declining fiscal health “an early warning sign” for local governments, report says.” The program focuses on CLOSUP's latest Michigan...

Register for our free webinar, “Is Michigan’s system of funding local government broken?”

Aug 23, 2016

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy’s (CLOSUP) most recent Michigan Public Policy Survey finds a reversal in the trend of improving fiscal health among Michigan local governments.Despite an improving economy, fewer local governments say...

Fiscal health trends reversing--and not for the better--in some Michigan communities

Aug 22, 2016

After five years of steady statewide improvement, fewer Michigan communities report that they are better able to meet their fiscal needs this year.A University of Michigan survey polled top elected and appointed officials in the state's 1,856 units...

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...

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...

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...

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...

News

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...