Michigan Public Policy Survey

CLOSUP survey: Fiscal stress easing for Michigan's local governments, many still suffering

Sep 4, 2012

Only one-third of the local governments in Michigan say they are somewhat or significantly less able to meet their fiscal needs this year—a big drop from last year when nearly half reported having such difficulties, according to a University of...

In the news: Michigan Public Policy Survey on job performance of Governor Snyder, Michigan Legislature

Jul 25, 2012

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy released a new Michigan Public Policy Survey about the popularity of Michigan's governor today. The survey, which polled 1,329 county and municipal officials, has quickly attracted media attention from...

CLOSUP survey: Michigan's local leaders more positive about Gov. Snyder, state's direction

Jul 25, 2012

Local government leaders in Michigan gave Gov. Rick Snyder a significantly higher job approval rating in 2012 compared to a year ago, and the officials were much more optimistic about the state's direction, a University of Michigan survey says.But...

CLOSUP survey: More local governments in Michigan using data to make decisions amid fiscal crisis

Jun 20, 2012

Just over two-thirds of Michigan's local governments say they use "data-driven decision making" as they try to cut costs and boost efficiency amid tough economic times, a new University of Michigan survey reports.Local governments collect and...

News

CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey on state funding incentives for local collaborations appears in local, regional news outlets

Apr 9, 2012

Findings from a recent Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) published by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) were cited in an Associated Press story published in a number of local and regional news sources including the Detroit...

CLOSUP survey: State funding incentives foster collaboration but also raise concerns

Mar 29, 2012

A new policy in Michigan that encourages local governments to collaborate and combine operations appears to be working, but it also carries a risk of producing unintended consequences, a new survey by the University of Michigan reports.For years,...

MPPS report about Economic Vitality Incentive Program appears in Associated Press, more

Jan 31, 2012

The latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), published Wednesday by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), was detailed in an Associated Press story that was published in a number of papers, including the Chicago Tribune.The...

CLOSUP poll: Incentives working, but local officials in Michigan lukewarm about state funding reforms

Jan 25, 2012

Only a small minority of local officials in Michigan believe that major reforms in the way they receive state funding that require adoption of "dashboard" reports will be very effective in improving the overall performance of their governments.The...

Tom Ivacko quoted in Bridge magazine article, "Merger bills won't change names on fire trucks—yet"

Dec 20, 2011

In light of six new Michigan merger bills, Tom Ivacko spoke to Bridge magazine about cost sharing findings from the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).These new bills, signed by Governor Rick Snyder on...

CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey cited in Center for Michigan article, "'Shadow tax cut' deepens local budget crises."

Dec 1, 2011

Data from the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's (CLOSUP) latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) report was cited in a Center for Michigan article, "'Shadow tax cut' deepens local budget crises."The October 2011 MPPS report found that...

CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey findings about financial struggles of local governments appear in news outlets

Oct 24, 2011

Findings from a new Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) administered by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) have been published in a number of news sources.The poll found that local governments in Michigan are having a tough time...

CLOSUP poll: Most local leaders in Michigan report ongoing financial woes

Oct 19, 2011

Nearly half of Michigan's local governments say they are somewhat or significantly less able to meet their financial needs in 2011, though some negative trends eased this year, a new University of Michigan survey reports.Although 48 percent of the...

CLOSUP opinion poll on views of public sector unions appears in several news sources

Aug 31, 2011

The results of a Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) poll of local government leaders appeared in a variety of Michigan news outlets, including two articles from the Detroit Free Press (a staff report and a report from the Associated...

CLOSUP report: majority of Michigan's local leaders say employee unions hurt fiscal health of their localities

Aug 29, 2011

More than half of the local government leaders surveyed in Michigan jurisdictions that have public employee unions say those unions have had a negative impact on their jurisdictions' fiscal health, a University of Michigan survey reports.Despite the...

CLOSUP poll: Half of Michigan's local officials say state on the wrong track

Aug 4, 2011

Half of the local government officials surveyed in Michigan say the state is generally on the wrong track, while 32 percent think the state is going the right way, a new University of Michigan poll says.Democratic officials were most likely to be...

CLOSUP poll finds Michigan citizens, officials agree local government should tackle global warming

Jul 6, 2011

A large majority of Michigan citizens and local government leaders agree that local governments have a responsibility to help reduce global warming, a new University of Michigan survey says.The view was shared by 70 percent of the citizens and 68...

Most communities in Michigan are working with others to increase efficiency, reduce costs

Mar 23, 2011

A new University of Michigan survey found that most communities statewide are already working together to increase efficiency and decrease costs.This cooperation is a process through which two or more units of government work together to provide...

CLOSUP Michigan Public Policy Survey: Local officials say benefits to public employees too generous, but not their pay

Feb 8, 2011

Many of Michigan's local government leaders think fringe benefits given to their jurisdictions' employees are too generous, but they are not overpaid, a new University of Michigan study finds.In addition, many of these leaders also believe employees...

State & Hill

Bullish on Michigan

Dec 6, 2010

CLOSUP Program Manager Tom Ivakco played a key role in designing and implementing the center's Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS)-an innovative effort to query elected and appointed officials from every jurisdiction in Michigan. Tom spoke with...

Local leaders open to regional partnerships-maybe

Dec 3, 2010

Government leaders in struggling communities across the state tend to be open to combining services with other towns, a new University of Michigan study finds.However, government officials who favor expanding regional planning are less supportive of...

CLOSUP report: State-local economic development could be improved by cultivating existing businesses

Nov 12, 2010

State policymakers could better coordinate with local economic developers to improve the economy by cultivating existing businesses in their communities, a new report says.The report from the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the...

CLOSUP report: Local jurisdictions, particularly Michigan's largest, actively encourage census participation

Aug 5, 2010

More than half of Michigan's local governments actively encouraged their citizens to complete their U.S. Census forms this year, helping the state rank fifth nationwide in participation rates, a new survey shows. Maximizing participation in the...

CLOSUP report: Officials say federal stimulus package ineffective for local economies

May 25, 2010

Some local government leaders in Michigan say the federal stimulus package has been anything but stimulating. The stimulus package—also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—was designed to create jobs and spur economic...

State & Hill

Recession Aftershocks Predicted for Michigan Cities and Towns

Apr 22, 2010

Mounting evidence suggests that an economic recovery is in view. Unemployment isn't rising as quickly as it once was. Consumer spending has increased for four consecutive months. Household net worth is growing. While the economy may be turning...

CLOSUP publishes Michigan Public Policy Survey results

Apr 13, 2010

Local government officials from across the state of Michigan were surveyed in Fall 2009 during the second wave of CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey program. This wave focused on educational, economic, and workforce development issues....

CLOSUP statewide survey: Local government leaders give low marks to state officials

Mar 18, 2010

Michigan's local government leaders express an alarming lack of trust in state government leaders in Lansing and significant dissatisfaction with their job performance, a new study shows. This distrust raises questions about the potential success...

Recent CLOSUP survey of local government leaders attracts local and regional media

Nov 2, 2009

The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) recently published by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) has garnered local and regional media attention. The MPPS, published in conjunction with the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan...

CLOSUP statewide survey: Local governments to cut services, want financing for economic development

Oct 22, 2009

Many local governments across Michigan expect to cut service levels in the next year, according to a new survey by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, a research center at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public...

CLOSUP receives Kellogg grant to analyze priorities, goals among Michigan's local government officials

Jun 18, 2009

The Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) received a W. K. Kellogg Foundation grant to survey local elected officials statewide. The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) received a 12-month W. K. Kellogg...

CLOSUP Lecture Series, Conversations Across Differences

The functioning of democracy across the urban-rural spectrum

Nov 16, 2020, 11:00-11:55 am EST

Free and open to the public – this is a virtual webinar on Zoom - please register! Student researchers will share their research on the similarities and differences across the urban/rural continuum with respect to: the state of civic discourse; public participation in decision-making; citizen engagement; internet connectivity and access to information; and privatization of local government services.