Tom Ivacko

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News

Detroit News covers CLOSUP privatization survey

Nov 24, 2014

Results from a recent survey released by the Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) served as the basis for a Detroit News editorial advocating that municipalities continue to turn to privatization and intergovernmental...

Informing local leaders about fiscal health and economic development image

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...

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?...

News

University of Michigan poll: Detroit bankruptcy was the right decision

Feb 3, 2014

Despite concerns about Detroit's bankruptcy, 56 percent of local government officials in Michigan said it was the right thing to do, according to a poll by the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy. More than half of local leaders...

MPPS report: local leaders say unions again made most of the concessions in contract negotiations

Oct 20, 2013

Local government leaders in Michigan report their employees' unions made more concessions in negotiations this year than the jurisdictions did, according to a University of Michigan survey.Among the 26 percent of Michigan's local governments that...

MPPS report: more local leaders say finances on upswing, but struggles remain

Oct 1, 2013

The fiscal health of Michigan's local government units has improved, but many—particularly small jurisdictions—still struggle to meet their financial needs, according to a University of Michigan survey.Overall, 29 percent of jurisdictions say they...

Joint Michigan Public Policy Survey and MSU survey shows distrust of the federal government grows.

Jul 2, 2013

As the nation prepares to celebrate its independence from British rule, trust in the government formed 237 years ago continues to decline.Fewer than one in 10 local government leaders, or 6 percent, in Michigan trust the feds to "do what is right"...

CLOSUP survey: Most local leaders want residents engaged, but see limits

May 28, 2013

Most local government leaders in Michigan believe residents should provide input into policymaking, but relatively few think they should be deeply involved, according to a University of Michigan survey.Nearly two thirds (64 percent) of Michigan's...

State & Hill

An engaged citizen

Apr 22, 2013

Barry Rabe on the future of CLOSUP A six-inch bobblehead of Ron Swanson, director of a fictitious Midwestern parks department in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, dominates the meeting table in Barry Rabe's office. The bobblehead is something...

MPPS findings show desire for funding reform, Tom Ivacko tells Michigan Radio

Feb 8, 2013

The latest poll in the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), conducted by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), received coverage from Michigan Public Radio and other area media outlets for shedding light on issues of government...

News

Detroit Free Press cites CLOSUP report, distrust of state as factor in tax reform

Nov 19, 2012

The Detroit Free Press cited a new Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) published by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) in an article on the possible elimination of Michigan's personal property tax. The report found that 74%...

Most local leaders say personal property tax is complex, but important to their budgets

Nov 19, 2012

A majority of Michigan's local government leaders believe revenue from the personal property tax is important to their budgets, according to a University of Michigan survey.The Michigan Personal Property Tax is assessed on businesses for their...

CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey on union concessions appears in Bridge Magazine, MLive.com, more

Oct 19, 2012

Bridge Magazine and MLive.com outlined key findings from a new Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) published by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP).The survey, "Michigan's local leaders satisfied with union negotiations,"...

MPPS report: local leaders report that unions made most concessions in contract negotiations

Oct 16, 2012

Local government leaders in Michigan report that their employees' unions made concessions in negotiations this year more frequently than the jurisdictions did on pay, benefits, staffing and work rules, according to a University of Michigan survey.By...

News

Michigan Public Policy Survey reflects divide amongst local leaders over the state's emergency manager law

Sep 27, 2012

The latest poll from the Michigan Public Policy Survey reflects divided opinions over the state's emergency manager law, the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News have reported. The MPPS findings, released Monday, found 38 percent of local leaders...

Policy Points: Thomas Ivacko discusses Michigan Public Policy Survey on the state's emergency manager law

Sep 24, 2012

In the latest installment of "Policy Points," Thomas Ivacko says less than half (38 percent) of Michigan's local leaders support the state's emergency manager law, while about a third (30 percent) oppose it and the rest are neutral or unsure,...

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: 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,...

Tom Ivacko pens two-part Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

Jan 23, 2012

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's (CLOSUP) Tom Ivacko wrote a two-part column for Dome magazine about the declining health of Michigan cities and what is being done to combat this decline.In part one, "Michigan Cities Suffer Declining...

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...

Tom Ivacko pens second Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

Dec 9, 2011

Dome magazine published the second op-ed from a two-part series by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's Tom Ivacko about the challenges facing Michigan's cities.In the article, titled "Cities Responding to Fiscal Challenges," Ivacko...

Tom Ivacko pens Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

Oct 28, 2011

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's (CLOSUP) Tom Ivacko wrote an op-ed for Dome magazine titled, "Michigan Cities Suffer Declining Health (Part 1)."In this column Ivacko discusses the challenges facing local governments in the state of...

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 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's Tom Ivacko pens guest column for The Center for Michigan's electronic newsletter

May 27, 2011

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's Tom Ivacko wrote a guest column for The Center for Michigan's electronic newsletter called "With local tax votes, citizens are trying to stop the bleeding."In the column, Ivacko discusses the...

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...

State & Hill

Tom Ivacko

Detroit News covers CLOSUP privatization survey

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

CLOSUP illuminates local leaders' perceptions of tax-exempt properties

Informing local leaders about fiscal health and economic development

University of Michigan poll: Detroit bankruptcy was the right decision

MPPS report: local leaders say unions again made most of the concessions in contract negotiations

MPPS report: more local leaders say finances on upswing, but struggles remain

Joint Michigan Public Policy Survey and MSU survey shows distrust of the federal government grows.

CLOSUP survey: Most local leaders want residents engaged, but see limits

An engaged citizen

MPPS findings show desire for funding reform, Tom Ivacko tells Michigan Radio

Detroit Free Press cites CLOSUP report, distrust of state as factor in tax reform

Most local leaders say personal property tax is complex, but important to their budgets

CLOSUP's Michigan Public Policy Survey on union concessions appears in Bridge Magazine, MLive.com, more

MPPS report: local leaders report that unions made most concessions in contract negotiations

Michigan Public Policy Survey reflects divide amongst local leaders over the state's emergency manager law

Policy Points: Thomas Ivacko discusses Michigan Public Policy Survey on the state's emergency manager law

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

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

Tom Ivacko pens two-part Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

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

Tom Ivacko pens second Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

Tom Ivacko pens Dome op-ed about declining health of Michigan cities

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

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

CLOSUP's Tom Ivacko pens guest column for The Center for Michigan's electronic newsletter

Bullish on Michigan

Recession Aftershocks Predicted for Michigan Cities and Towns

Tom Ivacko: Michigan - Political Redistricting

Major funding increase needed to fix roads, local leaders say