Michigan Public Policy Survey Questions and Data Tables

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the public safety needs for your jurisdiction?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the infrastructure needs for your jurisdiction?

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the human service needs for your jurisdiction?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding property tax rates?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding charges for fees, licenses, etc.?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding reliance on general fund balance?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding reliance on "rainy day" funds?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding actual public safety spending?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding actual infrastructure spending?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding actual human services spending?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding the amount of debt?

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or likely to take regarding privatizing or contracting out of services?

Does your jurisdiction adopt single-year budgets or multi-year budgets?

How likely is it that your jurisdiction will adopt formal multi-year budgeting in the next 12 months? (Among those jurisdictions reporting using single-year budgets)

In your current fiscal year, has your jurisdiction had to make any significant mid-year adjustments due to an inaccurate budget forecast?

Different local jurisdictions manage their unreserved general fund balances in different ways depending on their specific circumstances. Despite these differences, we're interested in tracking overall changes in these balances over time. Approximately what was your jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures at the end of its last fiscal year?

Thinking about your jurisdiction's fiscal needs, overall, do you consider your jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance to be too high, about right, or too low?

In your opinion, is your jurisdiction's cash flow and its ability to pay bills in a timely manner a significant fiscal problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all?

Do you anticipate that your jurisdiction will have property tax charge-backs from your county government in the current fiscal year?

Do you anticipate that your jurisdiction will have property tax charge-backs from your county government in the upcoming fiscal year?

Do you not anticipate that your jurisdiction will have property tax charge-backs from your county government in the current or upcoming fiscal year?

In your opinion, are potential property tax charge-backs to your jurisdiction a significant fiscal problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all? (Among those jurisdictions that reported anticipating property tax charge-backs in the current or upcoming fiscal year)

How much do you believe the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has helped to improve economic conditions in your community to date?

How much do you believe the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has helped to improve economic conditions in your community in the long term?

How much do you believe the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has helped to improve economic conditions in the state of Michigan to date?