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 number of tax delinquencies in your jurisdiction?

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

Has there been a decrease, an increase, or no change from the previous fiscal year in the number of home foreclosures in your jurisdiction?

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 is likely to take regarding property tax rates?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thinking about the next fiscal year, which action has your jurisdiction taken or is likely to take regarding funding for economic development programs?

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

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

Does your jurisdiction use multi-year financial projections when developing its budget?

Some local jurisdictions are moving to formal multi-year budgeting, rather than the traditional single-year budgeting. Others are not. 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?

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?

Michigan's local jurisdictions currently have constraints on certain kinds of revenue growth (for example, the Headlee Amendment and Proposal A). Thinking about the revenue caps facing your jurisdiction, if the economy improves over the coming years, do you agree or disagree that the current system of funding local government will provide adequate funding to: maintain the current package of services your jurisdiction provides

Michigan's local jurisdictions currently have constraints on certain kinds of revenue growth (for example, the Headlee Amendment and Proposal A). Thinking about the revenue caps facing your jurisdiction, if the economy improves over the coming years, do you agree or disagree that the current system of funding the local government will provide adequate funding to improve or add more services if they are necessary or desired

Some people think the current system for funding local government in Michigan needs significant reform, while others disagree. What about you? Would you say you agree or disagree that the system for funding local governments in Michigan needs significant reform?