MPPS data tables

The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) has an extensive data library on a wide range of local government issues. 

The full set of responses from Michigan's local government leaders to a wide variety of policy questions are now available online in an easy-to-use format. Responses to each question have been broken down by three characteristics: the type of jurisdiction (county, city, township, village); the population size of the respondent's jurisdiction; and the jurisdiction's region within Michigan. Scroll down to choose a survey and view the relevant datatables. For more complex analysis using statistical software, see how to download the MPPS datasets.

For exact survey question text, see questionnaire PDFs.

Featured Topic

State government job performance

An extensive collection of MPPS data tables show how Michigan local government officials have rated the performance of the state government in Lansing, including job approval ratings for the governor, state legislature, state agencies, and more.

See data tables

Data Tables	Policy Issues
Spring 2022	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for local governments; local government employee issues; election administration; Michigan's new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for state, and country; civic discourse; relationships between local government officials and their residents; the state of democracy
Fall 2021 (MiLRePP)	Local funding structures and recycling policies (or lack thereof); community member support for or opposition to recycling; perceptions of costs and barriers; resources needed to advance community recycling
Spring 2021	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); local government use of online technology; Michigan's new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for state, and country; civic discourse; the state of democracy; confidence in institutions
Spring 2020	Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; election administration and security; Michigan's new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission; the 2020 U.S. Census; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for state, and country; trust in government; the state of democracy
MiLES (Fall 2019)	Regulation and siting of energy infrastructure on public and private property; governments’ engagement with citizens and businesses on energy issues; planning and/or zoning regarding energy; local electric vehicle (EV) policies; local renewable energy goals or requirements; energy use in public and private buildings and the use of audits; the Michigan Uniform Energy Code and code enforcement; collaboration on energy and sustainability policies; climate change
Spring 2019	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; most important problem facing community; next economic recession; opioids; energy issues; 2020 U.S. Census; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for state and country
Spring 2018	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; community poverty; local government relationships; medical marijuana; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for own jurisdiction, state, and country

• See more MPPS surveys

  Data Tables	Policy Issues
  Fall 2017	Land-use planning and zoning; housing; performance measurement and management
  Spring 2017	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; election administration; local government workforce; job approval evaluations for Governor, Michigan Legislature, various state agencies, President, and U.S. Congress; right direction vs. wrong track for state and country
  Fall 2016	Relationship between the State & local governments; emergency manager law; citizen engagement
  Spring 2016	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; package of services provided and trade-off with taxes; system of funding local government; drinking water issues and infrastructure; property tax appeals; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature; right direction vs. wrong track for state
  Fall 2015	Public safety issues: police services; police-community relations; fire services; emergency medical services
  Spring 2015	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; retiree health care; pensions; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature; right direction vs. wrong track for state and own jurisdiction
  Fall 2014	Road issues: road conditions, maintenance, funding; private roads; complete streets; transit; relations with and evaluation of county road commissions; state and local government ethics
  Spring 2014	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; privatization; GFOA-recommended financial policies; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature, state agencies; right direction vs. wrong track for state and own jurisdiction; ballot proposals: citizen referenda, part-time legislature
  Fall 2013	Energy and environmental issues: the Great Lakes, wind power, fracking, energy sources, environmental sustainability; Detroit bankruptcy
  Spring 2013	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; retiree health care; public sector unions and negotiations; right-to-work legislation; property tax exemptions; placemaking economic development; entrepreneurship; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature, state agencies; right direction vs. wrong track for state and own jurisdiction; trust in government
  Fall 2012	Citizen engagement, including technology related issues
  Spring 2012	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; public sector unions and negotiations; package of services provided and trade-off with taxes; system of funding local government; personal property tax; emergency manager law; k-12 education; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature, state agencies; right direction vs. wrong track for state and own jurisdiction
  Fall 2011	Performance measurement and management, use of data in decision-making; economic vitality incentive program; dashboards
  Spring 2011	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; employee compensation; retiree health care; pensions; special tax authorities (DDAs, Brownfield authorities, etc.); tax charge backs by county government; emergency manager law; performance measurement and management; dashboards; federal stimulus package; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature; right direction vs. wrong track for state and own jurisdiction
  Fall 2010	Inter-governmental cooperation, consolidation, service sharing; local government environmental leadership, energy efficiency, global warming
  Spring 2010	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; employee compensation; retiree health care; pensions; trade-offs between services and taxes; economic gardening; revenue sharing and local tax authority; independent redistricting commission; U.S. Census; federal stimulus package
  Fall 2009	Workforce development; k-12 and higher education; brain drain; MI Public Act 312 (public safety union negotiations); state constitutional convention; term limits; job approval evaluations for governor, legislature; federal stimulus package
  Spring 2009	Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; most important problem; economic development; placemaking; trust in government; inter-governmental cooperation; land-use planning; federal stimulus package

Tracking changes over time

More than a decade of data

The Michigan Public Policy Survey has been tracking Michigan local government officials' views since 2009, a time period that has included three governors, a cratered economy and its recovery, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, a public health disaster in Flint, a global pandemic, and more. In each year, the MPPS has gathered data about local government fiscal health, and the survey has covered many other topics two or more times since its start.

See how survey answers have changed over time