Spring 2015 Michigan Public Policy Survey Homepage

The Spring 2015 Michigan Public Policy Survey

• Topics:
  • 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
• Methodology:
  • This survey ran from April 6 to June 8, 2015 and received responses from 72% of jurisdictions
• Survey questionnaire
• Pre-run data tables
• Publications:
  • Confidence in Michigan's direction declines among state's local leaders
  • Fiscal health rated relatively good for most jurisdictions, but improvement slows and decline continues for many
  • Michigan's local leaders concerned about retiree health care costs and their governments's ability to meet future obligations
  • Report: Responding to budget surplus vs. deficit: the preferences of Michigan's local leaders and citizens
• Presentations:
  • CLOSUP & CRC Webinar on recent trends in local government finances, October 1, 2015
    • webinar presentation
    • webinar pdf file
• Access data at ICPSR:
  • Learn more about MPPS data access at ICPSR
  • Public/Student-use datasets
    • Budget and fiscal health data
    • Retiree health care benefits (OPEB)
    • Public employee pensions
    • State direction and policymaker job performance evaluations
  • Restricted-use dataset
    • Restricted-use codebook

Input on questionnaire design for the Spring 2015 MPPS was provided by the following people:

• Eric Lupher, Citizens' Reseach Council
• Larry Merrill, Michigan Townships Association
• Richard Murphy, Michigan Municipal League
• Heather van Poucker, Michigan Municipal League
• Jessica Reed, Michigan Municipal League
• William Saint Amour, MERS of Michigan
• Eric Scorsone, Michigan State University

The final questionnaire design reflects decisions made the CLOSUP MPPS staff, which may not represent the views of advisory committee members or others who provided input.