Spring 2016 Michigan Public Policy Survey Homepage

The Spring 2016 Michigan Public Policy Survey

• Topics:
  • 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
• Methodology:
  • This survey ran from April 4 to June 6, 2016 and received responses from 74% of jurisdictions
• Survey questionnaire
• Pre-run data tables
• Publications:
  • Michigan local leaders' doubts continue regarding state's direction
  • Michigan local governments report first declines in fiscal health trend since 2010
  • Local officials say Michigan's system of funding local government is broken, and seek State action to fix it
  • Michigan local leaders say property tax appeals are common, disagree with 'dark stores' assessing
  • Local government leaders' views on drinking water and water supply infrastructure in Michigan communities
• Presentations:
  • 2016 September – Webinar on Michigan's system of funding local government, with the Citizen's Research Council of Michigan
    • Powerpoint slides (in pdf format)
    • Replay the webinar (with audio)
  • 2016 September – Michigan Association of Counties Annual Conference
  • 2016 October – Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs Annual Conference

• Access data at ICPSR:

• Learn more about MPPS data access at ICPSR
• Public/Student-use datasets
  • Budget and fiscal health data
  • Drinking water
  • Property tax appeals
  • State direction and policymaker job performance evaluations
  • System of funding local government
• Restricted-use dataset

Input on questionnaire design for the Spring 2016 MPPS was provided by the following people:

• Steve Cole, Great Lakes Commission
• Heather Frick, State Tax Commission, Michigan Department of Treasury
• Joe Heffernan, Plante Moran
• Judge Steven Lasher, Michigan Tax Tribunal
• Stephanie Leiser, University of Michigan
• Eric Lupher, Citizens Research Council of Michigan
• Bill Mathewson, Michigan Municipal League
• Michael McGee, Miller Canfield
• Derek Melot, Michigan Association of Counties
• Larry Merrill, Michigan Townships Association
• Sam Molnar, Great Lakes Commission
• Heather van Pouker, Michigan Municipal League
• Mike Selden, Michigan Townships Association
• Brian Steglitz, MI-AWWA
• Nicole Zacharda, Great Lakes Commission

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.