MPPS Spring 2015 data tables

Summary tables for questionnaire items from the Spring 2015 Wave of the MPPS Broken down by jurisdiction type, population size, and region of the state:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Fiscal Health

2. Good or Bad Times in the coming year?
3. 1. Better or Less Able to meet jurisdiction's needs this fiscal year than last
   2. Better or Less Able to meet jurisdiction's needs next fiscal year than this

Changes from the Last Fiscal Year to the Current Fiscal Year

4. 1. Change in jurisdiction's revenue from property taxes
   2. Change in jurisdiction's revenue from fees for services, licenses, transfers, etc.
   3. Change in jurisdiction's amount of debt
   4. Change in jurisdiction's ability to repay its debt
   5. Change in amount of federal aid to jurisdiction
   6. Change in amount of state aid to jurisdiction
   7. Change in jurisdiction's tax delinquencies
   8. Change in jurisdiction's amount of home foreclosures
   9. Change in jurisdiction's population
   10. Change in jurisdiction's public safety needs
   11. Change in jurisdiction's infrastructure needs
   12. Change in jurisdiction's human service needs
   13. Change in jurisdiction's general government operations needs
   14. Change in jurisdiction's number of employees
   15. Change in pay rates for jurisdiction's employee wages and salaries
   16. Change in jurisdiction's cost of government's employee pensions
   17. Change in jurisdiction's cost of government's current employee health benefits
   18. Change in jurisdiction's cost of government's retired employee health benefits

Expected Changes from the Current Fiscal Year to the Next Fiscal Year

5. 1. Projected change in property tax rates
   2. Projected change in charges for fees, licenses, etc.
   3. Projected change in reliance on general fund balance
   4. Projected change in reliance on “rainy day” funds
   5. Projected change in amount of services provided
   6. Projected change in actual public safety spending
   7. Projected change in actual infrastructure spending
   8. Projected change in actual human services spending
   9. Projected change in actual general government operations spending
   10. Projected change in funding for economic development programs
   11. Projected change in amount of debt
   12. Projected change in sale of public assets
   13. Projected change in privatizing or contracting out services
   14. Projected change in number and/or scope of interlocal agreements or other cost-sharing plans with other governments
   15. Projected change in jurisdiction's workforce hiring
   16. Projected change in jurisdiction's workforce layoffs
   17. Projected change in jurisdiction's filling vacant positions
   18. Projected change in employee pay rates
   19. Projected change in employees' share of premiums, deductibles, and/or co-pays on health insurance
   20. Projected change in employees' share of contributions to retirement funds
   21. Projected change in retirees' share of premiums, deductibles, and/or co-pays on health insurance

Budgeting Process

6. Jurisdiction’s fiscal year end
7. 1. Jurisdiction’s last fiscal year’s revenues compared to budget
   2. Jurisdiction’s last fiscal year’s expenditures compared to budget

General Fund Balances

8. Jurisdiction’s unreserved general fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures last year
9. Assessment of level of jurisdiction’s unreserved general fund balance
10. Jurisdiction’s cash flow as a fiscal health problem
11. 1. Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health today
    2. Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health five years from now

Preferred Use of a Potential Surplus

13. 1. Jurisdiction’s Board/Council preference
    2. Jurisdiction’s citizen preference
    3. Local official’s preference

Preferred Response to a Potential Deficit

14. 1. Jurisdiction’s Board/Council preference
    2. Jurisdiction’s citizen preference
    3. Local official’s preference

Retirement Income Benefits

15. Jurisdiction provides retirement income benefits
16. 1. Should jurisdiction provide benefits to employees?
    2. Should jurisdiction provide benefits to elected officials?
17. 1. Type of retirement income benefits offered to new hires
    2. Type of retirement income benefits offered to current employees
    3. Type of retirement income benefits offered to retired employees
    4. Type of retirement income benefits offered to current elected officials
    5. Type of retirement income benefits offered to former elected officials
18. 1. Generosity of retirement income benefits offered to new hires
    2. Generosity of retirement income benefits offered to current employees
    3. Generosity of retirement income benefits offered to retired employees
    4. Generosity of retirement income benefits offered to current elected officials
    5. Generosity of retirement income benefits offered to former elected officials
19. 1. Jurisdiction has had actuarial valuation of pension
    2. Jurisdiction has increased years required for benefits
    3. Jurisdiction has increased employee contribution
    4. Jurisdiction has reduced multiplier for pension
    5. Jurisdiction has changed cost of living adjustment (COLA)
    6. Jurisdiction has reduced assumed rate of return
    7. Jurisdiction has closed defined benefit pension to new individuals
    8. Jurisdiction has converted to defined contribution plan
    9. Jurisdiction has converted to a hybrid plan
    10. Jurisdiction has financed liability through bonds
20. Effectiveness of jurisdiction’s efforts to control costs
21. Jurisdiction’s contributions to pension fund in previous year
22. Are jurisdiction’s pension obligations fully funded?
23. Jurisdiction’s pension obligations as a fiscal health problem
24. Concern for inability of jurisdiction to fulfill pension obligations

Retirement Health Care Benefits

25. Jurisdiction provides retirement health care benefits
26. 1. Should jurisdiction provide benefits to employees?
    2. Should jurisdiction provide benefits to elected officials?
27. 1. Jurisdiction provides retiree health care benefits to new hires
    2. Jurisdiction provides retiree health care benefits to current employees
    3. Jurisdiction provides retiree health care benefits to retired employees
    4. Jurisdiction provides retiree health care benefits to current elected officials
    5. Jurisdiction provides retiree health care benefits to former elected officials
28. 1. Generosity of retiree health care benefits offered to new hires
    2. Generosity of retiree health care benefits offered to current employees
    3. Generosity of retiree health care benefits offered to retired employees
    4. Generosity of retiree health care benefits offered to current elected officials
    5. Generosity of retiree health care benefits offered to former elected officials
29. 1. Jurisdiction has had actuarial study
    2. Jurisdiction has increased cost-sharing by retirees
    3. Jurisdiction has increased years required for benefits
    4. Jurisdiction has changed benefits for spouses or dependents
    5. Jurisdiction has introduced less expensive plans
    6. Jurisdiction has implemented a wellness plan
    7. Jurisdiction has changed to defined contribution or stipend
    8. Jurisdiction has introduced retirement health savings accounts (HSA)
    9. Jurisdiction has financed liability through bonds
    10. Jurisdiction has joined a health care trust
    11. Jurisdiction has transferred management to a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)
30. Effectiveness of jurisdiction’s efforts to control costs
31. Status of jurisdiction’s use of public health care exchanges
32. Jurisdiction’s contributions to retiree health care fund in previous year
34. Are jurisdiction’s retiree health care obligations fully funded?
35. Jurisdiction’s retiree health care obligations as a fiscal health problem
36. Concern for inability of jurisdiction to fulfill retiree health care obligations
37. 1. Support or oppose state prohibiting jurisdictions from providing retiree health care benefits
    2. Support or oppose state setting hard caps on jurisdiction contributions to retiree health care
    3. Support or oppose creating a state-wide Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) or assist jurisdictions in creating VEBAs
    4. Support or oppose creating a state-pooled retiree health care benefit system
    5. Support or oppose creation of private health care exchanges for local governments
    6. Support or oppose creating state-wide bonding pool for retiree health care benefits
    7. Support or oppose easing credit rating-based restrictions on bond issuance

Evaluating current events and political issues

38. Jurisdiction going in right direction or on wrong track
39. Jurisdiction’s board or council’s job performance
40. State of Michigan going in right direction or on wrong track
42. Governor Snyder’s job performance
43. Michigan Legislature’s job performance

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