MPPS publications

This report presents the assessments of Michigan's local government leaders on local budgeting processes, including the prevalence of multi-year budgeting, capital improvement plans (CIPs), long-term financial planning, and views on the appropriate levels of data use, contingency planning, regular budget monitoring, and public transparency.

This policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan's local government leaders on resident engagement in their communities. One significant area of concern is resident representation on local elected and appointed boards.

This report provides an annual update on Michigan local government fiscal health. Using financial data reported to the State of Michigan in 2023, this analysis develops a set of indicators to look at cash, budgetary, long-term, and service solvency for counties, cities, villages, and townships in Michigan. This update finds that there were few significant changes in overall trends for the fiscal health of Michigan local governments compared to the past few years. Federal aid continues to bolster general fund balances and cash reserves, resulting in strong cash and budgetary solvency measures. However, local governments should beware of “fiscal cliffs” as one-time revenues from pandemic-era aid expire. Local governments continue to show variability in their ability to meet long-term financial and service obligations, due in part to restrictive revenue policy and high long-term liabilities from pensions and retiree healthcare benefits.