MPPS Spring 2025 data tables

Summary tables for questionnaire items from the Spring 2025 Wave of the MPPS broken down by jurisdiction type, population size, region of the state, and urban/rural designation are accessible below.

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 ability to repay its debt
   4. Change in amount of federal aid to jurisdiction
   5. Change in amount of state aid to jurisdiction
   6. Change in jurisdiction's public safety needs
   7. Change in jurisdiction's infrastructure needs
   8. Change in jurisdiction's human service needs
   9. Change in jurisdiction's general government operations needs
   10. Change in jurisdiction's cost of government's employee pensions
   11. Change in jurisdiction's cost of government's current employee health benefits
   12. 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 amount of services provided
   5. Projected change in public safety spending
   6. Projected change in infrastructure spending
   7. Projected change in human services spending
   8. Projected change in general government operations spending
   9. Projected change in amount of debt
   10. Projected change in number and/or scope of interlocal agreements or other service-sharing plans with other governments
   11. Projected change in jurisdiction's number of employees
   12. Projected change in employee pay rates
   13. Projected change in employee health benefits

General Fund Balances

6. Assessment of level of jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance

Fiscal Stress

7.  
   1. Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health today
   2. Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health five years from now

Federal and State Funding

8.  
   1. End of short-term IIJA or IRA funding a problem for jurisdiction's fiscal health
   2. End of short-term ARPA funding a problem for jurisdiction's fiscal health
   3. End or pause of long-term ongoing funding sources a problem for jurisdiction's fiscal health
9.  
   1. Not currently preparing for loss of federal or state funding
   2. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for housing
   3. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for transportation
   4. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for water and sewer infrastructure
   5. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for energy programs and/or infrastructure
   6. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for other capital improvements
   7. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for economic development
   8. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for public safety
   9. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for health and social services
   10. Preparing for loss of federal or state funding for other
   11. Don't know if preparing for loss of federal or state funding

Service Provision

11.  
    1. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to police services
    2. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to fire services
    3. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to parks/recreation/libraries
    4. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to roads
    5. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to public transportation/transit
    6. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to economic development
    7. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to utilities
    8. Resident preference between higher taxes and cuts to general operations

Local Government Funding

12.  
    1. Support or oppose increasing local property tax millage rates
    2. Support or oppose introducing or increasing local income tax
    3. Support or oppose introducing local sales tax
    4. Support or oppose introducing local gas tax
    5. Support or oppose introducing local sales tax on alcohol, tobacco, etc.
    6. Support or oppose introducing local public utility taxes/fees
    7. Support or oppose introducing local hotel/tourism tax
    8. Support or oppose introducing local motor vehicle license/registration fees
    9. Support or oppose introducing regional tax-base sharing
13.  
    1. The current system will provide adequate funding to maintain services
    2. The current system will provide adequate funding to improve or add services

Local Government Budgeting

14. Approximate size of government's annual operating budget
15. Does jurisdiction adopt single-year or multi-year budget
16.  
    1. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for balanced budget
    2. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for one-time revenues
    3. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for general fund balance
    4. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for reserve or stabilization accounts or other fund reserves
    5. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for Asset Inventory
    6. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for Debt Level and Capacity
    7. Does jurisdiction have formal policy for Risk Assessment
    8. Don't know if jurisdiction has formal policies for financial planning and management issues

Long-term Financial Planning

17. Typical time horizon for jurisdiction's multi-year capital improvement plan
18.  
    1. Does jurisdiction engage in long-term revenue projections/forecasts
    2. Does jurisdiction engage in long-term planing for maintaining financial health
    3. Does jurisdiction engage in formal long-term strategic planning
    4. Does jurisdiction engage in a Master Plan that includes financial planning
19.  
    1. Long-term financial planning includes projections of revenue
    2. Long-term financial planning includes projections of expenditures
    3. Long-term financial planning inclujdes projections of capital costs
    4. Long-term financial planning includes assumptions and/or explanations behind projections
    5. Long-term financial planning include strategies for improving or maintaining financial health in long-term
    6. Long-term financial planning includes strategies for addressing risks posed by long-term liabilities
    7. Don't know what elements included in long-term financial planning
    8. Long-term financial planning includes other elements

Budgeting Process

20.  
    1. Where jurisdiction falls on spectrum between making budget changes based on historical precident or based on on current priorities
    2. Where jurisdiction should fall on spectrum between making budget changes based on historical precident or based on on current priorities
21.  
    1. How much jurisdiction uses data measures beyond cost in budgeting process
    2. How much jurisdiction should use data measures beyond cost in budgeting process
22.  
    1. How much jurisdiction makes contingency plans for managing budgetary risks
    2. How much jurisdiction should make contingency plans for managing budgetary risks
23.  
    1. How much jurisdiction conducts regular budget monitoring
    2. How much jurisdiction should conduct regular budget monitoring
24.  
    1. How much jurisdiction maintains public transparency throughout the budgeting process
    2. How much jurisdiction should maintain public transparency throughout the budget process

Budgeting Problems

25.  
    1. Concern about inaccurate financial projections
    2. Concern about lack of budgeting expertise among the jurisdiction's staff
    3. Concern about lack of budgeting expertise among the jurisdiction's elected officials
    4. Concern about managing political pressures from community members or within Board/Council
    5. Concern about problems finding a CPA/external consultants
    6. Concern about emergencies or unforeseen costs
    7. Concern about State and federal budgeting mandates
    8. Concern about external economic factors

Resident Engagement

27. How engaged are residents in your jurisdiction?
28. Extent of resident engagement opportunities in your jurisdiction
29. Official's trust in residents to be responsible participants

Civic Discourse

30.  
    1. General state of public discourse among elected officials within jurisdiction
    2. General state of public discourse between elected officials and residents within jurisdiction
    3. General state of public discourse among residents themselves within jurisdiction

Approaches Used by Jurisdiction for Resident Engagement

31.  
    1. Use of public comment opportunities at jurisdiction's main governing Council/Board meetings
    2. Use of electronic/email newsletters or notices
    3. Use of Interactive features on a jurisdiction website aimed at the public
    4. Use of social media accounts
    5. Use of online streaming/cable broadcast of Council/Board meetings
    6. Use of resident surveys
    7. Use of informal one-on-one discussions with residents
    8. Use of open houses or coffee with officials
    9. Use of community-wide Town Hall meetings
    10. Use of strategic-planning or visioning sessions
    11. Use of resident participation on ad hoc task forces or planning teams
    12. Use of resident participation on formal government boards or commissions
    13. Don't know what approaches jurisdiction uses for resident engagement

Resident Engagement Challenges

32.  
    1. Lack of staff or elected officials' time is a problem for resident engagement
    2. Lack of resources/cost of engagement efforts is a problem for resident engagement
    3. Board/Council does not prioritize resident engagement
    4. Jurisdiction's engagement efforts mostly attract the same people over and over
    5. Meetings run too long because too many residents want to speak
    6. A small vocal minority of residents is negatively affecting overall engagement
    7. Conflict on the Board/Council keeps residents from wanting to engage
    8. State or national partisan politics is a problem for resident engagement

Training and Staffing

33. Have any staff or elected officials had recent formal training in resident engagement and outreach
34.  
    1. No one in the jurisdiction is formally responsible for resident engagement and outreach
    2. Jurisdiction has staff whose sole job responsibility is resident engagement and outreach
    3. Jurisdiction has staff with other job responsibilities in addition to handling resident engagement and outreach
    4. Jurisdiction uses external organizations or consultants for resident engagement and outreach
    5. Resident engagement and outreach is coordinated by county government
    6. Don't know if jurisdiction has anyone formally responsible for resident engagement and outreach
35. Have resources devoted to staff and/or external consultant work on resident engagement been a worthwhile investment

Residents' Service in Local Government

36.  
    1. Agree or disagree that not enough residents are willing to run for elected offices
    2. Agree or disagree that candidates for jurisdiction office are often uncontested
    3. Agree or disagree that not enough residents are willing to serve on appointed boards or committees
    4. Agree or disagree that jurisdiction struggles to find residents with necessary skills or subject matter expertise for appointed boards
37.  
    1. Jurisdiction does not have any problems finding residents to run for office and/or serve on appointed boards
    2. Residents are unaware of opportunities to serve
    3. Residents are unsure of the process/procedures for running for office or being appointed to boards
    4. Residents don't have time to run or serve
    5. Residents are unsure they have enough knowledge/expertise to serve
    6. Problem with insufficient or lack of compensation for residents to run or serve
    7. Problem with cost of running for office
    8. Problem with potential candidates worrying about harassment
    9. Problem with residents caring more about state or national politics than about local issues
    10. Problem with finding new people who are not already associated with local government to run or serve
    11. Problem with finding young people to run or serve
    12. Don't know problems jurisdiction faces in finding residents to run or serve
    13. Jurisdiction faces other problems in finding residents to run or serve
38.  
    1. Word-of-mouth could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    2. Social media messages could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    3. Advertising in local media could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    4. Direct mail/email to residents could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    5. Partnerships with local organizations, businesses, or schools could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    6. Mentorship programs could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    7. Don't know what outreach methods could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards
    8. Other outreach methods could be effective for encouraging residents to run for office or serve on appointed boards

Overall Satisfaction Regarding Resident Engagement

39. Respondent satisfaction regarding resident engagement in jurisdiction's policymaking

Evaluating Current Events and Political Issues

41. United States going in right direction or on wrong track
42. State of Michigan going in right direction or on wrong track
43. Jurisdiction going in right direction or on wrong track
44. Governor Whitmer's job performance
45. Michigan Legislature's job performance

Functioning of Democracy

46.  
    1. Officials' ratings of functioning of democracy in local jurisdiction
    2. Officials' ratings of functioning of democracy in Michigan
    3. Officials' ratings of functioning of democracy in the US

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