Michigan's local government leaders express an alarming lack of trust in state government leaders in Lansing and significant dissatisfaction with their job performance, a new study shows. This distrust raises questions about the potential success...

Mounting evidence suggests that an economic recovery is in view. Unemployment isn't rising as quickly as it once was. Consumer spending has increased for four consecutive months. Household net worth is growing. While the economy may be turning...

More than half of Michigan's local governments actively encouraged their citizens to complete their U.S. Census forms this year, helping the state rank fifth nationwide in participation rates, a new survey shows. Maximizing participation in the...

Some local government leaders in Michigan say the federal stimulus package has been anything but stimulating. The stimulus package—also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—was designed to create jobs and spur economic...

State policymakers could better coordinate with local economic developers to improve the economy by cultivating existing businesses in their communities, a new report says.The report from the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the...

CLOSUP Program Manager Tom Ivakco played a key role in designing and implementing the center's Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS)-an innovative effort to query elected and appointed officials from every jurisdiction in Michigan. Tom spoke with...

Many of Michigan's local government leaders think fringe benefits given to their jurisdictions' employees are too generous, but they are not overpaid, a new University of Michigan study finds.In addition, many of these leaders also believe employees...

A new University of Michigan survey found that most communities statewide are already working together to increase efficiency and decrease costs.This cooperation is a process through which two or more units of government work together to provide...

More than half of the local government leaders surveyed in Michigan jurisdictions that have public employee unions say those unions have had a negative impact on their jurisdictions' fiscal health, a University of Michigan survey reports.Despite the...

Half of the local government officials surveyed in Michigan say the state is generally on the wrong track, while 32 percent think the state is going the right way, a new University of Michigan poll says.Democratic officials were most likely to be...