MPPS | Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy

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Most Michigan local government officials say control over renewable energy projects should stay local

February 20, 2024

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the division of authority between state and local governments on planning and zoning for renewable energy projects. These findings are based on statewide surveys...

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Survey of Michigan local leaders finds major short-term boost in financial aid doesn't change fundamentals of fiscal stress

January 23, 2024

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of their jurisdictions’ fiscal conditions and the actions they plan to take in the coming year given their financial situations. The findings are based on responses from 15...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of democratic functioning improve from 2021 low, but first signs of trouble at local level emerge

December 6, 2023

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions, across the State of Michigan, and across the United States as a whole. These findings are based on statewide...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Challenges continue for state-local relations, according to Michigan local government leaders

November 1, 2023

This policy brief presents local government officials’ assessments of the relationship between their jurisdiction and Michigan’s state government. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2023 wave of...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Michigan local governments’ ability to find, get, and manage state and federal grants

October 11, 2023

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ views on their jurisdiction’s capacity for pursuing external grant funding from the state and federal governments. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government...

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Local government leaders sounding alarms over housing shortages spreading across Michigan

September 13, 2023

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on local housing issues, including housing capacity and condition in their community, and awareness of various state-level housing programs available to local communities. These...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Michigan local government leaders’ views on their employee unions: few changes in relationships or impacts as Right-to-Work comes and goes

July 26, 2023

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan local government leaders on a range of issues regarding public employee unions in their jurisdictions, including their governments’ relationships with their employee unions, whether their unions are...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Challenges for Michigan local governments with ARPA spending continue, particularly in project costs and procurement

June 29, 2023

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ views on the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including plans for spending the funds, problems the jurisdiction is facing, and expectations for benefits from the funding. These...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Most Michigan local officials believe their government workforce reflects their community, less so in urban areas

June 15, 2023

This policy brief presents Michigan local leaders’ views on the composition of their local government’s workforce compared to their community’s population. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2022...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Despite two-year trend of improvement, most Michigan local officials continue to say the state is on the wrong track

May 17, 2023

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. These...

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Michigan local leaders report widespread support for community recycling programs

March 15, 2023

This report—the third in a series on recycling issues in Michigan communities—presents Michigan’s local government leaders’ assessments of support for recycling programs among various groups within their jurisdictions. In addition, it looks at local...

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Michigan local government leaders report increased problems with workforce recruitment, retention, and other issues

February 22, 2023

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders on a range of issues regarding their jurisdictions’ workforce, including recruitment, retention, and retirement turnover. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Michigan local government officials’ assessments of workforce wages and benefits

January 23, 2023

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' assessments regarding their governments’ employee pay and fringe benefit rates. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2022 wave of the...

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Michigan local leaders report near-term improvements in fiscal health, especially in large jurisdictions, yet long-term concerns increase

December 14, 2022

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Michigan local leaders’ concerns about U.S. democracy at state and federal levels ease somewhat, but remain grim

November 16, 2022

This report presents local government leaders’ views regarding the functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions, the State of Michigan, and the United States as a whole. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Local government officials give mixed reviews to Michigan’s new approach to redistricting

October 26, 2022

This policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan local government leaders on Michigan’s new approach to electoral redistricting and the performance of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC). These findings are based on...

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Michigan local government leaders say civic relationships and civil discourse remain healthy, despite worsening national politics

October 12, 2022

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is, as well as their assessments of civic relationships among elected...

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Michigan local government leaders remain confident about their election security and administration, though concerns about disinformation increase

September 22, 2022

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s township and city leaders on issues related to election administration in their jurisdictions, including confidence in election security and expected problems their jurisdictions might encounter. These...

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MPPS Policy Brief: Statewide survey finds a majority of Michigan local governments experiencing harassment or other abuse

September 8, 2022

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ experiences with public harassment, threats, or even violence as part of their role in local government. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the...

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MPPS Policy Brief: A survey of Michigan local government leaders on American Rescue Plan Act funding and uses

July 28, 2022

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Local leaders’ pessimism about Michigan’s direction continues, but eases slightly from last year

July 6, 2022

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Internet presence among Michigan local governments: websites, online services, and experience with virtual meetings

May 25, 2022

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding their jurisdiction’s online presence, including whether their local government has an official website and what it provides, the use of teleconferencing for official...

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Michigan local leaders’ views on recycling: current challenges and opportunities for improvement

April 27, 2022

This report is the second in a series on recycling issues in Michigan communities. It presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on challenges their jurisdictions face and opportunities to introduce, expand, or improve recycling...

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Recycling Issues, Policies, and Practices among Michigan Local Governments

March 17, 2022

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding a variety of recycling issues and policies in their jurisdictions, including what types of recycling services are offered in communities across the state, changes to...

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Michigan local leaders report little change in the tone of civic discourse in their communities, but are concerned about local impacts of increasingly hostile national partisan politics

January 26, 2022

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is among residents, between residents and elected officials, and among...

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Michigan local government officials report improved fiscal health after a year of COVID-19, but not yet back to pre-pandemic levels

December 15, 2021

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Michigan local officials’ assessments of American democracy at the state and federal levels decline sharply

November 17, 2021

This report presents local government leaders’ views regarding the functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions, the State of Michigan, and the United States as a whole, as well as their confidence in elections in their own jurisdiction, across...

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The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Michigan communities and local governments

October 27, 2021

This report presents local government leaders’ views on the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan in 2021, including overall impacts on local communities, evaluations of governmental coordination and resource provision, and...

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Michigan local governments report fewer economic challenges one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and describe efforts to support local businesses

September 29, 2021

This report presents local government leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on local economic conditions, as well as reports of whether or not their local governments took action to help local businesses during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic...

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Local leaders’ views on Michigan’s initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Spring 2021

August 11, 2021

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders during the spring of 2021 regarding COVID-19 vaccines, including information on local government actions to support the rollout of vaccines in local communities, and adoption...