CLOSUP publications

Beginning as a system of Indian trails long before European settlers habituated the area that now makes up the United States, the road system of Michigan has since become a largely pot-hole laden, cracked and all around damaged mess (Bessert 2016)....

Detroit, for all intents and purposes, used to be one of the most thriving cities in the United States. Following the end of World War Two, the auto industry in Detroit was one of the most promising the world. In 1950, Detroit was home to roughly...

As the industrial revolution and capitalism firmly took hold several hundred years ago, the production of excess carbon dioxide and other fossil fuels has negatively influenced the environment. Many fossil fuels, like coal, were cheap, effective,...

Michigan, like many other states, holds final authority over tax policy in the state. In Michigan, the authority to levy local taxes is granted by the State. The State defines a set of regulations and restrictions that local municipalities must...

The future of the environment is a controversial topic in 21st century America. Two polarities exist on the subject of the environment. Typically conservatives reject climate change and doubt any human causation, claiming it to be a mythical...

The state of Michigan faces a unique set of issues in its municipal finance system. Since Michigan’s “Lost Decade,” local governments have seen state obligations to provide revenue go unmet. This decrease in funding has exacerbated issues faced by...

Education has become a key component of the dialogue surrounding the revitalization of Detroit and the economic progress of Michigan. A lot can be said, and has been said, about Michigan’s K-12 education system. Another important aspect is tertiary...

Michigan has long been on the forefront on implementing charter schools. A charter school, sometimes referred to as a public school academy, is a state-funded public school under the state constitution that is operated “under a charter contract...

Key findings from the latest round of the National Survey on Energy and Environment (NSEE) from the University of Michigan and Muhlenberg College suggest Americans are increasingly warming to the idea of a carbon tax, especially if they are told the...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state’s Emergency Manager law, officially known as Michigan’s Local Financial Stability and Choice Act (P.A. 436 of 2012). This law is targeted at local...

In June 2016, landowners in ten Michigan townships with utility-scale windfarms were mailed a survey about their experiences with wind energy. These townships collectively host over a third of the state’s utility-scale wind turbines and represent a...

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of issues related to the provision of drinking water in their communities, including threats to water safety, the condition of infrastructure, challenges regarding shared local...

The issue of property tax appeals has been increasingly important in Michigan recently as “big box” stores (e.g. Lowe’s, Costco, etc.) have been able to significantly decrease their taxes by arguing property assessments should be based on the value...

This report presents views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state’s system of funding local government, whether it needs to be reformed, and what reforms they prefer. It also includes their preferences for raising additional...

Since its inception in 2008, the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE) has tracked whether Americans believe there is solid evidence that global warming is occurring. The Spring 2016 NSEE finds that Americans’ views on climate change—and...

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 eight...

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ concerns regarding assessments of ambulance and emergency medical services in their jurisdiction, including how these services are provided and funded. The findings are based on statewide...

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 Rick Snyder and the Michigan Legislature. These findings...

This report examines Michigan local government leaders’ opinions on fire protection services in their communities, including satisfaction with fire services and funding of fire protection at the local level. The findings are based on statewide...

Since becoming an economically viable means of extracting oil and gas in the early 21st century, hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking” as the process is commonly known) has become a major component of the American and world energy sectors. In 2015,...

This report examines Michigan local government leaders’ opinions on law enforcement services in their community, including the perception of problems with crime in the community, satisfaction with law enforcement performance, and funding of law...

This paper seeks to explore the issue of unilateral state authority over hydraulic fracturing policy and the possibility/ merits of a shared government model that incorporates local input. This analysis explores the balance of state and local power...

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of police-community relations, concern over the potential for civil unrest, and the use of a range of law enforcement policies, practices, and equipment in their jurisdiction. The...

In August 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the final rule of the Clean Power Plan, setting carbon dioxide emission reduction targets for each state’s existing power plants. A month later, the National Surveys on Energy and the...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders and Michigan citizens on the question of policy preferences when local governments face either budget deficits or budget surpluses. These findings are based on statewide...