Table of Contents
Fiscal Health
- Good or Bad Times in the coming year?
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- Better or Less Able to meet jurisdiction's needs this fiscal year than last
- 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
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- Change in jurisdiction's revenue from property taxes
- Change in jurisdiction’s revenue from fees for services, licenses, transfers, etc.
- Change in jurisdiction’s amount of debt
- Change in jurisdiction’s ability to repay its debt
- Change in amount of federal aid to jurisdiction
- Change in amount of state aid to jurisdiction
- Change in jurisdiction’s tax delinquencies
- Change in jurisdiction’s amount of home foreclosures
- Change in jurisdiction’s public safety needs
- Change in jurisdiction’s infrastructure needs
- Change in jurisdiction’s human service needs
- Change in jurisdiction’s general government operations needs
- Change in jurisdiction’s number of employees
- Change in pay rates for jurisdiction’s employee wages and salaries
- Change in jurisdiction’s cost of government’s employee pensions
- Change in jurisdiction’s cost of government’s current employee health benefits
- Change in jurisdiction’s cost of government’s retired employee health benefits
Expected Changes from the Current Fiscal Year to the Next Fiscal Year
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- Projected change in property tax rates
- Projected change in charges for fees, licenses, etc.
- Projected change in reliance on general fund balance
- Projected change in reliance on “rainy day” funds
- Projected change in amount of services provided
- Projected change in actual public safety spending
- Projected change in actual infrastructure spending
- Projected change in actual human services spending
- Projected change in actual general government operations spending
- Projected change in funding for economic development programs
- Projected change in amount of debt
- Projected change in sale of public assets
- Projected change in privatizing or contracting out services
- Projected change in number and/or scope of interlocal agreements or other cost-sharing plans with other governments
- Projected change in jurisdiction’s number of employees
- Projected change in employee pay rates
- Projected change in employees’ share of premiums, deductibles, and/or co-pays on health insurance
- Projected change in employees’ share of contributions to retirement funds
- Projected change in retirees’ share of premiums, deductibles, and/or co-pays on health insurance
General Fund Balances
- Jurisdiction’s unreserved general fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures last year
- Assessment of level of jurisdiction’s unreserved general fund balance
- Jurisdiction’s cash flow as a fiscal health problem
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- Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health today
- Jurisdiction's overall fiscal health five years from now
Election Administration
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- Cost of election administration as a problem in jurisdiction
- Long wait times as a problem in jurisdiction
- Election equipment failures/malfunctions as a problem in jurisdiction
- Inaccurate voter registration lists as a problem in jurisdiction
- Reliable internet connectivity for communication with the Secretary of State as a problem in jurisdiction
- Disturbances at polling places as a problem in jurisdiction
- Recruiting poll workers with necessary skills as a problem in jurisdiction
- Recruiting enough poll workers as a problem in jurisdiction
- Poll worker errors as a problem in jurisdiction
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- Effectiveness of poll worker training by the County
- Effectiveness of initial election-related training for new clerks by the State
- Effectiveness of continuing election-related education for clerks by the State
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- Confidence in the ability of jurisdiction to administer an accurate election
- Confidence in the ability of the County Clerk’s office to administer an accurate recount
Voting Equipment Update
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- Agree or disagree that new voting equipment will be worth new costs to jurisdiction
- Agree or disagree that new voting equipment will improve election administration in jurisdiction
- Agree or disagree that the State’s cost-sharing approach is appropriate
- Support or oppose the State’s initiative to have cities and townships update voting equipment
Election Administration Reforms
- Support or oppose having county government administer jurisdiction’s elections if given the option
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- Support or oppose synchronizing Michigan voter lists with other states’ lists
- Support or oppose pre-registration of 16-year-olds
- Support or oppose stricter regulation of voter registration drives
- Support or oppose allowing same-day voter registration
- Support or oppose absentee voting with no excuse required
- Support or oppose on-site early voting
- Support or oppose stricter voter ID requirements
- Support or oppose requiring employers to provide time off to vote
Jurisdiction Employees
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- Jurisdiction has no paid employees besides elected officials
- Jurisdiction has full-time employees
- Jurisdiction has part-time employees
- Jurisdiction has seasonal employees
- Jurisdiction has temporary/irregular employees
Employee Wages and Benefits
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- Level of jurisdiction's employee pay rate for new hires
- Level of jurisdiction's employee pay rate for current employees
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- Jurisdiction provides fringe benefit package(s) to new hires
- Jurisdiction provides fringe benefit package(s) to current employees
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- Level of jurisdiction's employee fringe benefit package(s) for new hires
- Level of jurisdiction's employee fringe benefit package(s) for current employees
Personnel Issues
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- Recruiting employees with needed skills a problem for jurisdiction
- Retaining current employees a problem for jurisdiction
- Turnover due to retirements a problem for jurisdiction
- Transfer of knowledge from departing employees a problem for jurisdiction
- Employee morale a problem for jurisdiction
- Adequate skillsets among current employees a problem for jurisdiction
- Other personnel problems for jurisdiction
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- Shortage of qualified candidates contributes to recruitment/retention problems
- Not providing competitive compensation contributes to recruitment/retention problems
- Poaching contributes to recruitment/retention problems
- Work atmosphere contributes to recruitment/retention problems
Succession Planning
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Jurisdiction’s status for developing a formal succession planning process
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- Why unlikely to develop succession plan: Jurisdiction doesn’t need one at this time
- Why unlikely to develop succession plan: Formal succession planning not a priority for jurisdiction’s leadership
- Why unlikely to develop succession plan: Lack of financial resources
- Why unlikely to develop succession plan: Lack of staff time
- Why unlikely to develop succession plan: Lack of internal expertise
Workforce size and public perception
- Overall size of jurisdiction’s workforce today compared to size before the Great Recession
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- Adequacy of workforce size to deliver desired fire services
- Adequacy of workforce size to deliver desired police services
- Adequacy of workforce size to deliver desired administration / management services
- Adequacy of workforce size to deliver other desired public works and services
- Public’s perception of government workers in jurisdiction
Evaluating current events and political issues
- United States going in right direction or on wrong track
- State of Michigan going in right direction or on wrong track
- Governor Snyder’s job performance
- Michigan Legislature’s job performance
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- Rating of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s job performance
- Rating of the Department of Treasury’s job performance
- Rating of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)’s job performance
- Rating of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s job performance
- Rating of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s job performance
- Rating of the Department of Health and Human Services’ job performance
- Rating of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)’s job performance
- Rating of the Secretary of State’s job performance
- Rating of the Department of Transportation (MDOT)’s job performance
- Rating of the Attorney General’s job performance
- Rating of the State Police’s job performance
- President Trump’s job performance
- U.S. Congress’s job performance
Rural or Urban Jurisdiction
- Is jurisdiction rural, urban, or somewhere in between