Fall 2013

Thinking about the Great Lakes overall, would you rate their current condition as excellent, good, fair, poor, or very poor?

Whether or not your community currently has any fracking operations, to what degree would you say local job creation and/or economic development has been encouraging or discouraging the use of fracking within your jurisdiction?

Should your jurisdiction's government have a great deal of responsibility, some responsibility, or no responsibility for taking actions to protect the Great Lakes?

Whether or not your community currently has any fracking operations, to what degree would you say business proposals to establish hydraulic fracturing operations have been encouraging or discouraging the use of fracking within your jurisdiction?

In general, to what extent do you support or oppose increasing efforts to improve Great Lakes water quality, even if it requires higher taxes?

Hydraulic fracturing operations are sometimes regulated in terms of their location, height, setbacks, and so on. Please indicate whether you think local governments should have a great deal of authority, some authority, or no authority for such decisions regarding fracking.

As far as you know, are there currently any larger, utility-scale wind turbines and/or efforts to add or expand these kinds of turbines within your jurisdiction?

In general, to what extent do you support or oppose allowing offshore oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes?

Has your jurisdiction adopted, or is it likely to adopt, a local moratorium and/or ban on wind turbines that attempt to promote, restrict, or simply regulate wind turbines within your jurisdiction?

Based on what you know now, in general, to what extent do you agree or disagree that, overall, Detroit's bankruptcy filing was the right thing to do?

Whether or not your community currently has any wind turbines, to what degree would you say connecting turbines to the electrical grid has been encouraging or discouraging the use of wind turbines within your jurisdiction?

What overall impact, if any, do you think Detroit's bankruptcy filing has had or will have on the confidence of Michigan citizens in the state's future?

Wind turbines are sometimes regulated in terms of their location, height, setbacks, and so on. Please indicate whether you think state governments should have a great deal of authority, some authority, or no authority for such decisions regarding wind turbines.

Although conditions in individual jurisdictions will vary, in your opinion, what priority should ultimately be given to cuts to fringe benefits (health care, etc.) of the jurisdiction's current retirees in the course of bankruptcy?

To what extent, if at all, would you say current or potential fracking within your jurisdiction is a topic of discussion, either in the community at large or within your jurisdiction's government?

Do you as a jurisdiction official either support or oppose the use of wind turbines in your jurisdiction?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Great Lakes are a valuable economic resource for your jurisdiction?

Whether or not your community currently has any fracking operations, to what degree would you say potential environmental benefits from cleaner-burning natural gas instead of coal have been encouraging or discouraging the use of fracking within your jurisdiction?

In general, to what extent do you believe regulations on runoff from stormwater sewers and streets should be strengthened or eased?

Whether or not your community currently has any fracking operations, to what degree would you say local property tax revenue has been encouraging or discouraging the use of fracking within your jurisdiction?

In general, to what extent do you support or oppose reducing the rate at which farmland or other natural areas are being paved over, even if it limits economic development?

In general, to what extent do you support or oppose increasing the use of hydroelectric power in Michigan?

To what extent, if at all, would you say current or potential wind turbines within your jurisdiction are a topic of discussion, either in the community at large or within your jurisdiction's government?

In general, to what extent do you support or oppose mandating expanded use of renewable energy through state law in Michigan?

Whether or not your community currently has any wind turbines, to what degree would you say potential visual or noise impacts have been encouraging or discouraging the use of wind turbines within your jurisdiction?

Based on what you know now, in general, to what extent do you agree or disagree that Detroit's filing will make bankruptcies more likely among other struggling Michigan local governments?

Whether or not your community currently has any wind turbines, to what degree would you say local property tax revenue has been encouraging or discouraging the use of wind turbines within your jurisdiction?

What overall impact, if any, do you think Detroit's bankruptcy filing has had or will have on local government home rule and discretion under Michigan state law?

As far as you know, is there any history of oil or gas extractions using traditional methods within your jurisdiction?

Although conditions in individual jurisdictions will vary, in your opinion, what priority should ultimately be given to increasing service sharing with other governments to reduce costs in the course of bankruptcy?