Fall 2014

Were family and friends a source from which you felt pressure to do something during the past five years that, in your role as a local official, you felt might be unethical?

What overall impact, if any, do you believe Complete Streets policies have or would have on the cost-effectiveness of road spending in your jurisdiction? (Excluding jurisdictions that report being completely unfamiliar with Complete Streets)

In some local jurisdictions, the focus of road and/or bridge maintenance and improvement is on long-term asset management. In other jurisdictions, the focus is necessarily on short-term repairs and “band-aid” fixes. Which of the following, in your opinion, best describes the current approach to road and/or bridge maintenance and improvement within your jurisdiction’s geographic boundaries? (Please respond to the best of your knowledge, even if your jurisdiction does not control local road policy.)

Thinking more broadly about transit options in your jurisdiction, is Greyhound, Indian Trails, or another private bus service currently available to members of your community?

There are many methods states could use to fund roads and bridges, including some that are not currently allowed in Michigan. Thinking about a broad range of policy options, and assuming the Michigan Legislature does increase funding for roads and bridges, please identify whether you would support or oppose increasing fees for overweight trucks for the state to raise more revenue.

In your opinion, how satisfied or dissatisfied would you say the majority of your jurisdiction's Board/Council is regarding the transit options currently available in your jurisdiction?

Does your jurisdiction use your its general fund to fund its contributions to road and/or bridge maintenance, improvement, or construction? (Among those jurisdictions that report using local revenue sources)

We’re interested in factors that may be encouraging or discouraging the expansion of transit in jurisdictions across the state. To what degree would you say the availability of state or federal funding has been encouraging or discouraging the development of transit within your jurisdiction?

Looking ahead, if the state legislature does not significantly increase funding for roads and/or bridges in your jurisdiction, in your opinion, would you personally as local official support or oppose the pursuit of additional local revenue dedicated to roads, through existing options such as millages or potential new options like sales or fuel taxes, vehicle registration fees, etc.?

First of all, we are interested in your general opinions about the state of ethics and integrity in Michigan government. In general, how would you rate elected and appointed officials in your jurisdiction overall in terms of ethical behavior in their official positions?

Whether or not your jurisdiction has any private roads, would you say the majority of your jurisdiction’s Board or Council support or oppose having private roads in your jurisdiction?

Michigan currently prohibits state legislators from receiving honoraria (e.g., speaking fees or other payments for service), but allows certain levels of gifts, food, and travel or lodging expenses to be paid by outside interests. To what extent do you agree or disagree that, like state legislators, appointed state government officials should also be prohibited from receiving honoraria while in office?

Recently, Michigan enacted laws that allow for a county to transfer the powers, duties, and functions of road commissioners to the County Board. Regardless of whether or not your county’s road commission is still in place, would you say that road responsibilities in your county should be managed by an elected county road commission, an appointed county road commission, or the county government itself?

We know there are regular assessments of many public roads using formal scoring methods, however, we are interested in your personal evaluation of the overall condition of roads and bridges within your jurisdiction’s geographic boundaries. In your opinion, how would you rate the overall current condition within your jurisdiction of state trunk lines and county primary roads?

Concerns about government ethics—some with merit, others without—can sometimes be raised by citizens and organizations in the community. Please identify whether your jurisdiction has experienced Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to potential ethical concerns in the last five years and whether any of the actions ultimately resulted in findings of legitimate concern.

Thinking beyond traditional road issues, have added or expanded biking or walking trails been implemented within your jurisdiction's geographic boundaries in the last five years?

Thinking about the condition of roads and bridges within your community overall, to what degree would you say their current condition has a positive or negative impact, if any, on the agricultural sector in your jurisdiction?

Thinking beyond traditional road issues, have added or widened sidewalks been implemented within your jurisdiction's geographic boundaries in the last five years?

In your opinion, where would you say the majority of your jurisdiction’s Board/Council would rank the need for road and bridge maintenance and improvement compared to other public service priorities (e.g., public safety services, economic development, public health, trash collection, etc.) for your local government?

What overall impact, if any, do you believe Complete Streets policies have or would have on pedestrian and/or cyclist safety in your jurisdiction? (Excluding jurisdictions that report being completely unfamiliar with Complete Streets)

If the state legislature does not significantly increase funding for roads and/or bridges in your jurisdiction, in your opinion, how much of a problem, if at all, would it be to improve the roads and bridges, in general, within your geographic boundaries?

Thinking more broadly about transit options in your jurisdiction, is van pool service currently available to members of your community?

There are many methods states could use to fund roads and bridges, including some that are not currently allowed in Michigan. Thinking about a broad range of policy options, and assuming the Michigan Legislature does increase funding for roads and bridges, please identify whether you would support or oppose introducing mileage fees (Vehicle Miles Traveled) for the state to raise more revenue.

Do you believe cost contributes to local dissatisfaction with the transit options currently available in your jurisdiction?

In the last two years, has your jurisdiction tried to raise local funding for roads and/or bridges through a new or renewed road millage(s)?

We’re interested in factors that may be encouraging or discouraging the expansion of transit in jurisdictions across the state. To what degree would you say concern over traffic congestion has been encouraging or discouraging the development of transit within your jurisdiction?

Looking ahead, if the state legislature does not significantly increase funding for the maintenance, improvement, and construction of roads and/or bridges in your jurisdiction, do you think the majority of your citizens would support or oppose raising additional local revenue through a local/regional vehicle registration fee (if it were allowed in Michigan)? (Excluding those jurisdictions that report a majority of citizens to oppose the pursuit of additional local revenue dedicated to roads)

To what extent do you agree or disagree that Michigan's state executive branch leaders (Governor, Lt. Gov., department leaders, etc.) should be required to disclose their financial interests (occupations, sources of income, business interests, property holdings, creditors, and debtors, etc.)?

Does your jurisdiction have any specific policies regulating surface maintenance (e.g., pothole filling, re-paving/re-graveling, etc.) on private roads within your jurisdiction? (Among those jurisdictions which report having any specific policies regulating private roads)

Michigan currently prohibits state legislators from receiving honoraria (e.g., speaking fees or other payments for service), but allows certain levels of gifts, food, and travel or lodging expenses to be paid by outside interests. To what extent do you agree or disagree that policies prohibiting honoraria, limiting gifts, and requiring gift disclosures should apply to local government officials across the state?