Fall 2016

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by requiring Emergency Managers to analyze impact on disadvantaged groups when making decisions?

How would you describe current levels of citizen engagement with your jurisdiction? Overall, would you say citizens in your jurisdiction are…

To what extent do you feel your jurisdiction offers opportunities to citizens for engagement with your jurisdiction in its policymaking and/or operations?

Some believe that more proactive monitoring of local government finances by the State could help avoid local fiscal emergencies through earlier detection and intervention. Others believe this may be unnecessary or even counterproductive. To what extent would you support or oppose more proactive State monitoring of finances for all local governments in Michigan?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that your jurisdiction reaches out to groups that typically might not engage in our policymaking processes (e.g., low-income or racially diverse populations)?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that citizens tend to only be engaged on issues that affect them directly and not on issues affecting the community overall?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that your jurisdiction’s decision-making is transparent to your citizens?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that you struggle to find enough citizens to serve on your jurisdiction’s appointed boards/commissions or elected offices?

In terms of their engagement in your jurisdiction’s policymaking and/or operations, how much of the time do you think you can trust the citizens in your community to be responsible participants?

One way of thinking about the proper role for citizen engagement in local policymaking is along a spectrum from low engagement to high engagement. At the low end, citizen engagement would focus just on keeping citizens informed about issues. At the high end, citizens would actually make decisions for the jurisdiction. While it might differ depending on the issue, in general, what do you think the majority of your jurisdiction’s citizens believe is the proper role for citizen engagement in local governance?

One way of thinking about the proper role for citizen engagement in local policymaking is along a spectrum from low engagement to high engagement. At the low end, citizen engagement would focus just on keeping citizens informed about issues. At the high end, citizens would actually make decisions for the jurisdiction. While it might differ depending on the issue, in general, what do you personally believe is the proper role for citizen engagement in local governance?

Now thinking about particularly controversial issues, who do you think should have the final say on the most controversial issues in your jurisdiction?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that most citizens aren't willing to take the time to become well-informed on issues facing the jurisdiction?

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by requiring Emergency Managers to consider citizen input before making decisions?

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by requiring Emergency Managers to consider local elected official input before making decisions?

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by adding state-level ombudsperson oversight for citizens and local officials to appeal any Emergency Manager decision?

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by including provisions for possible new (time limited) local or state revenue options for jurisdictions with Emergency Managers?

To what extent would you support or oppose changing the Emergency Manager Law by requiring Emergency Managers to plan for improving factors beyond just finances (e.g., service delivery, infrastructure, quality of life)?

Thinking overall, to what extent do you support or oppose the Emergency Manager Law?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law leads to an overemphasis on cost-cutting at the expense of service quality, public health and safety, or other important considerations?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law serves the interests of local residents by improving their jurisdiction’s fiscal sustainability?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law pays insufficient attention to the underlying structural problems leading to local fiscal stress?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law is racially discriminatory (by design, or as implemented)?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law helps difficult decisions to be made because the Emergency Manager is an "outsider"?

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Emergency Manager Law is undemocratic?

Now, still thinking overall about local governments that have faced—or will face—a financial emergency, how effective or ineffective do you believe the Law will be at establishing sustainable financial conditions for the long-term?

Thinking overall about local governments that have faced—or will face—a financial emergency, how effective or ineffective do you believe the Emergency Manager Law has been, or will be, at restoring fiscal health in the short-term (i.e., balancing the books)?

To what extent do you support or oppose allowing a State-appointed advisory board to have ongoing oversight powers after the Emergency Manager leaves?

To what extent do you support or oppose allowing an Emergency Manager to recommend (with approval of the State) the sale, transfer, or lease of the local jurisdiction's assets?

To what extent do you support or oppose allowing an Emergency Manager to set aside decision-making powers of local elected officials?