Spring 2014

Another potential initiative on the November 2014 ballot would seek, in part, to amend the Michigan Constitution to extend the rights of citizen initiative and referendum to local ordinances such as those in your jurisdiction. Would you say you support or oppose such a proposal?

Finally, one potential initiative on the November 2014 ballot would seek, in part, to amend the Michigan Constitution to change Michigan's full-time legislature to a part-time legislature. Would you say you support or oppose such a proposal?

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

Some local jurisdictions are moving to formal multi-year budgeting, rather than the traditional single-year budgeting. Others are not. Does your jurisdiction adopt single-year budgets or multi-year budgets?

How likely is it that your jurisdiction will adopt formal multi-year budgeting in the next 12 months?

Different local jurisdictions manage their unreserved general fund balances in different ways depending on their specific circumstances. Despite these differences, we're interested in tracking overall changes in these balances over time. Approximately what was your jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance as a percentage of general fund expenditures at the end of its last fiscal year?

Thinking about your jurisdiction's fiscal needs, overall, do you consider your jurisdiction's unreserved general fund balance to be too high, about right, or too low?

In your opinion, is your jurisdiction's cash flow and its ability to pay bills in a timely manner a significant fiscal problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all?

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for long-range planning for operating budgets (policy(s) to assess long-term financial implications of operating budgets).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for long-range planning for capital budgets (policy(s) to assess long-term financial implications of capital budgets).

We'd like to get a sense of your satisfaction with your jurisdiction's privatization efforts in general. We know that different efforts yield different results, but overall, would you say you have been generally satisfied or dissatisfied with your government's privatization efforts to date in terms of your jurisdiction's privatization efforts overall?

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for fees and charges (specific policy(s) for determining fees and charges).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for unpredictable revenues (policy(s) on the use of unpredictable revenues (e.g., interest income, legal settlements, etc.).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for general fund balances (policy(s) that specify the level of unrestricted fund balance that should be maintained in the general fund).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for debt level and capacity (policy(s) on the maximum amount of debt and debt service that should be outstanding at any time (beyond state requirements)).

Some local governments adopt formal policies regarding financial planning and management, while others take a more informal approach. Below is a list of recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Thinking across your jurisdiction's various types of funds, generally speaking, please identify which of the following descriptions most closely represents your government's current policies or practices, if any, for balanced budget policy (commitment to a balanced budget and disclosure when deviations occur (beyond state requirements)).

We're interested in how your local government's approach to financial management policies and practices may have changed over time. We know that different policies may be more or less formal, but thinking about your jurisdiction's financial management policies and practices overall, would you say in the last five years they have become more formalized, less formalized, or neither?

Do you feel things in the state of Michigan are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding the amount of debt.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding property tax rates.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding charges for fees, licenses, etc.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding reliance on general fund balance.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding reliance on "rainy day" funds.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding the number of services provided.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding actual public safety spending.

Now, comparing your jurisdiction's current fiscal year to the next fiscal year, please indicate which actions your jurisdiction has taken or is likely to take regarding actual infrastructure spending.