Flint

In the Media

CLOSUP partnership with XBRL US, City of Flint highlighted

Mar 23, 2023 The Bond Buyer

CLOSUP, The Bond Buyer: "Flint is also at the forefront of the development of XBRL for financial reporting. Flint participated in a pilot project with the University of Michigan's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy at the school's Ford School...

Engaged Learning Student Projects Catalog: Preparing Ford School students for leadership

In the Media

Flint, Michigan's finances stable but fragile as citizens get closer to state settlement payout

Mar 23, 2023 The Bond Buyer

Flint, Michigan's fiscal condition remains stable but fragile with some positive signs on the horizon as its citizens move closer to receiving compensation for the 2014 water contamination crisis, with a $600 million state-backed settlement clearing...

In the Media

Machine-readable disclosure has 'revolutionized' Flint's financial reports, CFO says

Jan 25, 2023 The Bond Buyer

For Flint, Michigan, new machine-readable disclosure standards which have sparked controversy across the muni market represent a "quantum leap" for the city's finances, its CFO said. "If you're asking me, it's about time that we modernize and...

Publication

New law on data transparency will improve governance - Leiser

Dec 20, 2022

Increasing transparency in how local government works got a boost when the U.S. Congress passed the Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA) on December 15, 2022. The act requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to adopt data standards related...

New law on data transparency will improve governance - Leiser

In the Media

Indignation as Michigan judge drops Flint water charges against GOP ex-Gov Snyder

Dec 12, 2022 nationofchange.org

Environmental justice advocates on Friday condemned a move by a district judge in Michigan to drop two misdemeanor charges against former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in connection with the 2014 Flint water crisis that killed dozens of residents of...

In the Media

Indignation as Michigan Judge Drops Flint Water Charges Against GOP Ex-Gov Snyder

Dec 10, 2022 CommonDreams.org

In the Media

Michigan Judge Drops Flint Water Charges Against Ex-Gov Snyder, Sparking Outrage

Dec 10, 2022 Truthout.org

In the Media

Leiser on building a better local government financial reporting system

Aug 23, 2022 The Bond Buyer

Through a Michigan pilot program, Stephanie Leiser and the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy are building a taxonomy for machine-readable local government financial documents. "Transparency into local government fiscal health is needed to...

Leiser on building a better local government financial reporting system

News

CLOSUP in consortium launching review of Flint government financial data standards

Jun 15, 2022

Governments, standard setters, regulators and analysts encouraged to provide input A pilot project involving the University of Michigan and others is exploring whether a new fiscal reporting mechanism for governmental entities can help create...

CLOSUP in consortium launching review of Flint government financial data standards

In the Media

Two-decade review of Flint finances by U-M shows consequences of lack of investment, legacy costs

Jun 9, 2022 Spot On Michigan

The turmoil surrounding the city of Flint-most notably stemming from its lead-tainted water crisis-has become a cautionary tale for other Rust Belt cities struggling to balance their budgets, provide services and attract new...

In the Media

Two-decade review of Flint finances by U-M shows consequences of lack of investment, legacy costs - University of Michigan News

Jun 9, 2022 Planet's Water

CLOSUP Updates

New Report: A Twenty-year Review of Flint’s Financial Condition

Jun 8, 2022

A new report from CLOSUP illustrates how data found in basic financial statements may be used to understand how Flint’s financial condition has changed over time. We draw on data from Flint’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports from FY 2000 to...

News

A 20-year review of Flint finances shows consequences of lack of investment

Jun 8, 2022

The turmoil surrounding the City of Flint, MI – most infamously the Flint Water Crisis – has become a cautionary tale for other Rust Belt cities struggling to balance their budgets, provide services, and attract new business. A 20-year review of the...

A 20-year review of Flint finances shows consequences of lack of investment

MPPS in the news

Short-Changing Michigan Local Governments Has Resulted in Deteriorating Water Systems and Other Services

May 12, 2022 Circle of Blue

Michigan has had its share of disasters. Dams collapsed after heavy rains, flooding Midland. A sinkhole the size of a football field was caused by a sewer collapse in Macomb County. And in Flint, children were exposed to lead-contaminated...

In the Media

Leiser comments on state disinvestment in local government

May 9, 2022 Michigan Radio

Michigan Radio reports that disinvestment in Michigan's local governments has had a direct effect on the deterioration of basic infrastructure, especially water and sewage systems. Stephanie Leiser, who leads the Michigan Local Government Fiscal...

MPPS in the news

A brief change in Michigan’s local government is due to the deterioration of the water system

May 9, 2022 Michigan News Time

Another tax change also occurred due to the Great Recession. Sales taxes are sent to the state, and some are redistributed to cities, villages and towns. Part of this is provided by the Constitution. The second formula, called the statutory share,...

MPPS in the news

Short-changing Michigan local governments has resulted in deteriorating water systems and other services

May 9, 2022 Interlochen Public Radio

MPPS in the news

Short-changing Michigan local governments tied to deteriorating water systems

May 9, 2022 Bridge Michigan

MPPS in the news

Short-changing Michigan local governments has resulted in deteriorating water systems and other services

May 9, 2022 Great Lakes Now

News

CLOSUP and Ivacko applauded for partnering with city of Flint

Dec 8, 2021

News outlets are applauding Tom Ivacko and the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy's announcement about a project with the city of Flint that will examine whether a new fiscal reporting mechanism can help create transparency in local fiscal...

Ivacko on federal infrastructure dollars in Michigan

News

University of Michigan and the City of Flint partner on new fiscal reporting pilot program for transparency, better governance

Dec 1, 2021

The water crisis in Flint and the bankruptcy in Detroit were separate events that had a common theme -- they had been caused in part by fiscal challenges decades in the making. Avoiding similar tragedies in the future could be tied to greater...

MPPS in the news

Survey shows support for EM reform, cites Flint water crisis as one reason

Feb 22, 2017 Mlive

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News

Tom Ivacko on emergency financial management and the Flint water crisis

Apr 12, 2016

CLOSUP program manager Tom Ivacko’s “What is lost when a state takes over a city,” was published on April 13 by Governing.com. The piece, which ran in "Voices of the Governing Institute," describes Michigan’s restrictive local government finance...

News

Gov. Snyder appoints Dr. Matthew Davis to new Flint water crisis-response task force

Oct 22, 2015

In a press release on Wednesday Gov. Rick Snyder appointed a task force to review "actions regarding water use and testing in Flint" and to make recommendations for future guidelines. Among those appointed is the Ford School's own Dr. Matthew...

Gov. Snyder appoints Dr. Matthew Davis to new Flint water crisis-response task force

News

ACLU's Kary Moss petitions EPA calling for immediate action on Flint’s water crisis

Oct 8, 2015

Kary Moss, a lecturer at the Ford School and executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, worked with a coalition of groups behind the Flint Water Study to petition the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take...

ACLU's Kary Moss petitions EPA calling for immediate action on Flint’s water crisis

News

Michigan media cover Ford School discussion of controversial "Emergency Manager" law

Mar 21, 2012

Media throughout Michigan reported on the Ford School panel discussion regarding the state's new "Emergency Manager" law, technically known as Public Act 4 of 2011, the Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act.The panel...

Michigan Public Budgeting and Finance Planning (PubPol715) guest speaker Robert Widigan

Apr 10, 2023, 2:30-4:00 pm EDT

Weill Hall, Betty Ford Auditorium (1110)

Michigan Public Budgeting and Finance Planning class (PubPol 715) invites you to join them for a conversation with guest speaker Robert Widigan, former CFO for the City of Flint and incoming Chief Deputy CFO of Wayne County.

CLOSUP Lecture Series

Special Screening of State of Emergency @ Rackham Amphitheater (4th Floor)

Feb 23, 2013, 7:00-9:00 pm EST

Rackham Ampitheatre

Special screening of State of Emergency, a new documentary play inspired by Michigan's controversial Emergency Manager Law. On Saturday, February 23 at 7:00 pm, we will live-stream the performance (taking place in Flint) in Rackham's 4th floor amphitheatre.

Special Screening of State of Emergency @ Rackham Amphitheater (4th Floor)

CLOSUP Lecture Series, Policy Talks @ the Ford School

Michigan's Controversial Emergency Manager Law: A panel discussion on fundamental issues of governance

Mar 19, 2012, 4:00-5:30 pm EDT

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Annenberg Auditorium

Free and open to the public. Auditorium doors will open at 3:30 PM on March 19. This event will be live web-streamed; a link to the web-stream will be posted here on the day of the event at least 30 minutes prior to the start time.

A Twenty-year Review of Flint’s Financial Condition

June 8, 2022

Stephanie Leiser, Shu Wang, James L. Tatum III

Over the past twenty years, few cities have experienced as much fiscal stress as Flint, Michigan. After decades of economic decline, two periods of state receivership, the water crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Flint is trying to shore...