MPPS publications

Reports from the Michigan Public Policy Survey

The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) is the first state-wide ongoing survey of local officials from all 1,856 counties, cities, townships, and villages in Michigan. Each biannual survey provides long-term data on a number of issues, resulting in several reports that cover core fiscal, budgetary, and operational policy, compensation, intergovernmental collaboration, economic and workforce development, and more. CLOSUP continues to investigate new issues relevant to local and state policy.

May 2022

Internet presence among Michigan local governments: websites, online services, and experience with virtual meetings

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding their jurisdiction’s online presence, including whether their local government has an official website and what it provides, and the use of teleconferencing for official meetings. The findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2021 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), with comparisons to the fall 2012 MPPS wave.

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• See all reports from the Fall 2021 MPPS

  Michigan local leaders’ views on recycling: current challenges and opportunities for improvement (April 2022)

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  Recycling Issues, Policies, and Practices among Michigan Local Governments (March 2022)

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Democracy Compendium

The functioning of democracy at the local level: a compendium of findings from the Michigan Public Policy Survey of local leaders

December 2020: CLOSUP's Democracy Compendium summarizes 12 years of research on Michigan local government leaders’ views on democracy and democratic governance. The findings come from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), a program that has gathered the opinions of elected and appointed officials from all 1,856 of Michigan’s general purpose local governments over the last 12 years.

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July 2021 Government Performance

Local leaders' concerns about Michigan’s direction spike, while evaluations of state leaders sink over the past year

July 2021: This report presents the opinions of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the spring 2021 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) and tracking comparisons to previous spring waves.

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• See all annual ratings of government performance and “right track” assessments

  • Local leaders’ concerns about Michigan’s direction spike, while evaluations of state leaders sink over the past year (July 2021)
  • Local leaders' evaluations of Michigan's direction and Governor's performance during the COVID-19 pandemic's arrival (July 2020)
  • New Governor, new evaluations of the direction Michigan is headed among local leaders (August 2019)
  • Rising confidence in Michigan’s direction among local leaders, but partisan differences remain (July 2018)
  • Michigan local leaders' doubts continue regarding state's direction (July 2016)
  • Confidence in Michigan's direction declines among state's local leaders (August 2015)
  • Confidence in Michigan’s direction holds steady among state’s local leaders (August 2014)
  • Local leaders evaluate state policymaker performance and whether Michigan is on the right track (August 2013)
  • Michigan’s local leaders more positive about Governor Snyder’s performance, more optimistic about the state’s direction (July 2012)
  • Despite increased approval of state government performance, Michigan's local leaders are concerned about the state's direction (August 2011)
  • Local government officials give low marks to the performance of state officials and report low trust in Lansing (March 2010)

2021 Fiscal Health Report

Michigan local government officials report improved fiscal health after a year of COVID-19, but not yet back to pre-pandemic levels

December 2021: This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of their jurisdictions’ fiscal conditions and the actions they plan to take in the coming year given their financial situations. The findings are based on responses from 13 statewide survey waves of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) conducted annually each spring from 2009 through 2021.

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• See all annual fiscal health tracking reports

  • Michigan local government officials report improved fiscal health after a year of COVID-19, but not yet back to pre-pandemic levels (December 2021)
  • COVID-19 pandemic sparks Michigan local leaders’ concerns for fiscal health (December 2020)
  • Mixed signals continue for Michigan local governments' fiscal health, while future outlooks worsen (December 2019)
  • Despite sustained economic growth, Michigan local government fiscal health still lags (November 2018)
  • Michigan local government officials report complex mix of improvement and decline in fiscal health, but with overall trend moving slowly upward (October 2017)
  • Michigan local governments report first declines in fiscal health trend since 2010 (August 2016)
  • Fiscal health rated relatively good for most jurisdictions, but improvements slow and decline continues for many (September 2015)
  • Michigan local governments finally pass fiscal health tipping point overall, but one in four still report decline (October 2014)
  • Michigan local government fiscal health continues gradual improvement, but smallest jurisdictions lagging (September 2013)
  • Fiscal stress continues for hundreds of Michigan jurisdictions, but conditions trend in positive direction overall (September 2012)
  • MPPS finds fiscal health continues to decline across the state, though some negative trends eased in 2011 (October 2011)
  • Local governments struggle to cope with fiscal, service, and staffing pressures (August 2010)
  • Local Government Fiscal and Economic Development Issues (October 2009)
  • Additional reports on system of funding local government, local government workforce, and more related topics

View all MPPS reports →