Economic Development

Faculty affiliates

Stephanie Leiser

Lecturer in Public Policy

Stephanie Leiser is a lecturer at the Ford School and leads the Michigan Local Government Fiscal Health Project at the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP). Her general area of interest is in public finance, budgeting, and financial…

In the Media

Spotlight Special: Economy, polling, policy on Inside Michigan's AAV

Oct 23, 2022 WXMI-Fox17 TV

On Saturday, October 22, (11:30 a.m.) on BOUNCE TV and Sunday, October23, (1:00 p.m.), on WMYD-TV 20, our Spotlight on the News Special: Inside Michigan's African Vote, looks at how the economy, polling, and policy may impact election 2022. Our...

In the Media

Spotlight Special: Economy, polling, policy on Inside Michigan's AAV

Oct 23, 2022 WMYD TV

In the Media

Spotlight Special: Economy, polling, policy on Inside Michigan's AAV

Oct 23, 2022 Bounce TV

In the Media

Spotlight Special: Economy, polling, policy on Inside Michigan's AAV

Oct 22, 2022 wxyz.com

MPPS in the news

UM survey: Michigan communities prioritize infrastructure with ARPA funds

Aug 24, 2022 Darik.news

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor reported in a new survey of Michigan local government leaders that the top spending priorities for federal American Rescue Planning Act (ARPA) funding are on capital improvements, infrastructure and public...

MPPS in the news

U-M Survey: Michigan Communities Prioritize Infrastructure with ARPA Funds

Aug 24, 2022 DBusiness.com

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor reported in a new survey of Michigan’s local government leaders that the top spending priorities for the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding are on capital improvements, infrastructure, and public...

MPPS in the news

Survey: Public buildings, parks top priority list for Michigan officials spending COVID relief funds

Jul 29, 2022 Michigan Radio

A new University of Michigan survey shows more than half of local governments in Michigan plan to spend federal COVID-relief funds on public buildings and parks. Michigan towns, counties and cities are receiving billions of dollars from the federal...

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

In the Media

Ford's $5.6B Tennessee investment pulled into dustup between small town and state officials

Mar 18, 2022 The Detroit News

Ford Motor Co.'s $5.6 billion investment in west Tennessee is being cited in a controversial move by the state's Comptroller of the Treasury to take financial control of a small, predominantly Black town just miles from Blue Oval City, the future...

In the Media

7 Burning Questions for 2022

Jan 5, 2022 Hour Detroit

Will Gretchen Whitmer be reelected? Will Detroit allow recreational pot shops to open? How will Coleman Young II and once-nemesis Mike Duggan get along? Our panelists make their...

In the Media

Michigan's 'once in lifetime' $10B infrastructure boost faces challenges

Nov 16, 2021 The Detroit News

Washington — President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law the largest investment in the nation's infrastructure in decades, and Michigan will receive what one expert called a "once in a lifetime" boost of at least $10 billion for its highways,...

MPPS in the news

Michigan governments sit on $11B from stimulus, as needs grow every day

Oct 25, 2021 Bridge Michigan

Battle Creek — Helping residents pay off nearly $2 million in delinquent utility bills. Expanding high-speed internet access. Making major repairs at a wastewater treatment plant. There’s no shortage of ideas on how to spend a $30.5 million...

MPPS in the news

UM survey: State's local economies still struggling with COVID impacts

Sep 29, 2021 The Detroit News

Local governments in Michigan continue to struggle with the impacts of COVID-19 but at a lower rate than when the pandemic started in the spring of last year, according to a University of Michigan survey released...

CLOSUP Updates

MPPS Report: Michigan local governments report fewer economic challenges one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and describe efforts to support local businesses

Sep 29, 2021

A new report from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) presents local government leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on local economic conditions, as well as reports of whether or not their local governments took action to help local businesses...

Enclosed tents for dining on a city street

In the Media

Five things for state leaders to consider at Mackinac Policy Conference

Sep 20, 2021 WWJ Newsradio 950

Pattie Vitale of WWJ Newsradio 950 interviews Tom Ivacko about the state's most pressing policy...

MPPS in the news

U-M expert: Challenges abound as leaders assemble for Mackinac Policy Conference

Sep 20, 2021 Michigan News, University of Michigan

Many of Michigan’s business, political and academic movers and shakers are gathering this week for the annual Mackinac Policy Conference after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s...

CLOSUP Updates

Michigan Public Policy Survey - Spring 2019 County-wide Fiscal Health Fact Sheets

Feb 3, 2020

The Spring 2019 County-wide Fiscal Health Fact Sheets are from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), an ongoing survey of the top elected and appointed officials in every unit of general purpose local government across the state. The MPPS is...

In the Media

Skubick: Local Gov'ts Not In Snyder's Corner On Sales Tax Hike

Feb 23, 2015 WLNS TV 6, Lansing

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In the Media

Local leaders tepid on sales tax hike, survey finds

Feb 23, 2015 Lansing State Journal

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MPPS

The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Michigan communities and local governments

October 27, 2021

This report presents local government leaders’ views on the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan in 2021, including overall impacts on local communities, evaluations of governmental coordination and resource provision, and...

MPPS

Michigan local governments report fewer economic challenges one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and describe efforts to support local businesses

September 29, 2021

This report presents local government leaders’ views on COVID-19’s impact on local economic conditions, as well as reports of whether or not their local governments took action to help local businesses during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic...

MPPS

COVID-19 pandemic sparks Michigan local leaders’ concerns for fiscal health

December 14, 2020

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 12...

MPPS

Energy Issues and Policies in Michigan Local Governments

October 7, 2020

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding a variety of energy issues and policies in their jurisdictions, including the relevance of particular energy policies for their communities, whether the jurisdiction...

Student Working Papers

Measuring the Effects and Recovery of the 2008 Great Recession in Michigan Local Governments

April 1, 2020

Natasha Robertson

Nationally, the Great Recession officially ended in 2009, with employment and market conditions on a steady incline to recover from the economic downturn. However, many nationwide improvements of the economy were not truly seen until 2015, as the...

Student Working Papers

Equitable Placemaking in Detroit

March 1, 2019

Ashley Tjhung

During, and in the wake of, Michigan’s Lost Decade and the Great Recession, Michigan’s urban centers struggled to retain and attract young people. This dilemma became known as the “brain drain” and led to a number of issues, including an unwelcome...

MPPS

Community poverty and the struggle to make ends meet in Michigan, according to local government leaders

March 1, 2019

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government officials regarding poverty and economic hardship among residents in their jurisdiction, as well as assessments of unmet needs for particular services and resources. In addition, the...

Student Working Papers

Reinvest in Adult Workforce Development

March 1, 2019

Kelia Washington

A decade of major job loss resulted in declining government revenue, wages, and youth population in Michigan, all of which has place economic strain on the state and its residents. Michigan, once the leader in auto industry manufacturing, now...

Working Papers

Modeling ‘A Sense of Place’: Evaluating the Roles of Knowledge and Reputation in Neighborhood Dynamics via Online Surveys

February 1, 2019

The processes driving neighborhood change have been of persistent interest to social scientists for decades. While researchers have developed many theories of how neighborhoods change over time – from ecological models of invasion-succession to...