Governmental relations

MPPS in the news

Municipalities Hit Spending Struggles With Federal COVID Relief Dollars

Jul 11, 2023 MIRS

Federal funds intended to stabilize the budgets of local communities have proven a daunting task to take down for multiple reasons, a recent policy survey by the University of Michigan found. Cities, villages and townships trying to spend the $4.4...

MPPS in the news

Whitmer, Dixon race nears finish line; GOP entering midterms with cash edge: Your guide to Michigan politics

Oct 30, 2022 Mlive.com

While you’d be excused for thinking that political news only happened at the state level this week, there was no shortage of other interesting political headlines. That includes Republican Sen. Ed McBroom giving an at-length speech on the dangers of...

MPPS in the news

Despite political tension, relationships with Michigan’s local officials remain civil, study finds

Oct 27, 2022 Mlive.com

A new study revealed that relationships amongst local government officials in Michigan, as well as between local officials and residents, have remained relatively stable despite polarizing politics at the state and national...

MPPS in the news

Despite political tension, relationships with Michigan’s local officials remain civil, study finds

Oct 27, 2022 AnnArbor.com

MPPS in the news

Despite Harassment, Local Officials Positive About Political Discourse

Oct 12, 2022 Gongwer (subscription required)

Although the tone of political discourse seems increasingly hostile, a new survey from the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy suggests that things might not be as bad as they seem. The results of the Michigan Public...

MPPS in the news

'We all hate each other': Lucido-Hackel battle embroils Macomb County government

Aug 30, 2022 The Detroit News

Macomb County has become embroiled in a fight between longtime county Executive Mark Hackel and new Prosecuting Attorney Peter Lucido that includes a court battle over prosecutor's office jobs and an investigation into allegations of sexual...

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...

CLOSUP Updates

MPPS Report: Local leaders' pessimism about Michigan’s direction continues, but eases slightly from last year

Jul 6, 2022

A new 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...

MPPS in the news

Michigan leaders support recycling programs, but struggle to implement

May 14, 2022 Mlive

Leaders of Michigan communities both large and small overwhelmingly agree recycling remains important, but they face challenges to implement recycling programs for their residents. A recent University of Michigan public policy survey showed...

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...

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

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 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

In the Media

Are government officials ethical in office?

Mar 18, 2022 Interlochen Public Radio

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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...

MPPS in the news

Michigan local government officials worry about local impacts of national political discord

Jan 26, 2022 MyScience

In the face of a worsening national political tone, civic discourse on the local level in Michigan remains generally positive, according to elected officials across the state. This is true concerning both interaction among elected officials, and...

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

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...

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

WJR Late Mornings interview: Is Michigan Heading in the Right Direction?

Jul 8, 2021 WJR Radio

Dr. Debra Horner, Professor of Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, tells Kevin Dietz how local government officials say Michigan is going in the wrong...

CLOSUP Updates

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

Jul 6, 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...

In the Media

Michigan lawmaker wants to block local bans on natural gas

Jun 10, 2021 Bridge Magazine

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CLOSUP Updates

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

Dec 4, 2020

The Ford School’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) has released a new resource that summarizes Michigan local government leaders’ views on democracy and democratic governance. The findings come from the Michigan Public Policy...

CLOSUP Updates

MPPS Report: Michigan local leaders say local democracy is strong, as their trust in government and citizens rises

Oct 27, 2020

This report presents local government leaders’ views regarding the functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions, the State of Michigan, and the United States as a whole, as well as their levels of trust toward the federal, state, and other local...

CLOSUP Updates

MiLES Report: Intergovernmental collaboration on sustainability and energy issues among Michigan local governments

Sep 30, 2020

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding current and potential local government collaboration on a range of sustainability and energy policies. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local...

In the Media

Report Shows Potential Trade Loss With Deteriorating Roads (subscription required)

Apr 20, 2015 Gongwer.com

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In the Media

1st Amendment Be Dammed: FEMA To Deny Funds Where State's Gov. Skeptical Of Climate Change

Mar 24, 2015 Before it's News

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In the Media

2015's States Most & Least Dependent on the Federal Government

Mar 24, 2015 Wallethub.com

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