Governmental relations

The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) is unique in the nation as the only ongoing survey of all general purpose local governments across an entire state. Its mission is to inform and improve policymaking with data not available from any other source, by surveying the state’s local...

Note: This project was active at CLOSUP from 2001 to 2006. The information below is for archival purposes. This study represents one of the first academic efforts to systematically examine the factors that affect the formation and ongoing operations of regional governmental planning efforts related to land use issues. Michigan law (as with many states) allows numerous forms of regional planning, though state policy does little to actively encourage such efforts, and the state’s tradition of home rule creates strong disincentives for regionalism. Despite these obstacles, many efforts are...

CLOSUP’s Functioning of Democracy Project is designed to increase our understanding of how American democracy is functioning at the local level, based on the unique perspective of Michigan’s local government leaders. It also serves as a Signature Initiative of the the University of Michigan’s Democracy & Debate program, providing resources, support, and analysis for faculty, students, and others interested in learning more about the state of U.S. democracy at the grassroots level. These resources and projects draw from data collected through the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), an...