CLOSUP publications

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders during the spring of 2021 regarding COVID-19 vaccines, including information on local government actions to support the rollout of vaccines in local communities, and adoption...

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...

This case study takes an in-depth look at the fiscal health stress of two tourist cities (City X and City Y) using a wide range of financial and demographic factors as well as findings from the Michigan Public Policy Survey. This case study...

XBRL, an open data standard, can improve access and analysis of public financial data for local governments in Michigan. Key benefits of creating an XBRL program for local governments include enhanced public transparency, easier data access for...

In this memo, we examine the existing ways states have crafted legislation on property taxes for utility-scale solar developments and find two main categories of existing legislation—”exemption or abatement,” and “exemption and replacement.” We...

Many US States have adopted policies known as renewable portfolio standards (RPS) to address climate change by mandating the production of electricity from renewable energy sources. In 2020, Virginia became one of the few states to implement an RPS...

In the face of the urgent and growing climate crisis, policy experts on climate and the economy have pushed for national and other governments to implement a tax on carbon. The Biden administration is considering adopting such a policy (Green,...

Carbon taxes have been suggested by economists as the most cost-effective means to curb greenhouse gases emissions, but many people fear that such a tax would be inequitable. A content analysis of newspapers local to British Columbia and Alberta,...

This study inventories the current property tax treatments for utility-scale wind developments across all 50 states. This inventory was created entirely with publicly available information from a variety of web-based sources and is accurate as of...

As solar development increases, states face new challenges in regulating and taxing solar facilities. To better understand an important piece of the current regulatory landscape for solar, this study inventories property tax treatment for...

Waste is a growing issue in the United States that can be potentially aided with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) methods. This paper analyzes the current inventory of all EPR policies across the US. The analysis consists of the bill author’s...

Divestment of large institutions, particularly higher education institutions, from the fossil fuel industry is an important mitigation and adaptation strategy that also contributes to shifting the global culture and conversation around climate...

Disclosure of climate-related financial risk has been introduced as a way to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon financial system, by reducing information asymmetry between a company and its stakeholders. This paper conducts...

Though the climate crisis will eventually spare no one, it is inherently an issue of justice and equity. This paper aims to discern how two coastal cities - Baltimore and Seattle - are contending with climate change and, more specifically, climate...

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are large-scale farms that cause significant environmental degradation and contamination through the discharge of their waste. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES, permits are one...

Every year, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) sends the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) to local government officials all over the state. The MPPS is a program of state-wide surveys of local government leaders in Michigan...

For decades, municipalities have taken on numerous tasks that the private sector would have otherwise performed. Privatization of these services, and the way local governments prioritize them, draw into question the functioning of democracy. Be it...

Constructive civic discourse is essential to the productivity of government at all levels. Despite its importance, polarization like that which exists in politics appears to damage constructive discourse and has brought up the question, what...

In this case study, we analyze the financial health and Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) responses for two municipalities in Michigan: Cities X and Y. Although both municipalities experienced industrial decline throughout the late 20th century,...

May 19, 2021: This fact sheet highlights two separate sources of information on local government planning and zoning: the Michigan Zoning Database and the Fall 2017 Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS). The Michigan Zoning Database is a joint...

In American society, citizen engagement is a manifestation of direct democracy at the local government level. Engaging citizens in their community can have positive effects on jurisdictions where it is pursued, but the process can also come with its...

Broadband internet is a faster and more efficient way to access online services and information than traditional dial-up or satellite services. While broadband is becoming increasingly ubiquitous across the United States, there remains a “digital...

In the past few years, the Great Lakes have experienced an increase in harmful algal blooms in large part due to agricultural runoff and results in increased levels of toxins in the water putting the drinking supply at risk. The current policies are...

Since the introduction of the Federal Tax Credit (FTC) for electric vehicles, the US has been able to reduce the number of gasoline powered vehicles on the road by incentivizing users to purchase electric vehicles (EVs). However, as the FTC phases...

Over the past 12 years, more research has been done on the importance of pollinators in our environment and lives. Therefore, governmental policies on a state level are of special consequence at this time. To investigate this, an inventory of state...