CLOSUP publications

Each spring, the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) asks officials from Michigan’s cities, townships, counties and villages about a range of topics concerning their jurisdictions’ administrative, fiscal, and social health, as well as other...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This report presents local government leaders' familiarity with Michigan’s new approach to redistricting by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, as well as their perspectives on potential "Communities of Interest" in the areas...

This report aims to understand the policy and regulatory landscape surrounding solar siting in the United States in the past, present and looking towards the future. The scope of this analysis includes siting for photovoltaic (PV) solar projects at...

As the economic viability of utility-scale renewable energy systems has grown through the past decades, wind and solar developers are increasingly interested in placing projects on farmland. While landowners, communities and developers gain benefits...

This case study compares two municipalities (Counties X & Y) with similar demographic characteristics and economic growth trajectories across objective and subjective indicators of fiscal health. After studying the financials of Counties X and Y, we...

In wind and solar resource potential, New Mexico is among the most endowed of the 50 states. While the state’s electricity sector has historically been dominated by coal, the passage of New Mexico’s first Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) in 2000,...

This research paper outlines the prevailing narratives, discussion, and news coverage at the state and local level around investment in transmission, provides a review of the regional and federal policy and history of transmission systems, and...

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...

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...

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...

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...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s township and city officials on issues related to election administration in their jurisdictions, including expected challenges and confidence in election security. Data from a parallel survey of...

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...

The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) was launched at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in 2001 to provide public service to the people and communities of Michigan. Over the years, CLOSUP has...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the 2020 U.S. Census, including their confidence in the potential accuracy of the count both locally and at the state level, as well as information about local...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

The COVID-19 crisis is having a dramatic impact on Michigan's local governments, and the fiscal implications—including emergency spending, revenue losses, and budget cuts—are already being felt. Here you will find not just up-to-date information but...

New York (NY) is located in the northeastern part of the United States (U.S.) and is home to the largest U.S. city. It is the 4th most populous state and also has the 3rd biggest economy in the U.S. New Yorkers consume less total energy per capita...

As states across the U.S. continue to undergo a vast and seemingly inevitable energy transition (e.g., fossil fuels to renewables), one understudied challenge is ensuring that there is a workforce prepared for this structural shift. This brief...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...

This report presents the experiences and opinions of Michigan’s local government clerks and other city and township leaders regarding three statewide voting and election reforms: 1) voter registration up to 15 days before an election via mail,...

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 report presents local government leaders' views on the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan through May of 2020, including impacts on the state and its communities, expectations for how long negative impacts would persist, evaluations of governmental...

This memo is included in the Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource...