fiscal health

Publication

Local government fiscal outlook in Michigan a mixed picture: near-term improvement, long-term challenges

Dec 14, 2022

A majority of Michigan local leaders' assessments of their fiscal stress this year remain essentially unchanged compared to both 2021 and 2020, despite significant infusions of federal and state aid in recent years. The findings come from the...

Most Michigan local officials continue to say state is on the wrong track, though outlook slightly improved

In the Media

Financial reporting bill in Senate has muni lobby on edge

Sep 19, 2022 The Bond Buyer

The municipal market is rattled by legislation pending before the Senate that would require governments to standardize their financial reports, with opponents warning it would be onerous and costly and ultimately could shrink tax-exempt...

In the Media

Leiser on building a better local government financial reporting system

Aug 23, 2022 The Bond Buyer

Through a Michigan pilot program, Stephanie Leiser and the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy are building a taxonomy for machine-readable local government financial documents. "Transparency into local government fiscal health is needed to...

Leiser on building a better local government financial reporting system

In the Media

The University of Michigan moves to modernize government financial reporting

Jun 17, 2022 Reason Foundation

In 2002, three academic researchers proposed applying eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) to state and local government financial reporting to make municipal data more digestible and publicly available. Now 20 years later, the University...

In the Media

University of Michigan and XBRL US Launch Public Review of Government Data Standards

Jun 16, 2022 Yahoo!

XBRL US, a nonprofit standards organization, and the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, announced the publication of digital financial data standards for local...

In the Media

University of Michigan and XBRL US Launch Public Review of Government Data Standards

Jun 16, 2022 Bloomberg.com

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

News

A 20-year review of Flint finances shows consequences of lack of investment

Jun 8, 2022

The turmoil surrounding the City of Flint, MI – most infamously the Flint Water Crisis – has become a cautionary tale for other Rust Belt cities struggling to balance their budgets, provide services, and attract new business. A 20-year review of the...

A 20-year review of Flint finances shows consequences of lack of investment

CLOSUP Updates

New Report: A Twenty-year Review of Flint’s Financial Condition

Jun 8, 2022

A new report from CLOSUP illustrates how data found in basic financial statements may be used to understand how Flint’s financial condition has changed over time. We draw on data from Flint’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports from FY 2000 to...

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 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 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 has resulted in deteriorating water systems and other services

May 9, 2022 Great Lakes Now

News

Michigan local government officials report improved fiscal health after a year of COVID-19, but not to pre-pandemic levels

Dec 16, 2021

Michigan’s local governments report improvement on many fiscal health measures after a year of struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, but for much of the state the situation has stayed the same or continues to decline, according to a new Michigan...

More than half of Michigan local governments report personnel harassed, abused for doing their jobs

CLOSUP Updates

MPPS Report: Michigan local government officials report improved fiscal health after a year of COVID-19, but not yet back to pre-pandemic levels

Dec 16, 2021

A new 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 13...

In the Media

Flint, Mich., tap university researchers to boost financial transparency

Dec 2, 2021 StateScoop

Researchers at the University of Michigan on Wednesday announced plans to help Flint, Michigan, develop new open-data standards to improve the city’s financial...

Publication

Michigan local government leaders report lingering impacts from COVID-19 pandemic, improvements overall from the start of the crisis

Oct 27, 2021

Local leaders from across the state have reported lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report, and worsening outlooks for how much longer some of those impacts will last. While the numbers of local communities reporting on...

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...

CLOSUP Updates

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

Dec 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...

CLOSUP Updates

Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource Guide

Jun 1, 2020

CLOSUP is partnering with experts from universities, consulting firms, and research institutions across Michigan to help local governments respond to fiscal challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. View the Resource Guide View the news...

Local Government COVID-19 Fiscal Strategy and Resource Guide

MPPS in the news

WOLVERINE CAUCUS: LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL HEALTH

Mar 20, 2020 U-M Public Engagement

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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...

MPPS in the news

Fiscal Health: Mixed Signals for Local Michigan Governments

Dec 11, 2019 Wisconsin Ag Connection

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News

Fiscal health: Mixed signals for Michigan’s local governments

Dec 11, 2019

ANN ARBOR—More than two-thirds of Michigan’s local government leaders rate their jurisdictions’ current fiscal stress as relatively low, according to a new survey by the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. On the...

State & Hill

CLOSUP’s Michigan Public Policy Survey turns 10

Nov 14, 2019

It’s been a tumultuous decade in Michigan: three governors, a cratered economy and its recovery, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, a public health disaster in Flint, and more. Through it all, the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS)...

CLOSUP’s Michigan Public Policy Survey turns 10

MPPS in the news

Most government units in Michigan unprepared for next recession

Oct 30, 2019 105.5 FM WTHD LaGrange, IN

More than half of Michigan's local government leaders are concerned about the potential impact of the next recession on their jurisdictions' ability to deliver public services and maintain government operations. Although local leaders have...

State & Hill

Stephanie Leiser and Sarah Mills on perception versus reality in local government budgets

Apr 10, 2019

Local government officials’ assessments of their own fiscal health is often at odds with—and worse than—what their financial statements indicate, according to work done by Stephanie Leiser and Sarah Mills. The researchers note that this could be...

Stephanie Leiser and Sarah Mills on perception versus reality in local government budgets

News

Michigan News release: Local leaders say recovery is mixed, but slightly positive overall

Oct 12, 2017

Overall, the fiscal health of Michigan's local governments appears to have improved slightly since last year, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers. Across the state, 35 percent of the local government leaders surveyed say...

Coverage of CLOSUP medical marijuana policy poll grows like weed