CLOSUP publications

This report presents the assessments of Michigan's local government leaders on local budgeting processes, including the prevalence of multi-year budgeting, capital improvement plans (CIPs), long-term financial planning, and views on the appropriate l...

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' views on resident engagement in their communities. Across the state, Michigan local leaders report steep declines in engagement over more than a decade, despite increased outreach efforts ...

This report provides an overview of Michigan local government fiscal health using financial data reported to the State of Michigan from 2022 to 2024. This analysis evaluates cash, budgetary, long-term, and service solvency indicators for counties, ci...

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' views on a set of eight specific challenges that they might be facing in their jurisdiction's budgeting process, including technical or procedural financial management challenges as well a...

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. These findings are based on statewide surveys of loc...

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ trust in their residents and their assessments of the tone of discussion in local politics, as well as their views regarding the overall functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions. These fi...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding resident engagement with their local governments, including assessments of the opportunities their local governments provide for engagement, residents’ overall levels of ...

Just like the perfect pair of peanut butter and jelly, technology and change go hand in hand with one another. Change is inevitable, and even in the U.P., we must adjust, adapt, and accommodate, especially when it can make our towns safer. From my ow...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding local revenue policy, including whether the state’s current system of funding local government will allow them to maintain or improve services, their preferences for rais...

This case study investigates how capacity building can influence the fiscal health of small municipalities, focusing on the experience of Evart, Michigan. Evart faces challenges common to many rural communities, including limited financial resources,...

This case study examines Idlewild, Michigan, a community of profound historic significance actively working to secure a sustainable future. The analysis finds that the path to economic revitalization hinges on navigating the complex challenges of for...

This case study provides an in-depth analysis of the fiscal health and economic condition of Lake County, a rural Michigan community with a tourism-based economy. The county government’s fiscal position is stable in the short term, characterized by s...

This report presents the assessments of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, and county sheriffs on the interactions and relationships between law enforcement and Michigan communities. In addition, these local leaders, plus co...

This policy brief presents the assessments of local government leaders from around the state regarding whether the winding down of funds from sources such as ARPA, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), or other...

This policy brief 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 the views of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and county prosecutors regarding accountability in law enforcement, including opinions on a nationwide officer misconduct database, who sh...

This policy brief presents the views of local government leaders from around the state, who were asked about policies and practices associated with police-community relations on both the Fall 2015 and Spring 2024 waves of the Michigan Public Policy S...

This report presents the assessments of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, and county sheriffs on the use and value of a range of law enforcement equipment and technology such as body and dashboard cameras, drones, automated...

This report provides an annual update on Michigan local government fiscal health. Using financial data reported to the State of Michigan in 2023, this analysis develops a set of indicators to look at cash, budgetary, long-term, and service solvency f...

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, and county sheriffs on alternative approaches to traditional policing that might involve other professionals, such as mental health professionals or tra...

As of March 2023, The Eviction Lab reports that Michigan’s eviction filing rate jumped from historic pandemic-era lows to become the 5th worst in the nation at 16.7%. This means that more than 16 evictions were filed by landlords for every 100 renter...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders, local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and county prosecutors regarding funding for law enforcement agencies, including assessments of whether sheriff’s offices and police depar...

In Michigan, several cities have underfunded their retiree pension plans and healthcare programs, forcing them to make changes to their plan or inject new funds to provide the promised benefits to their city workers and retirees. Two state bills, PA ...

South Dakota's energy policy landscape is shaped by a "minimal interference" approach, balancing conservative governance with a market-driven renewable energy sector. While the state has long benefited from hydropower and has seen rapid wind energy e...