#FactsMatter, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan podcast

Happy CREC Day! Catch up quickly with Research Council Director Craig Thiel and Senior Research Associate for State Affairs Bob Schneider as they take a few minutes to highlight key takeaways from Michigan's Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC), held Friday, May 16.

Detroit News politics editor and columnist Chad Livengood sits down with Citizen Research Council's infrastructure analyst Eric Paul Dennis, PE, discussing the Research Council's most recently released, 86-page paper: "Data-Driven Assessment of Michigan's Road Program" which makes the case that Michigan legislators should overhaul the way the state divvies up money for road improvements. The report was released as there is currently a push by state leaders to find billions of dollars in additional infrastructure funding. Among other recommendations, it describes Michigan's primary road funding law, known as Public Act 51 of 1951, as "a decades-long failure." "The bottom line is that PA 51 is obsolete," the report said. "Increasing Michigan's road funding without fundamental reform to how it is spent would be a disservice to citizens of the state." The Detroit News coverage of the research.

Vic McCarty of the Vic McCarty Morning Show, WTCM Traverse City, interviews Eric Lupher, president of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, which last week released novel research making the case that much more work is needed on the road funding issue than just securing more resources for roads and bridges. In a Nutshell: Michigan ranks 30th among all 50 states in road and 40th in road system conditions. Michigan's road program performance has declined between 2004 and 2024. Policy discussions regarding road funding review the efficacy of Michigan's approach to pavement management and to prioritize the repeal and replacement of Public Act 51 of 1951. Eric makes the case that Michigan's residents and taxpayers deserve a thorough evaluation of transportation funding policy, without questioning that more road funding is probably needed, before being subjected to substantial tax increases or redirecting general fund revenue from other critical Michigan programs. “There are multiple inefficiencies in our current system. Allocating more funding to roads without addressing these inefficiencies may reinforce systemic problems without making much progress in fixing the roads.”

Infrastructure research associate Eric Paul Dennis and senior research associate for state affair Bob Schneider catch up with Clara Hendrickson, politics reporter for the Detroit Free Press, to discuss the state of Michigan's roads, the latest two road funding “frameworks” put forward by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Speaker Matt Hall, how they differ and who or what the different revenue-raising proposals would hit the hardest.

John Lindstrom and Bob Schneider discuss a topic that has been popping up increasingly among Michigan lawmakers lately: transparency and reforming the use of budget earmarks … especially “11th hour” earmarks. Lindstrom, a former reporter, editor, and publisher of Gongwer News Service, and Schneider, senior research associate for state affairs at the Citizens Research Council recall the history of end-of-session budget earmarks. “This is nothing new,” said Lindstrom. “I mean, you go back to when I first started covering the legislature when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. The last session day before Christmas, it was well understood that there was a bill called grants and transfers, which was known in the legislature as the “Christmas tree bill.”' While ham is often associated with traditional Christmas dinners, Christmas tree bills/11th-hour earmarks are always associated with pork. Eighteen months ago, Schneider reviewed and wrote that over 65 percent of over $1.3 billion in earmarks in the FY2024 “omnibus” budget bill were “eleventh-hour earmarks” that appeared only in the final bill – not in the Executive Budget or in the House- or Senate-passed budget bills. $1.3 billion in unseen, non-public, non-transparent spending of state taxpayer dollars. He wrote at the time that the legislature should move to improve “front-end” transparency and vetting by providing upfront details on sponsored earmarks and respecting legislative rules that should prohibit these eleventh-hour earmarks. Since then, it has become noticeably clear that the best way to prevent these earmarks is through restrictions in statute. “The downside to earmarks is that they, you know, they're sort of politically motivated rather than most often policy or policy motivated,” Schneider says. “The best place for these earmarked protocols would be to put them in state statute so that they are part of permanent law. “We know the legislature -- both parties and both chambers with Republicans in charge, with Democrats in charge -- have ignored their own rulemaking at times and the courts don't really have any way to deal with that.”

On this week's FactsMatter podcast, hear Citizens Research Council Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider and Ryan Wrecker of WWJ Radio in Detroit chat about the hot-off-the-press Executive Budget for fiscal years 2026-27. They discuss everything from "where's the road funding" to K-12, new "sin" taxes on vaping and patches to yet another initiative designed to cast more sunshine and transparency on state budget earmarks ... aka: pork projects. Catch up on it all in just 25 minutes!

Citizens Research Council Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider sat down today with Research Director Craig Thiel following today's Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) to discuss updated economic and revenue forecasts and analyze what they could mean for Michigan's current and future budgets. Officials from the Department of Treasury and legislative fiscal agencies agreed that Michigan's combined General and School Aid Funds will receive an additional $769 million in FY2025 and an extra $910 million in FY2026, compared to the previous May 2024 revenue forecast. Thiel and Schneider noted that the increased revenue growth in Michigan will likely ease tensions, to a degree, among policymakers' many competing priorities. Schneider remarked that the stronger-than-expected revenue growth in the School Aid Fund will be welcomed among lawmakers seeking an ongoing increase in the per-pupil foundation grant. “It makes the budget process very interesting,” said Schneider. “I'm sure road funding and tax relief will be among the many priorities discussed regarding these increased revenue projections. While more revenue certainly makes things a little easier, there will still need to be compromise.” Schneider and Thiel also discussed that economic projections come with greater economic uncertainty, risk and variability stemming from the incoming Trump administration's promises of both tax cuts and higher tariffs, as well as about retaliatory tariffs, and uncertainty about what will get done at the federal level and the impact on Michigan. The CREC exists so that the Governor and lawmakers have the most accurate revenue account possible before starting work on the next fiscal year's budget. Michigan's top budget and fiscal officials came together, as they do each year in January and May, to seek agreement on the amount of revenues they expect state government to take in over the coming years. Top state economists also provided the CREC with U.S. and Michigan economic projections and U.S. consumer conditions updates. The May 2025 conference will provide an update to the forecast before the FY2026 state budget is finalized. Michigan's budget is required by law to be finalized by July 1 each year.

Citizens Research Council health policy analyst Karley Abramson is interviewed by guest host Andrew Minegar, a reporter with MIRS News. Last year, Abramson wondered why there was a stark rise in healthcare spending by the Michigan Department of Corrections, one of state government's largest general fund budgets. In subsequently published research, she discovered that there was no data to review. Minegar/MIRS News recently uncovered and reported that the state's former prisoners' healthcare contractor owes providers $35 million in unpaid medical bills, prompting the state to drop the contract before it ended and to go to court to recover damages. Grand Prairie Healthcare Services, based in Tennessee, was awarded a nearly $600 million five-year contract in April 2021 to provide the Michigan Department of Correction (MDOC) with health care and pharmacy services for prisoners at 27 state prisons. Listen to Abramson and Minegar as they compare notes and discuss what they believe should be done by the Legislature and Administration.

Gongwer News administration reporter Lily Guiney speaks with Senior Research Director Craig Thiel about his recently published, novel analysis of school-level spending patterns across the largest districts in the state, showing many schools are not being funded equitably. Approximately 55 percent of schools in the state's largest districts do not receive equitable per-pupil funding at the state, local and federal levels. This is at odds with the current school funding policy priorities of Lansing officials. The study found that among the 25 largest school districts in the state, several of which also include some of the largest populations of low-income students, a significant number of them did not disperse per-school funding proportionate to their students' socioeconomic status and needs. “As Michigan policymakers look to continue providing additional state “at-risk” funds to those districts with greater proportions of high-need students, they may have to consider additional policy directives to ensure dollars targeted to high-need “at-risk” students are reaching those students and the schools they attend. To this end, Michigan may have to increase the financial transparency and accountability provisions that go along with the additional state “at-risk” dollars or other funding streams intended to serve students with added needs. Those provisions, combined with appropriate state oversight and monitoring, will help ensure that the state's K-12 funding priorities are being implemented with fidelity at the local district level.”

State budget officials met on May 17, 2024, to finalize state revenue estimates that will be used as guideposts for ongoing FY2025 budget deliberations. The Research Council's Bob Schneider and Craig Thiel provide insights into what the new estimates mean as lawmakers wrap up the budget as well as the budget outlook for Fiscal Year 2026. Scheider said the conference experts delivered a positive outlook, stating that the forecast for the national and state economy was generally good: real GDP, the key metric to monitor the health of the national economy, is expected to continue to grow through the next few years at a normal, healthy rate. Inflation is falling back, though not quite as fast in Michigan as it is nationally; incomes are growing, and Michigan's unemployment rate remains low. The revenue conference, held in January and May each year, brings together the State Treasurer, the Michigan Legislature's top budget advisors and economists who present information on the state and national economy, workforce, wages, the auto industry, and spending patterns by businesses and the public in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The May Revenue Estimating Conference is a key step for state lawmakers in finalizing the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1. Economists and state officials determined that revenue estimates in May showed a slight increase for the state's General Fund and a slight decrease for the School Aid Fund from January estimates. Schneider says the most important takeaway is that revenues continue to grow. Revenues for the state General Fund is expected to grow about 1.5 percent, or just over $200 million. School Aid Fund revenues were adjusted down to about $160 million, or about 1 percent, from January, and that largely reflects slightly slower sales tax growth. "During COVID, people shifted their spending patterns towards goods and 'stuff.' People were buying stuff rather than services. So now, maybe we're seeing a sort of return to normal on that front, which is slowing sales tax growth."

Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan chats with Eric Paul Dennis, research analyst specializing in infrastructure policy. While Michigan is working to ‘fix the damn roads,' with historic levels of state and federal road funding, this effort has been undermined by unprecedented inflation in the cost of construction. And road construction inflation is not uniform: using 2015 as a baseline year, cost increases range from 34 percent in the Upper Peninsula to 63 percent in the Detroit Metro region. Michigan's highway construction costs have increased 12 percent above expected historical rates, resulting in the purchasing power of Michigan's road agencies dropping by over $700 million in 2023 alone. Following the enactment of a 2015 road funding package to increase Michigan's annual transportation revenue by an estimated $1.2 billion by 2021, subsequent gains in state and federal funding increased Michigan's transportation budget from $3.7 billion in 2015 to $6.1 billion in 2023. Expenditures on road and bridge programs, specifically, increased from $2.9 billion in 2015 to $5.7 billion in 2023. In nominal dollars, this represents a healthy 99 percent increase over these eight years. But when adjusting for inflation, the purchasing power of this funding is much lower. Michigan's road agencies generally have significantly more funding than any time in the past. However, this funding is not going as far as would have been expected only a few years ago. Agencies remain challenged to utilize existing funding levels to catch up with historical maintenance backlogs and bring Michigan's roads and bridges into a state of good repair.

WWJ-Detroit anchor and reporter Ryan Wrecker chats with Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher about Detroit's four-year financial plan to send $10 million in supplementary payments to city pensioners. Detroit cut benefits to pensioners as part of its bankruptcy settlement 10 years ago. Pension benefits, already modest pre-bankruptcy, have become meager in recent years due to inflation, and that has made life harder for pensioners. Now that the city is a decade removed from bankruptcy and in much better financial condition, it plans to make up for some of what was done in bankruptcy. Lupher explained that it was critical that this one-time appropriation for supplementary payments to pensioners, while warranted, should indeed remain one-time, and should not mark a return to “13th checks” that previously drained the city's pension funds. He cautioned that attempts to expand or restore benefits to pensioners would sacrifice the present and the future for the past, a choice Detroit can ill afford.

There are many tough decisions on the horizon for Michigan school districts. Schools are facing massive sums of federal pandemic relief funds ending at the same time that many they are facing declining enrollment, partially also due to the pandemic. Approximately 50% of K-12 budgets are allocated on staff salaries, with another 20% to 30% allocated for benefits. Added together, salaries and benefits – people -- account for about $4 out of every $5 dollars in school budgets, spread across a variety of programs. Not surprisingly, many, many districts used the additional resources to grow their staffing, leading to what will now be exceedingly tough decisions on staffing levels. Bridge Michigan education speaks with Council Research Director Craig Thiel about his recent papers on this imminent, critical issue and what we can expect from school district budgets for the coming year. They discuss how districts programmed federal (and state) pandemic resources over the last three years as they crafted their budgets. They speculate about the number of districts who accounted for the limitations of the one-time federal funding and that the federal deadline for allocating it all is this September. They also discuss how parents and members of school communities can get involved and get engaged in the process. This includes everything from reviewing and looking for spending red flags in public documents online, such as schools' budgets past and present, as well as financial statements, to attending their local school board meetings where budgets get adopted. Even better: attending their local school or district finance committee or budget committee meeting, where budget proposals are crafted. Other “red flag” warnings in budgets include a reliance on Rainy Day funds to support operations. While this is justifiable when needed – to transition to a new budget norm – Rainy Day funds are not designed to support ongoing programming in a district because those one-time resources will run out too. Districts with stronger Rainy Day fund balances will not have as many, if any, painful cuts. Those that don't have a robust Rainy Day fund and used federal pandemic resources for ongoing costs are going to be challenged. For example: districts that allocated pandemic funds to one-time programming or services – facility upgrades, equipment and curricula purchases – will not face as many, if any, painful cuts.

Bridge Michigan data reporter Mike Wilkinson talks with Research Council infrastructure analyst Eric Paul Dennis, who recently published a report showing that Michigan's road pavement quality ranks 40th nationally and 10th out of 11 among peer states. While Michigan's roads still lag those of other states, they are improving, thanks to more funding in the system. However, challenges remain, as future funding to maintain the new construction, critical to upkeep, will also be needed to make payments on current road bonding.

Annalise Frank of Axios Detroit chats with Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher about the recent announcement by District Detroit developers that construction on their 17-story office building would be delayed. The codevelopers, New York-based The Related Cos. and the Ilitch organization's Olympia Development of Michigan, are instead changing the order of their 10 proposed District Detroit projects, moving up one of the planned new hotels as well as one of the residential buildings. Lupher has noted that, given the Ilitches' reputation for overpromising and underdelivering, some public skepticism is expected, but that the “resequencing” of the order makes sense, given the very difficult environment for financing office space. As Frank has reported: the city is banking on the $1.5 billion megadevelopment from the Ilitches' Olympia Development and billionaire Stephen Ross' Related Cos. to help downtown grow and attract new businesses, which includes three new office building projects. Under the new timeline, one of the first District Detroit projects will now be a new 18-story, 261-unit residential building with ground-floor retail at 2205 Cass, near the forthcoming University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI). The apartments, expected to open in 2027, would provide housing for some students attending the UMCI, and 20% of the units would be offered as "affordable" at below-market rents. Frank and Lupher discussed the many potential opportunities that the residential building project could have on Detroit, providing much-needed affordable housing to Detroiters and facilitating housing for an additional student population that would likely seek out local shops, restaurants, bars, walking/running paths and all the benefits of living in an urban community.

Gongwer News Service reporter Lily Guiney sat down with Research Council health analyst Karley Abramson to discuss Michigan's shortage of primary care providers (PCP) and how expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners would help address the shortage, which is projected to get worse in the coming years. On March 20, medical professionals from around the state gathered in a Senate committee room to testify on both sides of legislation that would expand the scope of Nurse Practitioner services, allowing greater independence for NPs to treat patients and address healthcare needs. Michigan has among the most restrictive scope of services for nurse practitioners.

Michigan can and should encourage healthier, more livable communities, sustainable development, desirable affordable housing, and public transit by getting rid of parking mandates. Governor Whitmer's Growing Michigan Together Council established a need to 'create thriving, resilient communities' as part of a strategy to grow Michigan's population and improve our economic prospects. Municipal parking mandates stand directly in the way of this goal.

Detroit Free Press reporter Arpan Lobo guest hosts the Facts Matter podcast, produced by the Citizens Research Council. Arpan, who recently wrote about Consumers Energy getting the OK to bury power lines in 6 Michigan counties, interviews Citizens Research Council analyst Eric Dennis, who issued a report this time last year about the benefits of undergrounding electrical lines but, that without a coherent state policy to enable it, it will not happen. It's rarely considered due to cost considerations that assume the utility will bear the full cost. However, as Dennis argues, the cost can be mitigated if undergrounding is done in collaboration with others. Listen to Lobo and Dennis discuss this and how Michigan should pursue policies that facilitate and compel multi-agency ‘dig-once' project coordination to underground distribution lines.

Over the 2020 to 2050 period, Michigan's school-age population is expected to fall from 1.58 million to 1.48 million children. This will fuel a continuation of a two-decades-long decline in the number of students enrolled in public schools. As individual schools confront further enrollment declines and the exhaustion of one-time federal COVID relief aid at the end of 2024, many will face the prospect of whether to close buildings with lower enrollments to ensure their long-term fiscal stability.

Michigan lawmakers recently approved $114 million from the state School Aid Fund to pay off the legacy debts of several local school systems that previously faced serious financial distress. Some districts received the relief, others did not. This represents a moral hazard, signaling to some districts that they will not be held responsible for solving any future financial problems. Taxpayers should demand a cohesive, transparent strategy for determining who receives debt relief. Because the current situation is unfair to both students and taxpayers in districts that receive no relief.

Michigan is likely to continue to be rated as one of the worst states for government ethics, transparency, and accountability. Proposal 1, a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2022, required the ethics reform (financial disclosure) legislation to be enacted by December 31. While the new law meets the bare minimum standards set by Proposal 1, Michigan is likely to continue to be rated as one of the worst states for government ethics, transparency, and accountability. Because of several major loopholes in reporting for elected officials and candidates for office were left unaddressed in the legislation, “sunlight” on elected officials financial conflicts will be intentionally dimmed important information will continue to be shielded from public view. The lack of substantive financial disclosure requirements for top state officeholders is part of the reason Michigan receives an “F” and ranks at the bottom of states in terms of government ethics, transparency, and accountability by the Center for Public Integrity.

Maureen McNulty-Saxton talks to Citizens Research Council Research Associate for Local Affairs Chelsea Dowler https://crcmich.org/four-elements-of-better-housing-policy In a Nutshell - Many housing affordability and equity issues are rooted in car reliance, disinvestment in the urban core, and reliance on underfunded and inefficient federal housing programs. - A housing production program must tackle root causes to adequately address housing affordability and equity over the long term. - The state government should provide rent assistance to low-income households and prioritize repairing vacant/blighted homes, housing that facilitates placemaking, and housing in areas where residents won't be overburdened by transportation costs.

Guest Host Estelle Slootmaker, who recently reported on this issue for SecondWave Media Michigan, interviews Research Council Analyst Karley Abramson. In a nutshell: - Health care to prisoners is a costly endeavor, yet the Michigan Department of Corrections does not adequately assess whether it meets its legal obligations to prisoners in the most cost-effective way. - Three important questions are currently unknowable: Are Michigan prisoners being taken care of up to the constitutional standards that the state is supposed to meet? Is the care being provided efficiently? And is it the best use of taxpayer money? - Improving quality of care and maximizing cost-effectiveness of the prison health care system requires a significant amount of data to identify and understand potential cost-drivers. - Since every resident in Michigan has a stake in the quality and efficiency of the prison health care system, the state should ensure that the relevant data regarding prisoner health and spending be made available to policymakers and the public.

While property tax relief for residents and businesses is needed, the split-rate tax proposal may fail to achieve its objective of added economic vibrancy. In its function as a penalty to land speculation, it may have the unintended effect that it worsens the city's issue with abandoned and vacant land. - Currently, under consideration by the state Legislature is a bill that would permit Detroit to levy its version of a land value tax. - The so-called split-rate tax proposal would split the levy between land and built structures, with a higher tax on land to incentivize development and disincentivize land speculation. - The added penalty to land speculation could worsen the city's problems with vacant land if speculators decide to abandon property rather than pay more in taxes or develop the land. Guest Host Malachi Barrett, reporter with Bridge Detroit, chats with James Tatum, Detroit bureau director.

The Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan's population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan's Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oosting and Lauren Gibbons to discuss each of the five papers: Population and Demographic Trends Economy, Workforce, and Talent Health Trends Infrastructure, Environment, and Preparedness for Climate Change Public Sector These podcasts dig into how Michigan now finds itself in the bottom third of national rankings, including 34th in household income, 36th in K-12 educational outcomes, 39th in health outcomes, 45th in electric service reliability, and 47th in road condition. Absent policy changes and investments, Michigan's current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state's competitiveness and quality of life. Despite the sobering statistics, there research also shows there is a real opportunity to alter this path with policies that retain young residents and attract domestic and international immigrants to Michigan. Please enjoy our special podcast series and let us know what you think.

The Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan's population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan's Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oosting and Lauren Gibbons to discuss each of the five papers: Population and Demographic Trends Economy, Workforce, and Talent Health Trends Infrastructure, Environment, and Preparedness for Climate Change Public Sector These podcasts dig into how Michigan now finds itself in the bottom third of national rankings, including 34th in household income, 36th in K-12 educational outcomes, 39th in health outcomes, 45th in electric service reliability, and 47th in road condition. Absent policy changes and investments, Michigan's current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state's competitiveness and quality of life. Despite the sobering statistics, there research also shows there is a real opportunity to alter this path with policies that retain young residents and attract domestic and international immigrants to Michigan. Please enjoy our special podcast series and let us know what you think.

The Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan's population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan's Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oosting and Lauren Gibbons to discuss each of the five papers: Population and Demographic Trends Economy, Workforce, and Talent Health Trends Infrastructure, Environment, and Preparedness for Climate Change Public Sector These podcasts dig into how Michigan now finds itself in the bottom third of national rankings, including 34th in household income, 36th in K-12 educational outcomes, 39th in health outcomes, 45th in electric service reliability, and 47th in road condition. Absent policy changes and investments, Michigan's current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state's competitiveness and quality of life. Despite the sobering statistics, there research also shows there is a real opportunity to alter this path with policies that retain young residents and attract domestic and international immigrants to Michigan. Please enjoy our special podcast series and let us know what you think.

The Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan's population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan's Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oosting and Lauren Gibbons to discuss each of the five papers: Population and Demographic Trends Economy, Workforce, and Talent Health Trends Infrastructure, Environment, and Preparedness for Climate Change Public Sector These podcasts dig into how Michigan now finds itself in the bottom third of national rankings, including 34th in household income, 36th in K-12 educational outcomes, 39th in health outcomes, 45th in electric service reliability, and 47th in road condition. Absent policy changes and investments, Michigan's current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state's competitiveness and quality of life. Despite the sobering statistics, there research also shows there is a real opportunity to alter this path with policies that retain young residents and attract domestic and international immigrants to Michigan. Please enjoy our special podcast series and let us know what you think.

The Governor's Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan's population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan's Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oosting and Lauren Gibbons to discuss each of the five papers: Population and Demographic Trends Economy, Workforce, and Talent Health Trends Infrastructure, Environment, and Preparedness for Climate Change Public Sector These podcasts dig into how Michigan now finds itself in the bottom third of national rankings, including 34th in household income, 36th in K-12 educational outcomes, 39th in health outcomes, 45th in electric service reliability, and 47th in road condition. Absent policy changes and investments, Michigan's current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the state's competitiveness and quality of life. Despite the sobering statistics, there research also shows there is a real opportunity to alter this path with policies that retain young residents and attract domestic and international immigrants to Michigan. Please enjoy our special podcast series and let us know what you think.

Lawmakers insert historic $1.3 billion in hidden budget earmarks –or pet projects -- two-thirds at the last minute! How is this allowed? Detroit News Reporter Beth LeBlanc and Sr. Research Bob Schneider dive into the murky world of state budget earmarking

Local governments across Michigan have enacted ordinances regulating tenant screening, just-cause evictions, and providing the right to counsel for an eviction proceeding. The localization of tenant protections leave some renters vulnerable to eviction and housing instability. Can Michigan enact statewide tenant protections? Chelsea Dowler and Maureen McNulty-Saxton discuss on the Facts Matter podcast.

Intimate Partner Violence is a serious public health concern for women in Michigan. Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the state and nationwide. Michigan has made efforts, but are there policy recommendations that could address both of these issues? Researcher Karley Abramson discusses with Maureen McNulty-Saxton on the Facts Matter podcast.

With Michigan's financial books for FY2022 now closed, a formal announcement came last week that the state income tax rate would drop from 4.25 percent to 4.05 percent for tax year 2023 due to a rate cut trigger added to state law in 2015. However, a new Attorney General legal opinion has determined that any rate cut would be temporary, with the rate returning to 4.25 percent for tax year 2024. Our “plain English” interpretation of what appears to be flawed statutory language also suggests the rate will very likely need to return to 4.25 percent in 2024.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 3 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 2 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 1 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

On this episode of Facts Matter, research associate Dr. Esmat Ishag-Osman discusses his recent report analyzing the FY2023 City of Detroit budget.

On February 25, the city got an update of just how much money the city budget is projected to have for the next fiscal year and annually through 2026. General Fund revenues are on course to exceed September projections by modest amounts due in part to favorably adjusted income tax revenue estimates. Projections show that the city's fiscal recovery will benefit from employment rates of blue collar workers more than any other industry group in the city, with higher educational attainment service industries growing at the slowest rate. Research Associate Dr. Esmat Ishag-Osman talks more about it on this episode of Facts Matter.

Research Associate Jill Roof discusses how Royal Oak Township provides an example of how the design of Michigan's municipal finance system has allowed certain local governments to use ad valorem special assessments to live beyond their property tax revenue raising means. However, Royal Oak's use of these assessments is largely a byproduct of the fiscal constraints placed upon it - it literally has no other revenue raising options to fund services like fire protection and garbage disposal. Local governments like Royal Oak Township may need us to review how state law governs city incorporation and annexation and how local services are funded and provided.

We were glad to see that Governor Whitmer's budget proposals largely take this approach and, importantly, maintain a structural balance between ongoing revenues and spending. However, the governor's plan to use the $3.6 billion School Aid Fund surplus skews entirely towards spending and misses an opportunity to pay down some of the state's largest and most expensive debts.

February 2020 marks the one-year anniversary of the Michigan Reconnect Program and the state of Michigan has pointed out that 91,000 Michiganders are on a tuition-free pathway to attain degrees and skills for new opportunities that lead to rewarding careers.

All large cities use municipal bonds to fund capital improvements such as construction of roads, bridges, schools, highways, water and sewer systems and for other purposes. This blog provides a comparative analysis of Detroit's debt to that of some of its peer cities. It compares Detroit against similar cities' bond ratings and creditworthiness as a way to understand debt sizing relative to a municipal tax base and local government spending.

Michigan is in danger of squandering a historical opportunity to leverage a windfall of transportation funding. The current distribution formula determined by Act 51 of 1951 is not only unrepresentative of current needs, but the entire legal framework has become inscrutable. Act 51 and the myriad of associated codes must be repealed and replaced with a contemporary approach to make sustainable improvements in the condition of the state transportation system.

Research Director Craig Thiel talks about how Michigan Schools will receive a combined $6 billion in federal COVID relief through The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) once the latest round of funding is released to the state's 830+ traditional public and charter public school districts next month.

Research Associate Tim Michling talks about how Michigan has fallen short on providing quality and equity in mental health care access and what legislatures in Lansing can do to turn that stigma around.

Research Director Craig Thiel explains his findings on the growing budget with Michigan schools.

President Eric Lupher provided testimony before the Michigan State Senate some changes that can be implemented to strengthen Legislative Oversight in Michigan.

Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider gives an overview of the bigger picture of the Michigan State Revenue Budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year.

CRC Research Associate Jill Roof discusses the Federal Infrastructure Act and how it affects public transportation in Michigan.

CRC Research Associate, Esmat Ishag-Osman explains Detroit's Bonded Debt and Municipal Bonds.

Craig Thiel discusses the financial improvement of DPSCD.