Resources

County Revenue Options

Published on December 1, 2016
Michigan counties have very limited revenue options other than the property tax. Additional revenue options provided to counties include general sales tax, motor fuel tax, alcohol, and tobacco tax.
How to set permit fees

Published on May 31, 2016
This bulletin is a discussion of the philosophy of what should be paid by fees and what should be covered by general fund moneys. It also presents work sheets for a municipality to establish zoning, land division and other permit fees.
Are We Supporting Sprawl? Revisiting the 1998 State Revenue Sharing Formula Changes

Published on May 31, 2016
Revisiting the 1998 State Revenue Sharing Formula Changes is an Informing the Debate Urban and Economic Fiscal Concerns series prepared by Michigan State University’s Urban Affairs Programs and the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR).
Legacy Costs Facing Michigan Municipalities

Published on January 26, 2016
An update to the 2013 Report: Funding the Legacy -- The Cost of Municipal Workers' Retirement Benefits to Michigan Communities.
Beyond State Takeovers: Reconsidering the Role of State Government in Local Financial Distress ...

Published on November 11, 2015
This report’s practical recommendations are aimed at assisting the C.S. Mott Foundation, state and local officials, and Michigan residents in identifying a more effective policy and legal approach to local fiscal crises.
Flint Fiscal Playbook: An Assessment of the Emergency Manager Years (2011-2015)

Published on November 11, 2015
This case study seeks to understand the economic and fiscal trends that led to state receivership and analyzes the impacts of the emergency manager policy on the city’s fiscal health. It updates trends presented in a previous case study.
Knowledgeable Navigation to Avoid the Iceberg: Considerations in Proactively Addressing School District Fiscal Stress in Michigan

Published on June 20, 2015
This paper proposes a proactive, evidence-based financial health indicator system that may prevent many school districts from severe fiscal crisis. Fifty-seven Michigan school districts ended 2014 with a deficit or projected deficit.
Developing an Early Warning System for Michigan's Schools

Published on January 21, 2015
This paper examines district deficit and predictors of distress in the proposed early warning system, finding a weak correlation. It suggests alternative fiscal measurements with stronger correlation.
F65 Fiscal Data Portal

Published on April 9, 2013
F65 Fiscal Data Portal
Municipality Legacy Costs

Published on March 13, 2013