MSU Extension Public Policy

• Rethining Local Government Budgeting

  Published on April 18, 2022
  In this webinar, participants will have a chance to learn more about the concept of fairness in budgeting, and discuss how ideas of fairness impact their own budget process and decisions.

• State Preemption of Local Authority in Michigan

  Published on February 8, 2022
  In this webinar, Dr. Keith Boeckelman, from Western Illinois University, and Dr. Eric Scorsone, with the MSU, present on recently published research into trends in state preemption as well as discuss examples of preemption here in Michigan.

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  Sample Land Division Review Worksheet

  Published on July 26, 2021
  Sample land division review worksheet for use by the official responsible for approving or rejecting proposed land divisions.

• Redistricting and Communities of Interest

  Published on March 26, 2021
  A webinar about Michigan's new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and the role communities of interest play in Michigan's redistricting process.

• Local Government Codes of Conduct: Q&A

  Published on March 2, 2021
  Participant questions and answers from the webinar Codes of Conduct: Going Beyond the Minimum

• Local Government Codes of Conduct: Going Beyond the Minimum

  Published on March 2, 2021
  Codes of Conduct are useful tools for government boards. They clarify a person's role and expectations for member conduct. This webinar uses the planning commission as an example of how a code of conduct can be valuable and how other bodies can use them.

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  Incompatible Offices in Planning and Zoning

  Published on February 17, 2021
  This table is a working draft of incompatible offices with respect to the planning and zoning function of local government. It is based on statutes, Michigan Attorney General opinions, and court decisions, and may be incomplete.

• Sample Zoning for Wind Energy Systems 2020

  Published on October 11, 2020
  This flyer presents a sample zoning ordinance for utility scale wind energy systems and smaller wind electric generation systems for an individual business or home.

• Local Government Response COVID-19 Panel

  Published on June 18, 2020
  Highlights from a panel of local government leaders reflecting on the first three months of COVID-19 and how their unit of government responded.

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  Pennsylvania Offers A Curious Case To Explore Alternatives To Early Warning Systems And State Intervention: Can Michigan Keep Its Horses From Wandering Off?

  Published on May 5, 2020
  The purpose of this report is to apply the Early Warning System (EWS) used by Pennsylvania with Michigan local government financial and socioeconomic data, as a way to assess potential fiscal distress that cities, townships, and counties may experience.