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Trends in local fiscal health and funding local government

in Michigan

Presented at the

What’s After Bankruptcy? Lessons in Governance Reform

Detroit Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

November 7, 2013

The Michigan Public Policy Survey

• Census survey – all counties, cities, villages, and

townships

• Respondents – chief elected and appointed officials

• Administered – online and via hardcopy

• Timing – Spring and Fall each year

• Topics – wide range, such as fiscal health, budget

priorities, economic development, intergovernmental

cooperation, employee policies, labor unions, state

relations, environmental sustainability, citizen

engagement, much more.

2

MPPS is not a typical opinion poll

• 70+% response rates

• Census-style approach

• Transparency -- Questionnaires online -- Pre-run data tables online -- Sharing of (anonymized) datasets with other researchers

• Expert advisors on questionnaire content

• Borrow from other proven sources such as NLC and

ICMA

• Quality control such as double blind coding of open-end responses

3

Presentation Outline

• Findings on fiscal trends and budgetary health from the Spring 2013 Wave of the MPPS

Fiscal challenges facing Michigan’s local

governments

How local governments are responding

• Local officials’ concerns for the future

4

Challenge:

Declining Revenues and

Rising Costs

5

A Decade of Funding Cuts

6

Revenue sharing cuts

7

% of jurisdictions with declining state aid

Declining Revenues

Declining Revenues

8

% of jurisdictions with declining property tax revenues

Response:

Local Governments

Take Action

9

Government Actions

10

% of jurisdictions increasing reliance on GF balance

Government Actions

11

% of jurisdictions cutting staff levels

Government Actions

12

% of jurisdictions shifting health care costs to employees

Government Actions

13

% of jurisdictions increasing inter-gov’t cooperation

Government Actions

14

% of jurisdictions increasing debt

Government Actions

15

% of jurisdictions cutting service levels

Result:

Gradual Trend

Easing of Fiscal Stress

16

Spreading Fiscal Problems

17

2009: less able to meet fiscal needs, by county

Jurisdictions within County

Green: < 25%

Yellow: 25-50%

Red: > 50%

Spreading Fiscal Problems

18

2010: less able to meet fiscal needs, by county

Jurisdictions within County

Green: < 25%

Yellow: 25-50%

Red: > 50%

Easing Fiscal Problems

19

2011: less able to meet fiscal needs, by county

Jurisdictions within County

Green: < 25%

Yellow: 25-50%

Red: > 50%

Easing Fiscal Problems

20

2012: less able to meet fiscal needs, by county

Jurisdictions within County

Green: < 25%

Yellow: 25-50%

Red: > 50%

Easing Fiscal Problems

21

2013: less able to meet fiscal needs, by county

Jurisdictions within County

Green: < 25%

Yellow: 25-50%

Red: > 50%

Easing Fiscal Problems

22

net fiscal health change: percentage of jurisdictions with

improving fiscal health minus percentage with declining health

Looking Ahead:

Concerns about Michigan’s

Current System of Local

Government Funding

23

Concerns Going Forward

24

% that can maintain services in current system

8% 6% 2% 1% 1%

30% 27% 37%

48%

67%

16% 21%

17%

13%

10% 46% 46% 44%

38%

22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

< 1500 1500-5000 5001-10000 10001-30000 > 30000

Can Maintain

Neutral

CannotMaintain

Don't Know

Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size

Concerns Going Forward

25

% of jurisdictions with increased infrastructure needs

Concerns Going Forward

26

% that can improve services in current system

12% 9% 3% 1% 1%

37% 38%

46%

61%

79%

26% 26% 24%

17%

6%

25% 27% 27% 21%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

< 1500 1500-5000 5001-10000 10001-30000 > 30000

Can Improve

Neutral

CannotImprove

Don't Know

Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size

Support for Funding Reform

27

% that believe significant reform is needed

9% 6% 3% 1%

17% 16%

17% 14%

10%

23%

22% 19%

15%

13%

52% 56%

61%

70% 77%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

< 1500 1500-5000 5001-10000 10001-30000 > 30000

Reformneeded

Neutral

Reform notneeded

Don't know

Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size Population Size

Support for Funding Reform

28

% that believe significant reform is needed

5% 7% 5%

18% 12% 14%

22%

18% 19%

55% 63% 62%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Republicans Independents Democrats

Reform needed

Neutral

Reform notneeded

Don't know

Support for Funding Reform

29

% that would target specific funding elements to reform

26%

27%

32%

37%

30%

36%

38%

42%

35%

16%

20%

32%

41%

50%

45%

44%

41%

54%

Regional taxation

Local income tax

Economic Vitality Incentive Program

Personal Property Tax (PPT)

Constitutional revenue sharing

Proposal A

Headlee Amendment

Sales tax

Gas tax

Not Important at All Somewhat Important Very Important

6%

12%

9%

8%

15%

15%

12%

37%

29%

Michigan Local Government Fiscal Health

Trends

30

key findings

• Long period of fiscal squeeze: falling revenues and rising costs.

• Local governments fiscal were very active in responding: have

largely preserved health and tried to protect services.

• As of 2013, 29% of Michigan jurisdictions say they are better

able to meet their financial needs this year, while another 29%

say they are less able to do so.

• However, only 43% believe current system of funding will allow

them to maintain their current package of services in the future;

only 26% think it will allow improvements or provision of new services.

• 58% say significant reform is needed. Among them,

overwhelming percentages say each major piece of the

system needs reform.

www.closup.umich.edu

closup-mpps@umich.edu

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