1998 Publications

Michigan Renaissance Zones in the Economic Development Context,
Report 324, ( November 1998 ) 48 pages. [811 KB]

An evaluation of the success of renaissance zones, which waive most major state and local taxes over a 10 to 15 year period, after a year and a half into the program.

Statewide Ballot Issues,
Memo 1051, ( September 98 ) 8 pages [85 KB]

Analyzes the three proposals which are on the statewide ballot at the November 1998 general election.

• Proposal A: Constitutional Amendment to Replace the Term "Handicapped" with "Disabled"
• Proposal B: Terminally Ill Patient's Right to End Unbearable Pain and Suffering Act (Physician Assisted Suicide);
• Proposal C: Clean Michigan Initiative Bonds.

Revenue Sharing: A Description and Analysis of Alternative Proposals,
WebDoc 98-03, ( September 1998) 10 pages.

As of September, 1998, two proposals to replace the revenue sharing distribution mechanism based on relative tax effort have emerged in the legislative process. The analysis that follows points out the similarities and differences in the two bills and some of the implications and problems inherent in one or both plans.

A Supermajority Requirement for Wayne County Tax Increases,
Memo 1050, ( July 1998) 2 pages. [35 KB]

Description of the August 4, 1998, primary ballot issue requiring a two-thirds majority of county commissioners and a 60 percent vote of the electors to adopt any tax increases.

SMART Millage Renewal,
Memo 1049, ( June 1998 ) 4 pages. [51 KB]

Description of the August 4, 1998 question of renewing one-third mill for mass transit in the participating communities in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

Michigan Highway Finance and Governance: A One-Year Report Card,
Presentation 98-02, ( June 10, 1998 ) 26 slides.

Presentation reviewing the issues discussed in the 1997 Report and actions that have occurred in the past year.

State Revenue Sharing: Opportunities to Improve State-Local Relations, Presentation 98-01, ( June 10, 1998 ) 24 slides.

Presentation highlighting the issues involved and likely legislative actions.

Separate Tax Limitations for Wayne County,
WebDoc 98-02, ( May 1998 ) 8 pages.

On April 23, 1998, the Wayne County Tax Allocation Board requested the Citizens Research Council to review the issue of establishing a separate tax limitation for the County and abolishing the Tax Allocation Board. This matter was passed to the County Board of Commissioners to decide whether to place a question before the voters at the November, 1998 General Election.

Michigan Highway Finance and Governance: A One-Year Report Card,
WebDoc 98-01, ( May 1998 ) 5 pages.

One year after the release of Report 321, this paper evaluates the progress that has been made in adopting the recommended changes.

The Durant Decision,
Memo 1048, ( January 1998 ) 7 pages [74 KB]

On July 31, 1997, the Michigan Supreme Court held that special education programs are a State mandate and that the State had failed to fund such programs at the level required by the State Constitution. A financial settlement has been structured covering both the plaintiffs and other school districts similarly affected by the State's actions. Correcting the underfunding of special education programs is not the only Headlee Amendment issue which should concern the Governor and Legislature. An effort should be undertaken to identify and catalogue existing mandates imposed upon units of local government by the State, and to identify new mandates as they are adopted. In addition, the Legislature should invigorate the local government claims review board which it established in 1979. Finally, the Legislature needs to adopt amendments to its joint rules to establish a process to identify potential mandates, as required by the Headlee Amendment implementation legislation.

Robert E. Pickup: A Remembrance,
Misc. ( March 98 ) 3 pages.

Robert E. Pickup, executive director of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan from 1959 to 1979, died on February 20, 1998, at his home on Marco Island, Florida. He was 83. What follows is a tribute to a man of intellect, principle, compassion, and gritty determination.

Misc. The Effect of Casinos on the Detroit and Wayne County Criminal Justice Agencies,
Misc., ( January 1998 ) 23 pages [281KB]

With a population of one million people, Detroit is the first city of its size in the United States to host casinos. Because the other cities that have hosted casinos are so much smaller, the experience of these cities is instructional, but it is difficult to apply their experience to Detroit to project how crime and the criminal justice agencies caseloads might increase. In order to attempt such an estimate, this memorandum will:
1. Describe a theoretical model that would predict the impact of casinos on crime;
2. Describe the experiences of other cities with casinos;
3. Explain the difficulties in attempting to apply these experiences to Detroit;
4. Estimate the number of patrons that will visit the casinos if they are to be successful;
5. Explore several methodologies that translate this increased number of visitors into an increase in the occurrences of crime, an increase in the number of arrests, and an increase in the number of events that lead people into the criminal justice system: (a) What it means to draw more people into the City of Detroit as a whole; (b) What it means to have more police officers on the streets to protect casino patrons; (c) What it means to draw more people into the Central Business District of Detroit.

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Last Updated July 25, 2006