"The right to criticize government is also an obligation to know what you are talking about."

-Lent Upson, first director of Citizens Research Council

Please add eric.lupher@crcmich-newsletter.com to your safe sender/contact list

January  17. 2025

Happy New Year! If 2024 slipped away before you had a chance to support our work, it's not too late. Click below to help combat misinformation and support fact-based, non-partisan policies for a better Michigan. 

2023 Michigan Property Tax Revenues – $18,771,362,956

Balancing taxpayer tolerance for property taxes, the need to retain healthy and well-run communities, and ensuring sustainable funding for local governments is a challenging, but important, task for state and local policymakers. The fiscal stability of local governments is critical to Michigan’s economic well-being. Without alternative ways to raise revenues and lower their community’s property tax burden, local governments face significant challenges in maintaining their operations, offering the public services they are expected to provide, and growing their local economies. 

IN A NUTSHELL

 -- As a new legislative session takes shape, state policymakers are setting their agenda to grow Michigan into a prosperous state. Policymakers should put local government finance reform on their agenda.

 -- Originally developed for diabetes treatment, GLP-1 agonists – such as Ozempic – have been approved for weight management, but the drugs are expensive.

 -- To allay potential concerns from inflation-weary homeowners and businesses about rising property tax burdens, policymakers should authorize local governments to access alternate revenue options as well as restore stability to the state’s revenue sharing program.

IN A NUTSHELL

 -- More than one-third of Michigan residents are obese, and this costly health problem is getting worse.

 -- Originally developed for diabetes treatment, GLP-1 agonists – such as Ozempic – have been approved for weight management, but the drugs are expensive.

 -- Michigan policymakers should decide whether the state is going promote wider access to GLP-1 agonists or take a more cautious approach.

More Analysis from our Blogs:

• Michigan Urgently Needs a Watershed-based Approach to Address Water Pollution and Urban Flooding
• 2025 Brings Final Detroit Public Schools Debt Repayment
• Budget Implications of the House Republican Road Funding Plan
• Let's Reevaluate the Purpose of State Revenue Sharing as part of Municipal Finance Reform

 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.

 “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.”

Find All #FactsMatter Podcasts on SoundCloud. Apple, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.

Comparative Road Funding Analysis Attracts National Attention

Citizens Research Council Research Associate of Infrastructure Policy, Eric Paul Dennis, spoke at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), held January 5-9 in Washington D.C. With over 10,000 attendees from around the world, the 2025 TRB Annual Meeting is the largest global gathering of transportation professionals and researchers with a focus on innovative solutions for all modes of transportation.

Dennis was invited to give a lectern presentation to the TRB Standing Committee on Economics and Finance. His presentation, “A Novel Multifactorial State Road Funding Index,” reflects Research Council findings that Michigan ranks 30th among states in road funding. The novel research seeks to provide an objective assessment of Michigan’s road funding levels.

Dennis’ research was well-received by a large audience comprised of representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation, state road agencies, and others. “The Road Funding Index offers policy analysts and advocates a unique opportunity to compare states, and we plan to use it in our advocacy,” said Corrigan Salerno, Policy Manager at Transportation for America.

Our analysis of funding data from all 50 states, in combination with a parallel 50 state Road Pavement Quality Index, reveals what many have suspected as the case for years: how the funds are distributed and spent is as important as the total sum available.

The Citizens Research Council plans to update and refine this research in the coming year as Michigan’s legislature pursues options to “fix the damn roads.”

How Michigan is trying to recapture its innovation mojo, Michigan Advance (January 11)

Gretchen Whitmer’s Chance for Wide-Ranging Legacy Derailed by Botched Legislative Session, ProPublica (January 10). Also appeared - Alternet (January 12)

Senate Fiscal Agency: Michigan’s revenue forecast may be stronger than expected, WKAR Public Radio (January 7). Also appeared - WCMU Public Media (January 7)

Restrictions on 2 MSU trustees accused of misconduct lifted; their future remains unclear, Lansing State Journal (January 6)

Indiana’s website template is reminder of what Michigan isn’t doing, Michigan Counties (January 3)

Opinion: Personnel is key to Detroit economic policy, Bridge Detroit (January 2)

Detroit school district sues state in effort to continue tax to pay debt, Detroit News (January 1)

More Mich.counties erase medical debt, but some experts say state should do more, Michigan Public (December 27)

Projected high school graduate decline spells trouble for Michigan workforce, report warns, Detroit News (December 18)

Opinion: Trouble brewing on two fronts for Michigan suburbs, Crain’s Detroit Business, (December 12)

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan is looking for a skilled fundraising director to help us continue our mission of providing objective, fact-based research on key public policy issues in Michigan.

The Fundraising Director will work with the President of the Research Council in our Livonia office to execute strategies related to general operating support, grant writing, soliciting sponsors for annual fundraising dinner, events to raise awareness of the organization, and campaigns for support from individuals.  This is a great opportunity for a fundraising professional to build a development program to support an organization where #FactsMatter. 

Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested.