"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 maureen.saxton@crcmich-newsletter.com to your safe sender/contact list

May 14, 2026

Special Friends Edition

Highlights:

New Council Brief: A Few Items of Note in the FY2027 School Aid Budget Proposals
New Podcast: More Changes on the Horizon for Michigan’s Property Tax Foreclosure Process
Con-Con Series Paper: Article IV: Legislative Branch
Website Refresh! Check out our new and improved, user-friendly website.

A Few Items of Note in the FY2027 School Aid Budget Proposals

Setting aside the contents of the Michigan's House, Senate and Executive budget proposals, making them public this early is certainly good news for local governments, colleges/universities and K-12 schools that rely on state appropriations and must have their final spending plans approved well before the state’s fiscal year begins on October 1.

While the May revenue conference will set the revenue parameters that state budget writers must work within to finalize the FY2027 General Fund and School Aid Fund spending plans, we can already see general areas of agreement and disagreement across the proposals.

In a Nutshell:

-- With both the house and senate chambers’ FY2027 state budget proposals now public, and Governor Whitmer’s recommendation released in February, all parties have laid their cards on the table to begin negotiations towards budget completion before the July 1 statutory deadline.

-- Within the School Aid budget, we examine a few items where there is coherence and disagreement across the three proposals.

-- The next step in the budget cycle is the May state revenue estimating conference that will set the School Aid Fund revenue parameters to guide budget negotiations and completion.

Read the Brief

Podcast: US Supreme Court Decision Could Impact Michigan Tax Foreclosure Process

This week, the #FactsMatter podcast spotlights a Michigan property tax case before the U.S. Supreme Court – Pung v. Isabella County – that could reshape how states handle tax foreclosures and protect homeowners’ equity. Host Guy Gordon and Madhu Anderson, Senior Research Associate for Local Affairs, discuss the story of the Pung family from Isabella County.

After inheriting a home, the family lost their longstanding homestead exemption due to an administrative error. Believing the exemption still applied, they didn’t pay the resulting $2,000 tax bill.

The county eventually foreclosed on the home, sold it at auction for far below its true value, and the buyer later resold it for nearly $200,000. The Pungs received only about $73,000 after taxes, penalties, and interest were deducted — far below the home’s true value.

They discuss Anderson’s recent brief, More Changes on the Horizon for Michigan’s Property Tax Foreclosure Process, focused on changes to Michigan’s tax foreclosure process that should be made to address the issues raised by the case, including expanding homeowner education, easing the claims process for surplus proceeds, improving the transparency and competitiveness of tax auctions, and reviewing the impact of the current interest rate and penalty structure for delinquent taxes on property owners and local governments.

Find all #FactsMatter podcasts on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!

Listen Here

Con-Con Paper #7: Article IV - Legislative Branch

As one of the three coequal branches of state government, the legislative branch has the power to pass laws, control taxing and spending authority, and exercise oversight of the executive branch.

A constitutional convention might spend time considering institutional issues, such as the size and structure of each chamber, term limits, conflict of interest and financial disclosure requirements, and redistricting.

Over time, several proposed amendments to Article IV have failed either at the ballot box or during the proposal process. Twenty-seven proposals dealing with Article IV have made it to the statewide ballot since 1964, the most proposals of any article. But only nine of the proposed amendments gained voter approval and became part of the 1963 Constitution, a success rate of just 33 percent.

Article IV Paper

Constitution Series

Citizens Research Council Launches Enhanced Website

The Research Council launched a redesigned website, delivering a more user-friendly experience and making it easier than ever to access critical information.

The site features streamlined navigation that allows users to quickly find and explore key research areas. Content is clearly organized and highlights important resources, including Council Briefs and Council Reports, Detroit Bureau Reports, podcasts, events, press releases, webinars, media coverage, newsletters and more.

The search functionality has been upgraded and enhanced, allowing users to dive deeper into content with greater precision. Visitors can now filter results by category and date range, making it easier to quickly locate specific topics and research materials.

New & Improved
Website