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

-Lent Upson, first director of Citizens Research Council

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January  8. 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. 

Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States and Michigan that continues to get worse. While GLP-1 agonists (drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy) were originally developed for diabetes treatment, their impact on weight loss has been well-documented and several versions have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management in recent years.

GLP-1 agonists remain inaccessible to most people, as they are expensive and not covered by most insurers. Public and private insurers that do cover GLP-1 agonists for weight management are facing significant budgetary impacts given the costs of the drugs.

Policymakers should grapple with whether GLP-1 agonists are something the state wants to promote as a serious tool in the fight against obesity or if they should be seen as a luxury item. Good arguments exist for both approaches, but the state should settle on one and pursue it. 

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.

IN A NUTSHELL

 -- Michigan’s economic and social wellbeing is largely dependent on the state’s natural resources - most critically, its water.

-- Water resource management notably improved following the passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972. However, recent data and observation suggest that progress has plateaued and we are in danger of backsliding. Current policies are not sufficient to address current problems such as water pollution and flood prevention.

 -- To assure a healthy and safe environment for future generations of Michiganders, the state should act now to begin a transition to coherent, goal-oriented water resources management based on watershed boundaries.   

IN A NUTSHELL

 -- 2025 brings a key milestone in the State of Michigan’s 2016 plan to address the financial crisis in the Detroit Public Schools.

 -- With the repayment of the operating portion of its legacy debts on the horizon, DPS officials approached state policymakers with a proposal that would allow the district to continue to use the proceeds from its school operating property tax to help repay its $1.4 billion of outstanding capital debt and related state borrowings.

 -- This proposal provides more proof that Michigan lacks a clear and cohesive policy surrounding public school debt relief.

More Analysis from our Blogs:

• Budget Implications of the House Republican Road Funding Plan
• Let's Reevaluate the Purpose of State Revenue Sharing as  part of Municipal Finance Reform
• Addressing Direct Care Shortages Through State Policy
• Michigan Appellate Court Ruling Upholds Stormwater Utilities
• Congress Fails to Address Inequities of Title I; MI Lawmakers Should Step In

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)

Detroit mayoral candidate would push entertainment tax to offset property tax relief, Bridge Detroit (December 11)

Democrats push for increase in fees to pay for roads, Republicans balk, The Center Square (December 10)

Republicans urge road funding revision as Legislature resumes lame duck session this week, Michigan Public Radio Network (December 9)

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.