#factsmatter, The Citizens Research Council Of Michigan Podcast

WWJ-Detroit anchor and reporter Ryan Wrecker chats with Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher about Detroit’s four-year financial plan to send $10 million in supplementary payments to city pensioners. Detroit cut benefits to pensioners as part of its bankruptcy settlement 10 years ago. Pension benefits, already modest pre-bankruptcy, have become meager in recent years due to inflation, and that has made life harder for pensioners. Now that the city is a decade removed from bankruptcy and in much better financial condition, it plans to make up for some of what was done in bankruptcy. Lupher explained that it was critical that this one-time appropriation for supplementary payments to pensioners, while warranted, should indeed remain one-time, and should not mark a return to “13th checks” that previously drained the city’s pension funds. He cautioned that attempts to expand or restore benefits to pensioners would sacrifice the present and the future for the past, a choice Detroit can ill afford.

There are many tough decisions on the horizon for Michigan school districts. Schools are facing massive sums of federal pandemic relief funds ending at the same time that many they are facing declining enrollment, partially also due to the pandemic. Approximately 50% of K-12 budgets are allocated on staff salaries, with another 20% to 30% allocated for benefits. Added together, salaries and benefits – people -- account for about $4 out of every $5 dollars in school budgets, spread across a variety of programs. Not surprisingly, many, many districts used the additional resources to grow their staffing, leading to what will now be exceedingly tough decisions on staffing levels. Bridge Michigan education speaks with Council Research Director Craig Thiel about his recent papers on this imminent, critical issue and what we can expect from school district budgets for the coming year. They discuss how districts programmed federal (and state) pandemic resources over the last three years as they crafted their budg

Bridge Michigan data reporter Mike Wilkinson talks with Research Council infrastructure analyst Eric Paul Dennis, who recently published a report showing that Michigan's road pavement quality ranks 40th nationally and 10th out of 11 among peer states. While Michigan's roads still lag those of other states, they are improving, thanks to more funding in the system. However, challenges remain, as future funding to maintain the new construction, critical to upkeep, will also be needed to make payments on current road bonding.

Annalise Frank of Axios Detroit chats with Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher about the recent announcement by District Detroit developers that construction on their 17-story office building would be delayed. The codevelopers, New York-based The Related Cos. and the Ilitch organization's Olympia Development of Michigan, are instead changing the order of their 10 proposed District Detroit projects, moving up one of the planned new hotels as well as one of the residential buildings. Lupher has noted that, given the Ilitches' reputation for overpromising and underdelivering, some public skepticism is expected, but that the “resequencing” of the order makes sense, given the very difficult environment for financing office space. As Frank has reported: the city is banking on the $1.5 billion megadevelopment from the Ilitches' Olympia Development and billionaire Stephen Ross' Related Cos. to help downtown grow and attract new businesses, which includes three new office building projects. Under the new

Gongwer News Service reporter Lily Guiney sat down with Research Council health analyst Karley Abramson to discuss Michigan’s shortage of primary care providers (PCP) and how expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners would help address the shortage, which is projected to get worse in the coming years. On March 20, medical professionals from around the state gathered in a Senate committee room to testify on both sides of legislation that would expand the scope of Nurse Practitioner services, allowing greater independence for NPs to treat patients and address healthcare needs. Michigan has among the most restrictive scope of services for nurse practitioners.

Michigan can and should encourage healthier, more livable communities, sustainable development, desirable affordable housing, and public transit by getting rid of parking mandates. Governor Whitmer’s Growing Michigan Together Council established a need to 'create thriving, resilient communities' as part of a strategy to grow Michigan’s population and improve our economic prospects. Municipal parking mandates stand directly in the way of this goal.

Detroit Free Press reporter Arpan Lobo guest hosts the Facts Matter podcast, produced by the Citizens Research Council. Arpan, who recently wrote about Consumers Energy getting the OK to bury power lines in 6 Michigan counties, interviews Citizens Research Council analyst Eric Dennis, who issued a report this time last year about the benefits of undergrounding electrical lines but, that without a coherent state policy to enable it, it will not happen. It’s rarely considered due to cost considerations that assume the utility will bear the full cost. However, as Dennis argues, the cost can be mitigated if undergrounding is done in collaboration with others. Listen to Lobo and Dennis discuss this and how Michigan should pursue policies that facilitate and compel multi-agency ‘dig-once’ project coordination to underground distribution lines.

Over the 2020 to 2050 period, Michigan’s school-age population is expected to fall from 1.58 million to 1.48 million children. This will fuel a continuation of a two-decades-long decline in the number of students enrolled in public schools. As individual schools confront further enrollment declines and the exhaustion of one-time federal COVID relief aid at the end of 2024, many will face the prospect of whether to close buildings with lower enrollments to ensure their long-term fiscal stability.

Michigan lawmakers recently approved $114 million from the state School Aid Fund to pay off the legacy debts of several local school systems that previously faced serious financial distress. Some districts received the relief, others did not. This represents a moral hazard, signaling to some districts that they will not be held responsible for solving any future financial problems. Taxpayers should demand a cohesive, transparent strategy for determining who receives debt relief. Because the current situation is unfair to both students and taxpayers in districts that receive no relief.

Michigan is likely to continue to be rated as one of the worst states for government ethics, transparency, and accountability. Proposal 1, a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2022, required the ethics reform (financial disclosure) legislation to be enacted by December 31. While the new law meets the bare minimum standards set by Proposal 1, Michigan is likely to continue to be rated as one of the worst states for government ethics, transparency, and accountability. Because of several major loopholes in reporting for elected officials and candidates for office were left unaddressed in the legislation, “sunlight” on elected officials financial conflicts will be intentionally dimmed important information will continue to be shielded from public view. The lack of substantive financial disclosure requirements for top state officeholders is part of the reason Michigan receives an “F” and ranks at the bottom of states in terms of government ethics, transparency, and accountability by the Center for

Maureen McNulty-Saxton talks to Citizens Research Council Research Associate for Local Affairs Chelsea Dowler https://crcmich.org/four-elements-of-better-housing-policy In a Nutshell - Many housing affordability and equity issues are rooted in car reliance, disinvestment in the urban core, and reliance on underfunded and inefficient federal housing programs. - A housing production program must tackle root causes to adequately address housing affordability and equity over the long term. - The state government should provide rent assistance to low-income households and prioritize repairing vacant/blighted homes, housing that facilitates placemaking, and housing in areas where residents won’t be overburdened by transportation costs.

Guest Host Estelle Slootmaker, who recently reported on this issue for SecondWave Media Michigan, interviews Research Council Analyst Karley Abramson. In a nutshell: - Health care to prisoners is a costly endeavor, yet the Michigan Department of Corrections does not adequately assess whether it meets its legal obligations to prisoners in the most cost-effective way. - Three important questions are currently unknowable: Are Michigan prisoners being taken care of up to the constitutional standards that the state is supposed to meet? Is the care being provided efficiently? And is it the best use of taxpayer money? - Improving quality of care and maximizing cost-effectiveness of the prison health care system requires a significant amount of data to identify and understand potential cost-drivers. - Since every resident in Michigan has a stake in the quality and efficiency of the prison health care system, the state should ensure that the relevant data regarding prisoner health and spending be made available to

While property tax relief for residents and businesses is needed, the split-rate tax proposal may fail to achieve its objective of added economic vibrancy. In its function as a penalty to land speculation, it may have the unintended effect that it worsens the city’s issue with abandoned and vacant land. - Currently, under consideration by the state Legislature is a bill that would permit Detroit to levy its version of a land value tax. - The so-called split-rate tax proposal would split the levy between land and built structures, with a higher tax on land to incentivize development and disincentivize land speculation. - The added penalty to land speculation could worsen the city’s problems with vacant land if speculators decide to abandon property rather than pay more in taxes or develop the land. Guest Host Malachi Barrett, reporter with Bridge Detroit, chats with James Tatum, Detroit bureau director.

The Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan’s population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan O

The Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan’s population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oost

The Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan’s population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oost

The Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan’s population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oost

The Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison commissioned Citizens Research Council of Michigan and Altarum* to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of Michigan’s population, economic and environmental conditions to help answer a fundamental question: In what direction is Michigan heading? Citizens Research Council was thrilled to work with Bridge Michigan as guest hosts for this special series of podcasts covering this five-part research series, entitled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The analysis found that Michigan has been losing ground over the past five decades. It has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels. Too few interstate immigrants target Michigan as a destination, international immigration has fallen, and too many young Michigan residents are leaving. Research Council analysts sat down with Bridge Michigan journalists Jonathan Oost

Lawmakers insert historic $1.3 billion in hidden budget earmarks –or pet projects -- two-thirds at the last minute! How is this allowed? Detroit News Reporter Beth LeBlanc and Sr. Research Bob Schneider dive into the murky world of state budget earmarking

Local governments across Michigan have enacted ordinances regulating tenant screening, just-cause evictions, and providing the right to counsel for an eviction proceeding. The localization of tenant protections leave some renters vulnerable to eviction and housing instability. Can Michigan enact statewide tenant protections? Chelsea Dowler and Maureen McNulty-Saxton discuss on the Facts Matter podcast.