Gongwer News administration reporter Lily Guiney speaks with Senior Research Director Craig Thiel about his recently published, novel analysis of school-level spending patterns across the largest districts in the state, showing many schools are

State Revenue Estimates Provide Smooth Sailing for Legislators to Wrap Up Budget on Time

May 20th, 2024 19m 21s

State budget officials met on May 17, 2024, to finalize state revenue estimates that will be used as guideposts for ongoing FY2025 budget deliberations. The Research Council's Bob Schneider and Craig Thiel provide insights into what the new est

Historic Levels of Road Funding Undercut by Spiking Construction Costs

May 10th, 2024 21m 53s

Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan chats with Eric Paul Dennis, research analyst specializing in infrastructure policy. While Michigan is working to ‘fix the damn roads,’ with historic levels of state and federal road funding, this effort has b

Detroit’s Extra Appropriation for City Pensioners is Warranted but Must Remain Limited

May 2nd, 2024 20m 54s

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 pensione

Enrollments Are Down, Federal Pandemic Cash is Ending: Are MI Schools Facing a COVID Funding Cliff?

Apr 25th, 2024 20m 50s

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 pan

Dashboard Jesus Busts Out All the Moves on State Roads

Apr 19th, 2024 27m 47s

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

District Detroit Development Changes Now Prioritize New Affordable and Student Housing

Apr 2nd, 2024 19m 18s

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

State Should Consider Nurse Practitioner Scope Expansion to Help Address Primary Care Dr. Shortage

Mar 28th, 2024 22m 1s

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 ad

Joni was right: paving paradise is dumb🚖 It’s past time for Michigan to end parking mandates

Mar 20th, 2024 23m 16s

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 establish

Burying power lines is expensive, however MI is nearly the worst in the US for power outages

Mar 14th, 2024 20m 50s

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 Cit

Urban/Rural School Closures Likely in Michigan Amid Aging, Stagnant Population

Jan 31st, 2024 26m 23s

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

The state gave tens of millions in debt relief to some school districts but not others. What gives?

Jan 26th, 2024 21m 43s

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. T

Will Michigan’s financial disclosure law impact conflicts in Lansing? Not likely

Dec 8th, 2023 32m 37s

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)

Four Elements of Better Housing Policy

Nov 23rd, 2023 16m 36s

Maureen McNulty-Saxton talks to Citizens Research Council Research Associate for Local Affairs Chelsea Dowlerhttps://crcmich.org/four-elements-of-better-housing-policyIn a Nutshell- Many housing affordability and equity issues are rooted

Lack of data raises questions about quality and cost effectiveness of Michigan's prison health care

Nov 17th, 2023 12m 34s

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

Detroit’s Split-Rate Tax Proposal—Concerns with Unintended Effects

Nov 10th, 2023 43m 26s

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

Michigan state and local governments

Oct 20th, 2023 25m 52s

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 qu

The state of health

Oct 20th, 2023 17m 34s

Michigan’s economy, workforce & talent

Oct 20th, 2023 19m 11s

Infrastructure, environment and climate change

Oct 20th, 2023 24m 7s

Stagnating Population

Oct 20th, 2023 17m 2s

Lawmakers Insert Historic $1.3 billion in Hidden Budget Earmarks

Sep 5th, 2023 17m

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 budg

Tenant Protections can Restore Power Balance in Landlord-Tenant Relationships

Apr 28th, 2023 14m 13s

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

Improving Health in the Mitten State: Intimate Partner Violence to Heart Disease

Apr 28th, 2023 27m 16s

Intimate Partner Violence is a serious public health concern for women in Michigan. Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the state and nationwide. Michigan has made efforts, but are there policy recommendations that could address both

Flawed Language Will Nullify Income Tax Cut in 2024

Apr 13th, 2023 17m 32s

With Michigan's financial books for FY2022 now closed, a formal announcement came last week that the state income tax rate would drop from 4.25 percent to 4.05 percent for tax year 2023 due to a rate cut trigger added to state law in 2015. Howe