Citizens Research Council of Michigan

Revisiting the 1998 Seminal Bolt Decision - Citizens Research Council of Michigan In a Nutshell: As we have highlighted frequently, Michigan’s local governments face significant challenges in sustaining local revenues to fund the public services they provide. The challenges stem fr...

Michigan's policy and politics often centers around a State Supreme Court decision from 1998 that set guidelines for how the government could institute a tax.

crcmich.org/revisiting-t...

Northville loses fight to keep COVID-era on-street dining in downtown

www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...

Regulation of Large Livestock Farms is Not Working for Farmers or the Environment - Citizens Research Council of Michigan Concentrated animial feed lots, sometimes called 'factory farms,' pose a unique challenge for environmental regulators.

CRC's latest issue brief highlights the importants of providing Michigan's Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) with the funding necessary to protect Michigans water resources. crcmich.org/cafopermitti...

Table of CRC's State Road Funding Index, ranking Michigan as 28th overall.

Time-series line graph of nominal and inflation adjusted road funding for Michigan from 2004 to 2024. The 2024 funding is at a historical high for this period, including when adjusting for inflation.

In the context of the ongoing budget debate, our testimony reads: "This is not a moment of crisis. Michigan’s road program is now reasonably well funded."

www.house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/Tran...

UPDATE: Our testimony was finally posted to the September 17th meeting. Find all testimony before the House State Local Transportation Committee here: www.house.mi.gov/hfa/Stateand...

Evaluating Local-Option Admission Taxes in Michigan Cities - Citizens Research Council of Michigan This study focuses on Michigan cities that could use revenues from an admissions tax to offset the costs for providing the public services needed to support these venues and their visitors, to provide...

ICYMI, CRC's recent report explores the potential for local governments to support essential public services through an admissions [ticket] tax. Michigan is one of the few states that doesn't use this.

crcmich.org/publications...

Without renewal of healthcare tax credits, premiums expected to jump 70% - Citizens Research Council of Michigan Karley Abramson, health policy associate for the Research Council, speaks with Guy about her most recent paper, which details how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would likely result in about 200,000 fe...

New podcast! Karley Abramson, health policy associate, speaks about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will impact Michiganders' health care.

crcmich.org/podcast/with...

NEW: Many Michigan school districts to eat cost of school lunch as state budget remains in flux

www.detroitnews.com/story/news/l...

NEW: Ex-Gov. Rick Snyder pours cold water on ⁦‪Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s‬⁩ independent bid for governor

A surprising member of Snyder’s inner circle rejects his “relentless positive action” to fix the GOP.

www.detroitnews.com/story/opinio...

Close to 5M could become uninsured if Congress doesn’t extend subsidies, report says • Michigan Advance Without congressional action, more than 7 million people who buy their health insurance on Affordable Care Act marketplaces would pay much higher premiums next year. Close to 5 million of them wouldn’...

A new analysis found that without congressional action, more than 7 million people who buy their health insurance on Affordable Care Act marketplaces would pay much higher premiums next year, with nearly 5 million unable to absorb the price hike.

From @stateline.org

Upcoming Changes to the Affordable Care Act Tax Credits Will Also Disrupt Michigan’s Health Care System  - Citizens Research Council of Michigan In a Nutshell:  In July, major federal legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) was enacted to extend significant portions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Congress paired these...

Upcoming changes to the private ACA marketplaces are likely to lead to fewer people with health insurance and higher premiums for those who do. ...

crcmich.org/upcoming-cha...

"With more than 300 people in attendance, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan brought together elected officials, corporate leaders and community members for its annual public policy dinner."

www.freep.com/story/news/l...

Jackson Police Department hosts community blood drive The Jackson Police Department is hosting a community blood drive on Wednesday for patients in need.

The Jackson Police Department is hosting a community blood drive on Wednesday for patients in need.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Local Leaders Webinar: Waste Gone Wild and Local Enforcement. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Hidden dump piles, trash strewn property, abandoned buildings filled with junk - Local leaders make discoveries like these in their communities all the time. Recycling efforts that start out with good...

Michigan's Environmental Regulator (EGLE) is hosting a webinar on October 16th about how to report illegal dumping and nuisance issues. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Michigan Needs a Watershed-based Approach to Address Water Pollution and Urban Flooding - Citizens Research Council of Michigan Without fundamental reform to water resources management, Michigan will fail the next generation of Michiganders.

crcmich.org/dennis_water...

The MI House Subcommittee on State and Local Transportation has declined to acknowledge written testimony that we submitted to the July 30, 2025 hearing. Read the censored testimony here:

drive.google.com/file/d/1O6US...

Investments in At-Risk Student Funding Slow to Improve Third Grade Reading - Citizens Research Council of Michigan New analysis of at-risk student funding shows districts receiving increased per-pupil funding making relative improvements in early literacy.

crcmich.org/investments-...

Undergrounding Electrical Lines is an Option to Prevent Power Outages, but State Policy is Needed to Better Enable the Practice - Citizens Research Council of Michigan State policy is needed to underground power lines and reduce storm-related outages.

"The socioeconomic costs of power outages have not traditionally been considered in utility service planning and regulation. ..."

crcmich.org/dennis_digon...

Evaluating Local-Option Admission Taxes in Michigan Cities - Citizens Research Council of Michigan This study focuses on Michigan cities that could use revenues from an admissions tax to offset the costs for providing the public services needed to support these venues and their visitors, to provide...

Livonia, MI, Sept. 3, 2025 – The Citizens Research Council of Michigan today released a study examining how an admissions tax on sports and entertainment venues could help offset some of the costs of providing public services that support these venues and their visitors.

crcmich.org/publications...

No More Free Lunch for All: Lack of State Budget Already Impacting Some Schools – and Kids - Citizens Research Council of Michigan The continued lack of certainty about Michigan’s K-12 budget, due to its not being passed, has already prompted at least one notable district, Okemos, to discontinue its universal school meals program...

In the latest #FactsMatter podcast, Research Director Craig Thiel talks about uncertainty in school budgets and potential loss of the free meals program.

crcmich.org/podcast/no-m...

In the Weeds: A Deep Dive into Road Funding and Road Quality - Citizens Research Council of Michigan Announcing “In the Weeds,” a new occasional podcast from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan Universe. As described by our host, broadcast giant Guy Gordon, % % is for “those who are a little wo...

Announcing “In the Weeds,” a new podcast from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. The inaugural episode goes in the weeds on the history and current dysfunction of Michigan road funding.

crcmich.org/podcast/in-t...

Other States Get Bigger Bang for Their Road Funding Buck; MI Roads Stuck at 40th in the US - Citizens Research Council of Michigan Veteran broadcast journalist Guy Gordon speaks with award-winning infrastructure analyst for the Citizens Research Council, Eric Paul Dennis, about his latest update on Michigan’s road conditions and ...

In the latest "Facts Matter" podcast, Guy Gordon speaks with Eric Paul Dennis on the current state of road funding in Michigan.

crcmich.org/podcast/othe...

Michigan House appropriations chair says its budget will be done as soon as next week • Michigan Advance After months of infighting and barbs thrown at the opposite respective chambers of the Michigan Legislature, the state’s House of Representatives appears poised to release the rest of its budget plan ...

The Republican House's plan was described as “responsible” with an embrace of national Republican talking points like eliminating waste and reallocating resources – likely through cuts that legislative Democrats would outright oppose.

Story by @bensolis1.bsky.social

michiganadvance.com?p=95697

Table shows summary results of an index scoring approach to rank states' road funding using federally-reported data from 2013-2022. The first column compares states by funding per centerline-mile of public road. The second column compares states by lane-mile of public road. The third column compares states by funding per-capita. The fourth column compares states by funding per truck VMT. The final column compares states overall funding levels, based on a composite index score that is a simple average of the four component index scores.

See where your state ranks in the latest Citizen's Research Council of Michigan (@crcmich.bsky.social) latest road funding assessment...

crcmich.org/2025roadfund...

Michigan faces $1.1B in FY2026 cuts.
#OBBBA adds $1B+ in Medicaid & SNAP costs.
Infrastructure? Slashed. Core services? At risk.
Read our OBBBA analysis here: tinyurl.com/j6bf8ujd
Medicaid Impact: tinyurl.com/3sz39xw5
#MichiganBudget #FactsMatter #OBBBA
Support Our Work here! crcmich.org/donate

This report by my colleague Bob Schneider has made a lot of news lately. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is going to put real pressure on state budgets. We estimate a $1.1 billion impact for Michigan’s next fiscal year, which starts October 1.