#factsmatter, the citizens research council of michigan podcast by Citizens Research Council of Michigan

In episode 8 of a series previewing what a constitutional convention (con-con) - a question on the November 2026 ballot - might address, hosts Guy Gordon and Eric Lupher of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan discuss Article VI - Judicial Branch. Michigan voters are asked every 16 years whether to hold a con-con.

In this 7th podcast on the Michigan Constitution, host Guy Gordon and Research Council President Eric continue their deep dive into the constitution’s articles and issues as voters prepare to decide in November whether to call a constitutional convention. This installment focuses on Article V, which outlines the structure and powers of the executive branch—and, as the conversation makes clear, it covers far more than the governor.

This episode of the #FactsMatter focuses on Michigan’s 2026 budget season, with Guy Gordon interviewing the Research Council's Craig Thiel and Bob Schneider.

The podcast once again delves into the Citizens Research Council’s Constitution series, examining each article of the Michigan Constitution as voters face the decision in November on whether to hold a constitutional convention (con-con).

This episode of 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.

The decline in Detroit's homicide rate is a significant and encouraging trend that reflects the city's efforts to improve public safety. However, understanding the context and the underlying factors driving these numbers is crucial.

In this 5th episode of the #FactsMatter series of podcasts covering the Constitution, host Guy Gordon speaks with Research Council President Eric Lupher about Michigan’s upcoming ballot question on whether to hold a constitutional convention. Their conversation focuses on Article III—General Government of the state constitution—a little-known but important section containing structural provisions that don’t fit neatly into the legislative, executive, or judicial branches.

Guy Gordon and Eric Lupher discuss Article II of the Michigan Constitution in the context of the upcoming November election on whether Michigan should hold a constitutional convention (aka: Con-Con).

Eric and Guy delve into Article 1 - The Declaration of Rights of the Michigan Constitution, as part of a series of podcasts looking at each element of the current state constitution before Michigan voters are asked this November whether to approve a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con).

On November 3, Michigan voters will be asked to vote on Proposal 1, which asks whether Michigan should hold a Constitutional Convention, or Con-Con, to review

Guy sits down with Eric Lupher, Citizens Research Council president, in the first episode of a series of podcasts exploring the Council’s series of papers on Michigan’s upcoming ballot question asking voters whether to hold a constitutional convention.

With March Madness just around the corner, Guy sits down with Karley Abramson to talk about her recent report: Policy Options to Hedge the Worsening Human Costs of Online Sports Betting. Karley is the Research Council’s lead research associate for health policy.

Guy chats with the Research Council’s Detroit office director Doug Ortiz and Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher about the Detroit February revenue estimating conference (REC) and what it portends for Mayor Sheffield’s first executive budget. Detroit’s fiscal year begins on July 1, 2026.

Just two weeks after digesting the details of Governor Whitmer’s final Executive Budget proposal, one thing is certain: it’s going to be a very interesting watch as Michigan policymakers tackle and negotiate the fiscal year 2027 budget. Senior Research Council staff Craig Thiel and Bob Schneider chat with Guy Gordon, walking through some of the most consequential pressure points as lawmakers craft a budget that will pass both chambers and be signed by the Governor.

Eric Paul Dennis, research associate for infrastructure at the Citizens Research Council, joins Guy Gordon for the first podcast of 2026. Earlier this week, Dennis’ research brief, How the 2025 Transportation Funding Package Accidentally Cut Road Funding in FY2026, contrasted the promise of new funding in the current fiscal year with the reality.

In this episode of the Facts Matter podcast, host Guy Gordon and infrastructure specialist Eric Paul Dennis discuss the recent road funding package passed in Michigan. While the potential for increased funding, if the estimated revenue is achieved, could lead to significant improvements in road conditions, uncertainty about revenue estimates can hinder long-term planning for road agencies. Only 30% of the new road funding revenues are guaranteed.

Guy sits down with Karley Abramson, research associate for health policy, to talk about the seriously high level of poor health among Michiganders, a level showing increasing signs of further deterioration.

A Research Council Podcast Roundtable: Michigan’s 2025 Budget Breakdown

Guy Gordon and Bob Schneider, Citizens Research Council’s senior research associate for state affairs, look at what is in the final state budget, signed into law this week by Governor Whitmer, from both the 30,000 foot level and the nitty gritty level, digging into some of the elements that didn’t receive much attention.

Karley Abramson, health policy associate for the Research Council, speaks with Guy about her most recent paper, Upcoming Changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Tax Credits Will Also Disrupt Michigan’s Health Care System, which details how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would likely result in about 200,000 fewer Michiganders having health care, including about 100,000 who will become uninsured because Congress did not renew or extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit (EPTC). The other half are expected to become uninsured due to new administrative requirements that may create barriers to people qualifying for EPTC.

Guy speaks with Senior Research Director Craig Thiel about his recent issue brief looking at Michigan’s efforts to improve early literacy among low-income students, with increased funding and accountability measures. Unfortunately, while the data is still relatively new, the state’s efforts are not yielding hoped-for results.

Guy and Eric Lupher delve into the weeds, discussing the pros and cons — more pros — of allowing local units of government in Michigan to have a local tax option. Michigan is one of just a few states that doesn't allow local governments to levy a local tax without state legislative approval. Most states, including those with conservative leadership such as Indiana and Ohio, provide multiple means for their local governments to raise revenue for their local communities.

Guy Gordon chats with Citizens Research Council president Eric Lupher about his 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.

#FactsMatter host Guy Gordon chats with Craig Thiel, Research Director for the Citizens Research Council, who first wrote about the impact of state budget uncertainty on Michigan’s $200 million School Meals program back in June –before passage of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Michigan’s two-year-old School Meals program guaranteed universal access to free school breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students across the state, regardless of their income status.

Put on your tick spray because we are headed into the weeds! 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, In the Weeds is for “those who are a little wonkier, a little nerdier, and who want to dive deeper” into public policy issues discussed on our regular #FactsMatter podcast.

Veteran newscast journalist Guy Gordon speaks with award-winning infrastructure analyst for the Citizens Research Council, Eric Paul Dennis, about his latest update on Michigan’s roads conditions and funding levels. Their conversation covered a lot of, ahem, road, including m road conditions haven’t improved; road funding slightly improved; the challenges of creating a national road funding and pavement quality index; reasons for shortfalls and inefficiencies, the challenges of reforming Michigan’s primary road funding law, Public Act 51 and so much more. Dennis created the State Road Funding Index, using several federal datasets and methods of analysis to create a first-of-its-kind method to quantify and rank each U.S. state’s road funding.

Budget Currently Being Hashed Out by Legislators to Decline by $1.1 Billion; OBBBA to Eat 40% of Expected General Fund Growth by FY2032

As policymakers in Washington debate major legislation that, as written, would significantly reduce federal spending on Medicaid, Citizens Research Council released a brief primer on Medicaid in Michigan and the impact of those proposed cuts.

Happy CREC Day! Catch up quickly with Research Council Director Craig Thiel and Senior Research Associate for State Affairs Bob Schneider as they take a few minutes to highlight key takeaways from Michigan's Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC), held Friday, May 16.

Detroit News politics editor and columnist Chad Livengood sits down with Citizen Research Council’s infrastructure analyst Eric Paul Dennis, PE, discussing the Research Council’s most recently released, 86-page paper: "Data-Driven Assessment of Michigan’s Road Program" which makes the case that Michigan legislators should overhaul the way the state divvies up money for road improvements.

Vic McCarty of the Vic McCarty Morning Show, WTCM Traverse City, interviews Eric Lupher, president of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, which last week released novel research making the case that much more work is needed on the road funding issue than just securing more resources for roads and bridges.

Infrastructure research associate Eric Paul Dennis and senior research associate for state affair Bob Schneider catch up with Clara Hendrickson, politics reporter for the Detroit Free Press, to discuss the state of Michigan’s roads, the latest two road funding “frameworks” put forward by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Speaker Matt Hall, how they differ and who or what the different revenue-raising proposals would hit the hardest.

John Lindstrom and Bob Schneider discuss a topic that has been popping up increasingly among Michigan lawmakers lately: transparency and reforming the use of budget earmarks … especially “11th hour” earmarks.

On this week's FactsMatter podcast, hear Citizens Research Council Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider and Ryan Wrecker of WWJ Radio in Detroit chat about the hot-off-the-press Executive Budget for fiscal years 2026-27. They discuss everything from "where's the road funding" to K-12, new "sin" taxes on vaping and patches to yet another initiative designed to cast more sunshine and transparency on state budget earmarks ... aka: pork projects. Catch up on it all in just 25 minutes!

Citizens Research Council Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider sat down today with Research Director Craig Thiel following today’s Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) to discuss updated economic and revenue forecasts and analyze what they could mean for Michigan’s current and future budgets.

Citizens Research Council health policy analyst Karley Abramson is interviewed by guest host Andrew Minegar, a reporter with MIRS News. Last year, Abramson wondered why there was a stark rise in healthcare spending by the Michigan Department of Corrections, one of state government's largest general fund budgets. In subsequently published research, she discovered that there was no data to review.

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 not being funded equitably. Approximately 55 percent of schools in the state's largest districts do not receive equitable per-pupil funding at the state, local and federal levels. This is at odds with the current school funding policy priorities of Lansing officials.

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 estimates mean as lawmakers wrap up the budget as well as the budget outlook for Fiscal Year 2026.

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 been undermined by unprecedented inflation in the cost of construction. And road construction inflation is not uniform: using 2015 as a baseline year, cost increases range from 34 percent in the Upper Peninsula to 63 percent in the Detroit Metro region.

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.

There are many tough decisions on the horizon for Michigan school districts.

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.

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.

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.

Michigan can and should encourage healthier, more livable communities, sustainable development, desirable affordable housing, and public transit by getting rid of parking mandates.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Maureen McNulty-Saxton talks to Citizens Research Council Research Associate for Local Affairs Chelsea Dowler

Guest Host Estelle Slootmaker, who recently reported on this issue for SecondWave Media Michigan, interviews Research Council Analyst Karley Abramson.

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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Lawmakers insert historic $1.3 billion in hidden budget earmarks –or pet projects -- two-thirds at the last minute! How is this allowed?

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.

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 of these issues? Researcher Karley Abramson discusses with Maureen McNulty-Saxton on the Facts Matter podcast.

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. However, a new Attorney General legal opinion has determined that any rate cut would be temporary, with the rate returning to 4.25 percent for tax year 2024. Our “plain English” interpretation of what appears to be flawed statutory language also suggests the rate will very likely need to return to 4.25 percent in 2024.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 3 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 2 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan does not take positions on ballot issues. In analyzing Proposal 1 on the November 8 ballot, we hope to provide more information so that voters can make better-informed decisions in formulating their votes.

On this episode of Facts Matter, research associate Dr. Esmat Ishag-Osman discusses his recent report analyzing the FY2023 City of Detroit budget.

On February 25, the city got an update of just how much money the city budget is projected to have for the next fiscal year and annually through 2026. General Fund revenues are on course to exceed September projections by modest amounts due in part to favorably adjusted income tax revenue estimates. Projections show that the city’s fiscal recovery will benefit from employment rates of blue collar workers more than any other industry group in the city, with higher educational attainment service industries growing at the slowest rate. Research Associate Dr. Esmat Ishag-Osman talks more about it on this episode of Facts Matter.

Research Associate Jill Roof discusses how Royal Oak Township provides an example of how the design of Michigan's municipal finance system has allowed certain local governments to use ad valorem special assessments to live beyond their property tax revenue raising means. However, Royal Oak's use of these assessments is largely a byproduct of the fiscal constraints placed upon it - it literally has no other revenue raising options to fund services like fire protection and garbage disposal. Local governments like Royal Oak Township may need us to review how state law governs city incorporation and annexation and how local services are funded and provided.

We were glad to see that Governor Whitmer’s budget proposals largely take this approach and, importantly, maintain a structural balance between ongoing revenues and spending. However, the governor’s plan to use the $3.6 billion School Aid Fund surplus skews entirely towards spending and misses an opportunity to pay down some of the state’s largest and most expensive debts.

February 2020 marks the one-year anniversary of the Michigan Reconnect Program and the state of Michigan has pointed out that 91,000 Michiganders are on a tuition-free pathway to attain degrees and skills for new opportunities that lead to rewarding careers.

All large cities use municipal bonds to fund capital improvements such as construction of roads, bridges, schools, highways, water and sewer systems and for other purposes. This blog provides a comparative analysis of Detroit’s debt to that of some of its peer cities. It compares Detroit against similar cities’ bond ratings and creditworthiness as a way to understand debt sizing relative to a municipal tax base and local government spending.

Michigan is in danger of squandering a historical opportunity to leverage a windfall of transportation funding. The current distribution formula determined by Act 51 of 1951 is not only unrepresentative of current needs, but the entire legal framework has become inscrutable. Act 51 and the myriad of associated codes must be repealed and replaced with a contemporary approach to make sustainable improvements in the condition of the state transportation system.

Research Director Craig Thiel talks about how Michigan Schools will receive a combined $6 billion in federal COVID relief through The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) once the latest round of funding is released to the state's 830+ traditional public and charter public school districts next month.

Research Associate Tim Michling talks about how Michigan has fallen short on providing quality and equity in mental health care access and what legislatures in Lansing can do to turn that stigma around.

Research Director Craig Thiel explains his findings on the growing budget with Michigan schools.

President Eric Lupher provided testimony before the Michigan State Senate some changes that can be implemented to strengthen Legislative Oversight in Michigan.

Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider gives an overview of the bigger picture of the Michigan State Revenue Budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year.

CRC Research Associate Jill Roof discusses the Federal Infrastructure Act and how it affects public transportation in Michigan.

CRC Research Associate, Esmat Ishag-Osman explains Detroit's Bonded Debt and Municipal Bonds.

Craig Thiel discusses the financial improvement of DPSCD.

Citizens Research Council of Michigan Detroit Bureau Research Associate Esmat Ishag-Osman discusses and explains each of the three ballot proposals facing City of Detroit voters this November.

Jill Roof, Research Associate for Local Affairs, discusses the new report from the Research Council exploring the impacts of limitations on municipal taxes, including the Headlee Amendment and Proposal A - as well a exploring what the world would look like if neither existed

Citizens Research Council of Michigan Senior Research Associate Bob Schneider and and Council President Eric Lupher discuss the state budget surplus and the decisions in front of the state legislature for the next fiscal year.

Citizens Research Council Research Associate Tim Michling discusses the recently-released report on the Youth Mental Health Crisis in Michigan. Then Detroit Bureau Research Associate Esmat Ishag-Osman provides an update on the status of the Detroit Charter Commission.

Citizens Research Council of Michigan President Eric Lupher discusses his thoughts on how Michigan can improve the county tax system - making it more efficient, more effective and less expensive for citizens.

Citizens Research Council of Michigan Senior Researcher Bob Schneider discusses the American Rescue Plan Act, what it means for Michigan and its potential impact on the state's income tax.

Citizens Research Council of Michigan's Research Director Craig Thiel discusses how investing the current budget surplus into paying down state debt could help the state in the long run.

Craig Thiel, research director for the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, discusses the recently passed federal stimulus, which includes funding for schools, but also the decades-old formula being used to determine where the money goes.

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan's Jill Roof and Craig Thiel discuss the length of Michigan's ballots, the number of elected offices voters are asked to decide, and a look at a state board which could lead the way to change.

Research Director Craig Thiel discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic is shining a light on the Michigan school employment shortage

Citizens Research Council of Michigan Research Associate Tim Michling discusses the ongoing Supreme Court case involving the Affordable Care Act and its potential impact on Michigan residents.

Citizens Research Council President Eric Lupher and Research Director Craig Thiel discuss the ballot proposals before Michigan voters dealing with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and Protection of Electronic Data and Communications

Just how much trouble is Michigan's public sector in as a result of the pandemic? From schools to your local town hall, we take a look.

Sometime late this week, Michigan educators will know just how bad the funding outlook is for schools in the Pandemic Recession. We're just figuring out how to better fund education for everybody. But do we know how to cut the same way?

Rural and urban Michigan are two very different places. But when it comes to COVID-19, they're both similarly at risk.

What does the pandemic and its associated chaos portend for the city of Detroit's finances? We take a look. Also, how do you do the public's business when "public" is hazardous?

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has hit Michigan like a tsunami. How should policymakers respond? What do we know so far?

If Medicaid isn't broken, why do we keep trying to fix it? Tim Michling unpacks it.

Michigan has lots of job openings. Michigan has lots of job seekers. Why aren't they finding one another?

Flint's schools are in trouble. Is there anything to be done?

Although seasonal flu shots are low-cost, widely available and convenient, Michigan lags the country in flu vaccination rates. Why?