Challenges to Michigan Local Government Budgeting

Michigan has hundreds of small communities and counties with relatively simple budgets, as well as many larger local governments with complex budgets and budgeting practices. This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' views on a set of eight specific challenges that they might be facing in their jurisdiction's budgeting process, including technical or procedural financial management challenges as well as external factors outside of their control. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2025 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).