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Southeast Michigan residents have a unique opportunity to provide valuable guidance to local governments and help shape the future of their communities through a regional online survey sponsored by the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) and SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. Citizens can take the online survey at www.semcog.org or www.mac-web.org. To go directly to the survey, click here.
The region continues to experience serious economic challenges. While there are positive signs that the worst may be over for the private sector, local governments still face trying times ahead due to severe declines in property values, property taxes, and state-revenue sharing. In response, local governments will need to make difficult choices regarding which services they can afford to provide to residents – as well as how to pay for these services.
Modeled after some forward-thinking communities that have already sought resident input, MAC and SEMCOG are seeking to engage citizens throughout the region to get their opinions and ideas. Results of this regional snapshot will be shared with local government leadership in Southeast Michigan who are grappling with the reality of limited resources. This input will provide support for the difficult decisions ahead, and help to focus leadership on citizen expectations and priorities.
The brief survey asks two critical questions:
- Which local government services are most important to you as a resident; and
- What actions would you support to close your community’s revenue gap in the likely event of a budget shortfall?
This is an easy way for the public to voice their opinions and have an impact on the future of their communities. “We are facing structural deficits at the state and local levels, where spending exceeds government pocketbooks. Getting critical input from residents will help to prioritize resources and support better decision making,” said Paul Tait, SEMCOG Executive Director and MAC President. “We know that some communities are already surveying their residents, but this is another opportunity to be heard. We encourage everyone to participate.”
This survey is powered by Cobalt Community Research (www.cobaltcommunityresearch.org), a Michigan-based 501c3 nonprofit research coalition with a mission to provide research and educational tools that help schools, local governments and other nonprofit member organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape.
SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of governmental units serving 4.8 million people in the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan striving to enhance the region’s quality of life.
The Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), a non-profit public/private partnership, is the only group that brings business, labor, and government together to build consensus and seek solutions to regional issues. With its partner organization SEMCOG, and the diverse perspectives of its members, MAC is uniquely positioned to be a catalyst for change and help move the region and state forward.
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