Public Sector Reports 1993

Public Policy Advisor

A periodic series that examines such subjects as fiscal and tax policy, health and environmental issues, and education policy and offers commentary on current or emerging political, social, and policy issues.

• Biennial Budgeting
  by Robert Kleine
  Examines the pros and cons of annual versus biannual budgeting for state government and suggests that the latter could be advantageous for Michigan.
  January 15
• Local Government Cooperation: Voluntary Formal Arrangements
  by Frances Spring
  Explores the benefits of cooperation—as opposed to competition—among local governments and the implications for both public and private sectors. Discusses four voluntary arrangements possible in Michigan: regional councils, metropolitan councils, shared services, and tax base sharing.
  February 5
• Michigan Expenditures and Revenues: Comparisons with Other States, FY 1990–91
  by Robert Kleine and Laurie A. Cummings
  Compares Michigan expenditures and revenues in twenty-three areas (e.g., per capita state-local welfare expenditures) to those of twelve other states and the national average.
  April 16
• Overview and Analysis of the Governor’s Recommended Budget for Michigan, Fiscal Years 1993–94 and 1994–95
  by Robert Kleine and Frances Spring
  Examines and comments on the governor’s budget recommendations and the economic and revenue assumptions on which they are based.
  April 23
• Michigan’s Future: The Need for Public Investment
  by Gerald Faverman, Ph.D., Robert Kleine, and Nancy Hammond
  Examines national and state public investment spending and comments on Michigan’s needs. Focuses primarily on physical infrastructure but also touches on human capital (including training) and intangible capital (including research and development).
  May 7
• Proposal A: Last Chance for School Finance Reform?
  by Robert Kleine
  Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of passing Proposal A, a ballot question regarding the method by which Michigan K–12 education is funded and analyzes the key issues involved.
  May 14
• Cashing in on a Service Economy: Expanding the Sales Tax
  by Robert Kleine
  Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using services, reviews the experience of other states, and estimates the amount of revenue that such taxation could raise in Michigan.
  July 17 1992; reissued June 25, 1993
• Great Lakes Water Quality Regulation: Past and Present
  by Leslie Wells
  Describes the history and characteristics of many of the environmental programs, initiatives and agreements established to regulate the Great Lakes, of which the Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance (drafted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) is the latest.
  July 23
• The Michigan Sales Tax: Reconsidering Its Role in a Balanced Tax System
  by Alec Rodney and Robert Kleine
  Discusses the history and role of the sales tax in Michigan. Presents the advantages and disadvantages of its use, its revenue history and performance, and the cost of exemptions. Compares its performance to other taxes in the Michigan system and also to other states’ sales tax performance. Explains how increasing the tax could better balance the Michigan tax system without putting the state at a disadvantage in comparison to neighboring states.
  September 17
• The Governor’s School Finance Reform Plan: An Analysis
  by Robert Kleine
  November 1
  
• Overview and Analysis of the Michigan Budget, Fiscal Year 1993-94
  by Robert Kleine, Laurie A. Cummings, and Alec R. Rodney
  November 1
• The Michigan Single Business Tax: Burden or Benefit?
  by Robert Kleine
  November 12

Michigan Roundup

A one-page summary of Michigan legislative activity and political news of significance to government operations, public policy, and voter attitudes. Published weekly during legislative sessions and intermittently during legislative recesses.

• January 14 and 22 and 28
• February 4 and 11 and 18
• March 4 and 11 and 19 and 25
• April 19 and 23 and 30
• May 6 and 13 and 20 and 28
• June 3 and 11 and 18 and 25
• July 2 and 9 and 16 and 23
• September 10 and 24
• October 1 and 7 and 14 and 21
• December 2 and 9 and 15

Health Policy Bulletin

A monthly publication that provides analysis of important health care issues under consideration by the legislature, executive branch, and professional associations.

Written by Peter Pratt, Ph.D., Frances L. Faverman, and Corina Andorfer

• MDPH and Health Policy and Impaired Health Professionals,
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D. and Corina Andorfer
  Reports on an interview with the director and the policy, planning, and evaluation chief of the Michigan Department of Public Health about departmental priorities for 1993. Also reports on steps the state and professional organizations are taking to deal with health professionals who have chemical dependency problems.
  January
• Up to Our Eyeballs in Policy Works and Alain Enthoven,
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Reports on the speech of and local panel reaction to Lawrence Brown, dean of the School of Public Health, Columbia University, talking on the national politics of health care reform. Also reports on a speech by Alain Enthoven, the originator of managed competition, a means to control health care costs.
  February
• Our First AHP, CCN, or CCP? and The Increasing Concentration of Health Care Expenditures
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Discusses a health care plan that features core integrated delivery systems, capitated rates for all services, and incentives to members to stay within it. Also discusses which groups of users account for the highest proportion of health care expenditures and the implications for the health care system.
  March
• Powers that Be-The Public Health Committee and Women’s Health Care
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Reports on the areas of agreement and disagreement between the two leaders of the Michigan House of Representatives Committee on Public Health. Also reports on a conference dealing with women’s health care issues, including the past exclusion of women from major studies to test the effectiveness of therapies for conditions that affect both genders.
  April
• House Democratic Health Plans
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Describes two state health care plans presented by state representatives.
  May
• State Health Care Reform, Round Two and Republican Health Care Task Force
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Presents a comparison of one Democratic state health care plan with the governor’s position on health care reform. Also reports on the formation of a state House Republican task force to look at the health care delivery system and draft proposals for reform.
  June
• Physician Organizations and Thoughts about Health Care Reform
  by Frances L. Faverman
  Reports on the evolution of two new entities, physician organizations (POs) and physician hospital organizations (PHOs); both in response to the growth of managed care, which has eroded physician ability to set the terms of medical practice. Also reports on the reaction of four players and purchasers in health care to state and federal reform activity.
  July
• Bill Care Reform and A Different View of Health Care Costs
  by Frances L. Faverman and Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  Reports on a speech by the president of the Health Insurance Association of America on health care reform from his organization’s perspective. Also reviews a report by the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research about annual health care expenses and payment sources.
  August
• An Interview with Dennis Schornack
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  Reports on an interview with Gov. John Engler’s senior policy advisor about health care reform in Michigan.
  September
• Health Care Reform and Michigan and The Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act
  by Corina Andorfer
  October
• The Revised Clinton Plan
  November
• The Public Health Advisory Council and Medicaid and the Clinton Plan
  December

Michigan Economic Bulletin

A monthly review of economic indicators, state revenue receipts, appropriations and tax developments, and sources of additional information. Each issue contains an article of special focus, and each quarter a special insert analyzes economic data for ea of the seven Michigan regions.

Written by Robert J. Kleine, Frances Spring, Laurie A. Cummings, and Alec Rodney.

• Regional Economic Forecast and Increases in U.S. Productivity about Average
  January
• Many States Avert Tax Hikes in FY 1992
  February
• New Hope for U.S. Automakers: Japanese Market Share Falls
  March
• Economic Forecast and Changes in U.S. Manufacturing Create Challenges for Rural Areas
  April
• Michigan Per Capita Income Improves
  May
• Michigan’s Economy Gains on Other States
  June
• Regional Economic Forecast and Growth in U.S. Labor Cost Trails Europe, Japan
  July
• Economic Forecast and Michigan Stands Out on Finance Reform But Not Economic Developement
  August
• Do Community College Educations Pay Off
  September
• States Lose Their Reservations About Gambling and Governor Proposes Major Education Reform; Michigan Enacts 1993–94 State Budget
  October
• Tax Effort and Tax Capacity Measures for Michigan and School Finance Reform
  November
• Michigan Economic Forecast and Surprise! Government Employment Is Rising and School Reform Progress; Merit Pay for State Employees
  December

Michigan Commentary

A periodic publication that offers insight into current or emerging political, social, and policy issues.

• A Naive and Immodest Proposal
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  In anticipation of a federal effort at health care reform, calls for special interests to work for the common good. Argues that several of the major ideological divisions in the health care debate (for example, health care as a right versus health care as a privilege) are specious.
  January 8
• An Institution in Peril
  by Gerald A. Faverman, Ph.D.
  Remarks on the public’s disquietude and anger with the Michigan Legislature, intensified by the House Fiscal Agency scandal. Urges openness, reorganization, and a shift in focus from the politics of appropriations to the tasks of policy making and strategic planning.
  January 22
• Representative Richard A. Young: A Profile
  by David L. Kimball
  Takes a look at Rep. Dick Young (D-Dearborn Heights), one of the longest-serving members of the Michigan House of Representatives and likely to become co-chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee.
  February 7
• Reforming the Michigan Tax System
  by Robert Kleine
  Makes the case that a large portion of Michigan’s continuing budget problems can be traced to an inadequate state revenue system. Recommends ways to make the state tax structure more responsive to economic growth, able to produce revenue sufficient to fund an adequate level of public services, more equitable and simple, and more balanced among the major revenue sources, yet maintain an overall burden close to the national average.
  February 12
• The President’s Economic Program: The Right Medicine?
  by Robert Kleine
  Discusses President Clinton’s economic plan—why the program is needed and the potential short- and long-range implications for the U.S. economy.
  February 26
• Public Involvement: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Uncertainty
  by David Gruber
  Presents the case for public involvement in the decision making and implementation processes of public and private institutions, including government. Puts forth characteristics and steps required.
  March 5
• Shared Sacrifice, 3-D Glasses, Certificate of Need, and Hillary
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  Makes observations about issues prominent at the 1992 Michigan Department of Public Health Director’s Conference on regional health systems, attended by many of the nation’s and state’s leading health policy makers.
  March 12
• Recodify Environmental and Natural Resource Management Laws in Twelve Months: An Unreasonable Expectation?
  by Jack D. Bails
  Describes the charge to the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Code Commission and implores it to take the broad view of its task.
  March 12
• The Politics of 1993: Renaissance of Action
  by Craig Ruff
  Opines that 1993 looms as an active year for policy making at both federal and state levels, in contrast to a decade of partisan stalemate in both Washington and Lansing.
  March 19
• Governor Engler and Health Care Reform in Michigan
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  Examines the governor’s reaction to President Clinton’s managed competition reform proposal and the likelihood of state-initiated comprehensive reform.
  April 2
• Telecommunications Technologies
  by Craig Ruff
  Reflects on the telecommunications technologies-wires, gadgets, and gizmos, that fascinate and/or temfy and stupefy and/or serve people in their workplaces and homes. Makes some practical suggestions for understanding, using, and living with integrated technology.
  April 2
• Reinventing Michigan Government
  by State Representative H. Lynn Jondahl
  Presents views on ways to improve how Michigan state government works. Suggests implementation of three budgetfiscal processes that can be applied to most major issues and problems
  April 9
• Proposal A: Our Last Best Chance
  by Gerald A. Faverman, Ph.D.
  Supports the passage of a ballot question to change the method of financing Michigan public schools.
  May 21
• Term Limits and New Political Realities
  by Craig Ruff and William Rustem
  Comments on the changes to the Michigan Legislature wrought by term limitation and speculates on long-term ramifications.
  June 4
• Beyond Proposal A
  by Craig Ruff and Robert Kleine
  Examines the dynamics of the defeat by voters of the ballot question to change school financing and the effect on school funding and reform.
  June 11
• Playing Chicken with America’s Future
  by Robert Kleine
  Opines that much of the debate in Congress about the president’s plan to reduce the federal deficit is based on myths and examines them.
  June 18
• The Role of Public Involvement in Accomplishing Community Change
  by David Gruber
  Discusses the concept of the ideal community as it exists in people’s minds and the threat posed by change, and suggests how public involvement can minimize conflict between the public and the leading brokers of changebusiness and government.
  July 9
• What’s All the Fuss about Restricting Choice of Physicians?
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D.
  Suggests that patient allegiance to doctors is weakening and discusses the role of performance information and cost considerations in physician choice.
  July 30
• Exploring the Unknown: A New Approach to School Finance Reform
  by Robert Kleine
  Examines some of the possible implications of the legislature’s and the governor’s repeal of property taxes for school operating purposes without enactment of replacement revenue. Presents options for replacing the school property tax, for distributing the replacement funds, and for reforming Michigan’s system of K–12 education.
  August 6
• Playing Public Poker for High Stakes
  by Gerald A. Faverman, Ph.D., and David L. Kimball
  Comments on the formidable task of fixing the education and tax systems of the state in the aftermath of the abolition of property taxes for school operations and suggests that state leaders’ actions will be measured in the future as a test of their courage and vision.
  August 13
• Public Money for Private Education: The Ghost of 1970
  by Robert H. Longstaff, Affiliated Consultant
  October 1
  
• Miles to Go and Promises to Keep: Clinton’s Health Care Plan
  by Peter Pratt, Ph.D., Vice President, Health Policy
  October 15
  
• School Finance Reform Will Affect All Local Governments
  by Robert Kleine, Vice President and Senior Economist. and Janet L. Lazar, Affiliated Consultant
  October 22
  
• Political Musings
  by Craig Ruff, President and Senior Consultant for Public Policy
  November 12
• The Cooperation Conundrum: Participatory Management, Insecurity, and Power
  by Michael French Smith, Senior Consultant for Public Policy
  December 3
  
• The Facts, Fears, and Politics of Crime
  by Craig Ruff, President
  December 30

Public Opinion Monitor

A periodic publication that reports results from our own statewide polls of public opinion on issues of the day and analyzes the implications. Most include trend data on the governor’s and legislature’s approval ratings, economic confidence of the public, and respondents’ political party affiliation.

• Renewed Hope and Changing Times
  by William Sederburg, Ph.D.
  Reports and analyzes poll respondents’ reactions to the results of the November 1992 general elections.
  January
• The Time is Now for Health Care Reform
  by William Sederburg, Ph.D.
  Summary of an April 1993 Public Opinion Monitor Survey. (survey instrument)
  April
• The Public on Proposal A
  by William Sederburg, Ph.D.
  Analysis of a statewide public opinion survey on Proposal A. (survey instrument)
  May
• The Time Is Now for Health Care Reform
  by William Sederburg, Ph.D.
  Reports Michigan residents’ attitudes about health care reform.
  June
• School Reform and the Michigan Public
  by William Sederburg, Ph.D.
  Evaluates the public’s reaction to the elimination of property taxes for K–12 operating purposes and samples opinion on replacement funding and education reform
  September