Public Sector Reports 1998

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.
Written by various staff members.

• The Governor’s Budget, FY 1998–99
  by Robert Kleine, Nick Khouri, and Laurie A. Cummings

  Summarizes the highlights of Governor Engler’s recommended budget for the next fiscal year. Comments on the economic assumptions on which the budget is based and mentions its more controversial recommendations.
  March 20

• Stand Up and be Counted: Demographic Issues in the Next Century
  by Laurie A. Cummings and Robert Kleine

  Highlights some trends and issues in Michigan demographics that will affect state policy in the next ten years and examines issues related to the upcoming 2000 national census.
  June 19

• Science and Leadership
  by Craig Ruff, President

  Posits that leaders must start grasping and acting on the findings of scientific research and advance. Points out that most leaders of government, business, and communities are neither educated in nor comfortable exploring, discussing, and applying the "hard" sciences (e.g., biology, physics, chemistry, geology). Argues that the hard sciences, more than the humanities (e.g., branches of knowledge concerned with thought and culture—e.g., politics, religion, education, law, business), are producing findings that will alter the ways in which people earn their living, stay healthy, and learn.
  July 2

• “Jobzilla” or “Flopzilla”? The Michigan Economy in the 1990s
  by Nick Khouri

  Takes a look at the rhetoric and the facts about Michigan’s economic performance in this decade. Describes the primary measures used to gauge economic performance, explains how data may be manipulated to support a point of view, and presents the author’s analysis of how the state economy is doing.
  August 14

• Overview and Analysis of the Michigan Budget, Fiscal Year 1998–99
  by Robert Kleine

  Describes the FY 1998–99 state budget. Included are changes from FY 1997–98 appropriations and from the governor’s recommendations as well as discussion of the effects of tight budgets.
  September 11

• Creating Good Health: It Takes a Community
  by Suzanne Miel-Uken

  Describes the growing attention to creating good health through community-organized health systems and the factors influencing this movement. Michigan’s own progress is highlighted, and steps to advance the direction are presented.
  October 16

Michigan Roundup (top)
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.
Written by David Kimball, Affiliated Consultant.

• January 23 and 30
• February 6 and 13 and 20 and 27
• March 6 and 13 and 20 and 27
• April 3 and 17 and 24
• May 1 and 8 and 15 and 22 and 29
• June 5 and 12 and 19 and 26
• July 3
• September 25
• November 13
• December 4 and 11

Michigan PeriSCope (top)
Brief commentaries and opinion pieces on issues of the day. Published periodically, sometimes in conjunction with Michigan Roundup.
Written by various staff members.

• The Best of Times: A Review of the 1980s’ Market Boom
  January 16
• Governor’s FY 1998–99 State Budget
  February 20
• Public Access to Michigan Waters
  February 27
• Green Acres: Good for Business
  March 6
• Status of the Detroit Casinos
  March 13
• Budget Surpluses as Far as the Eye Can See: Can It be True?
  April 17
• Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol
  April 24
• Inflation: How It Is Measured and What It Means
  May 1
• As Health Insurance Premiums Rise Again, Quality Can’t Be Ignored
  May 15
• Supermajority Requirements: An Idea Whose Time Should Never Come
  May 22
• Michigan State and Local Revenues and Expenditures: 1994–95 Update
  September 4
• What Goes Up Usually Comes Down
  September 18
• Single Business Tax Revisited
  October 9
• Michigan Ballot Proposal C: Clean Michigan Initiative
  October 16

Health Policy Bulletin (top)
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., Vice President and Senior Consultant for Health Care Policy, Lisa Baragar Katz, Consultant for Health Policy, and Jeff Williams, Senior Consultant.

• MIChild Plan Submitted for Federal OK

  Summarizes the state’s plan to provide health insurance children (1) aged under 19, (2) living in a family having income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and (3) ineligible for any other public health-insurance program, including Medicaid.
  January

• Proposed FY 1998–99 MDCH Budget

  Summarizes the governor’s budget recommendations for the Michigan Department of Community Health budget for the fiscal year that will begin October 1, 1998.
  February

• Health Professionals Voice Concerns about Outstate Medicaid Managed-Care Plan

  Reports on the problems that are occurring in the transition to the new way of delivering health care to Medicaid recipients.
  March

• State Officials and Legislators Finalize Children’s Health Plan

  Summarizes the revised state plan to provide health insurance for uninsured, needy youngsters.
  April

• Implementing MIChild: The Next Step

  Discusses the extent to which managed-care plans may participate in the new program.
  May

• Greater Costs, Fewer Options: Prescription Drugs in Michigan

  Discusses rising prescription drug costs/prices.
  June

• MDCH Budget Talks to Resume in September

  Summarizes the points of contention among legislative conferees in regard to the FY 1998–99 budget for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
  July

• Feds Approve Managed-Care Waivers for Behavioral Health

  Discusses the federal waivers that the State of Michigan has received to enable it to offer publicly funded behavioral-health services though managed care.
  August

• Medicaid Managed Care: A Year in Review

  Provides at overview of how far Medicaid managed care in Michigan has come during its first year of statewide implementation and where it has to go.
  September

• Patient Bill of Rights: Federal Proposals and Michigan Law

  Describes federal action (or inaction) on patient bill-of-rights legislation and summarizes Michigan’s laws and proposals dealing with the issue.
  October

• Health Care Policy in the Wake of Term Limits

  Speculates on the immediate and long-term effects that legislative term limits will have on Michigan health policy.
  November

• 1997–98 Legislative Session Comes to a Close

  Discusses the health-policy legislation proposed, passed, defeated, and enacted in the two-year legislative session ending on December 31.
  December

Michigan Economic Bulletin (top)
A monthly review of economic indicators, state revenue receipts, and appropriations and tax developments. Each issue contains current good and bad economic news, an article of special focus, a list of publications of interest, and economic news from the state capitol; in alternating quarters, a special insert presents a general economic forecast or an analysis of economic data for each of the seven Michigan regions.
Written by Robert J. Kleine, M.B.A., Vice President and Senior Economist and Laurie A. Cummings, M.S., Senior Consultant for Economic and Education Policy. (available in Acrobat^® format)

• States Cut Taxes in FY 1996–97 and Engler Splits DMB Functions
  January
• States’ Economic Growth Linked to Government Employment and Engler Announced Road Repairs and Road Privatization Has Not Paid Off and State Closes Year with Surplus and State Bond Rating Improves
  February
• 1997 County Population and Lawmakers Defeat Diesel Fuel Hike and Motorists to Receive Insurance Rebate
  March
• Income Inequity Increases and Tax Hikes May Get Tougher and State Debates School and Local Government Funding
  April
• Unemployment Picture Improves Statewide and Senate Passes Income Tax Cut and Supermajority Resolution Fails and Funding Guarantee Reaches House Floor
  May
• Not All Good-Paying Jobs Require a Degree and “Supermajority” Bills Introduced and Senate Passes Revenue Sharing Bill
  June
• Future Tax-System Challenges and Income Tax Cuts on Hold and Lawmakers pass Personal Property Tax Exemption
  July
• A New Look at Poverty Data and Attorney General Nixes Super-Majority
  August
• Gaming Sector Remains Strong
  September
• State Budget May Fare Better than Most in Future Years and SBT May become More User Friendly and Medical Income Tax Cut and Two-Year School Budget Passes
  October
• IRS Released Michigan Income Tax Data and Welfare Caseload Drops and 37 Colleges Kept Tuition to Inflation Rate
  November
• Census Bureau Releases Median Household Income Data and Income Tax Credit Approved and Revenue-Sharing Agreement Reached and Four New Indian Casinos Approved
  December

Election Watch (top)
A periodic publication of observation, speculation, and commentary about state and federal political and election-year matters. Examines key issues, the political fortunes and campaigns of candidates, and anticipates how election outcomes will affect future state public policy.
Written by Craig Ruff, M.P.P., President and Senior Consultant for Public Policy.

• Early View of the 1998 Elections
  April 10
• After the Election Filing Deadline
  June 5
• Reflections on the 1998 Primary
  August 7
• Politics as Unusual
  October 2
• An Almost Last Thought on the 1998 Elections
  October 23
• A Postmortem on the 1998 Elections
  November 6