1. What reporters need to know

2.  The purpose of public affairs journalism is to give citizens the information they need to be free and self-governing.  Media serves as a watchdog on the government.

3.  Three levels - Directly involved – elected or appointed officials, staff, developers, etc. - Interested and knowledgeable. - Uninvolved unless directly affected – the NIMBY crowd.

4.  NIMBYS - Provide what they need when they want it  Interested/knowledgeable – satisfy their interest for information.  Directly involved – be a watchdog.  Translate government-speak into everyday language.

5.  Power to tax – property, income.  Spend – for public purposes.  Adopt policies.  Make laws – zoning, speed limits, etc.

6.  Counties  Townships  Municipalities – cities and villages  Special districts – library, transportation, airports, water supply, TIFA, DDA, historic  Public schools  Courts

7.  Operating and capital funds - Operating (annual budget) – pays for day-to- day operations, salaries/benefits, office supplies, heat, lights, fuel, etc. - Capital (long-range budget) – pays for big- ticket items – infrastructure, heavy equipment

8.  Legislative and executive roles - Legislative – sets policies, enacts laws, oversees executive. Elected officials. - Executive – carries out policies, enforces laws, runs day-to-day operations. City manager, county administrator, police chief.

9.  Line and staff functions - Line – external, serving citizens. Prosecutor as the county’s chief law enforcement officer. - Staff – internal, serving officials. Prosecutor as legal adviser to county board.

10.  Primarily from property tax. Some levy income tax.  Property tax = millage. - A mill – a $1 tax on each $1,000 of taxable value of land, buildings and commercial industrial machinery and equipment.

11.  Fees and charges - Recreation, sewer, water, recycling, etc. - Pay to play in schools.  Revenue sharing – state and federal  Grants

12.  Big items - Salaries and benefits – teachers, staff, retirees - Law enforcement – staff and equipment. - Capital projects – the infrastructure: buildings, streets, sewers

13.  Required by the state constitution - Budgeted expenses cannot exceed budgeted revenue. - Taxes, fees and other revenue must be set to cover anticipated expenses. - Reserves must be drawn down or money borrowed if need to balance the budget.

14.  Fund balance (or fund equity) is a term governments use to describe “rainy day” funds – savings accounts.  Some governments have policies requiring a certain amount must be set aside – 10-15 percent of the total budget is fairly common.

15.  Revenue stagnant or declining - Michigan’s economy suffering  Expenses rising – salaries, benefits, pensions, energy costs.  Struggle to strike a balance between services provided and dwindling income.

16.  Safe neighborhoods  Safe water  Garbage and sewage disposal  Roads and streets  Education of children  Planned development  Resolving legal disputes  Taxes

17.  Counties  Municipalities – cities and villages  Townships  Special districts  Public schools  Courts

18.  Basic unit of local government.  All but three states (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii) have counties.  Some are called parishes, boroughs.  Governing boards called “free holders,” supervisors, judges, jurors, commissioners.

19.  State is divided into 83 counties.  Uncentralized functions overseen by county board and semi-autonomous agencies with elected officials.  Dual role – agents of state government, unit of local government.

20.  Carry out functions the state would have to do if there were no counties. For example: - Prosecutors enforce state laws. - Registers of deeds maintain land records. - Clerks administer elections.

21.  Carry out programs that primarily benefit local populations, such as: - Local roads - Parks and recreation - Planning and development - Senior citizen services

22.  Voluntary incorporations of more densely populated territory.  Many are chartered (home rule)  Provide a wide range of services - Law enforcement - Water and sewer - Planning and development - Parks and recreation

23.  Remain with their counties - Mt. Pleasant and Shepherd residents also reside in Isabella County.  Villages remain within townships - Shepherd residents also reside in Coe Township.  Cities are withdrawn from townships - Mt. Pleasant residents are not residents of Union Township.

24.  If you don’t live in a city, you live in a township.  Most states don’t have this layer of government.  Townships perform functions related to tax assessment and collection, elections.  They may also provide services such as fire protection, law enforcement, planning, etc.

25.  Specific area set up as a taxing unit to pay for a project. For example – sewer and water, recreation.  May be set up to take advantage of state or federal programs or grants.

26.  Every Michigan resident lives in a public school district.  Districts often overlap city, township and even county boundaries.  Elected school boards set policy for professional administrators.

27.  Parents are often and involved and interested citizenry when their children are in school.  National and state involvement is increasing, complicating coverage.  School funding is changing rapidly.

28.  1994 Michigan constitutional amendment that governs school finance. - Previously, local school districts controlled funding. Proposal A placed the state government in control of funding. - Makes school districts dependent on enrollment – not the local tax base – for funding.

29.  Criminal cases - Crimes against the state - Punishable by fines and/or jail or prison  Civil cases - Disputes between private parties - Result in awards (damages)

30.  Trial courts - District – intake court for all crimes. Trial court for misdemeanors, minor civil cases. - Circuit – trial court for felonies, larger civil cases. - Probate – wills, estate, juvenile  Some county courts have combined these functions under a chief judge.