This study investigates what factors are associated with the likelihood of passing school facility construction bonds by local district election. It uses statewide data from Michigan, 1998-2006, to examine the outcome of 789 bond elections in terms of the following ten variables: amount of the bond request; district enrollment; district locale;…

Michigan's state-run school system is the largest and most expensive government service taxpayers support. It employs more than 350,000 people who work in one of the more than 4,100 different entities. The total amount this system expends each year adds up to more than $20 billion. Given the enormity and complexity of the system, it's no surprise…

This study investigates parameters affecting the likelihood of passing school facility construction bonds by local district election. Using statewide data from Michigan, this study analyzes school bond data for urban (n = 30), suburban (n = 164), small town (n = 70), and rural (n = 241) school districts that held capital improvement bond elections…

Immediately after the November 1978 general election, the Education Finance Center of the Education Commission of the States conducted a public opinion poll by telephone in four states that had tax and expenditure limitation measures on the ballot: Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and Oregon. Those who voted positively and negatively on both tax cut…

Proposes a model for evaluating state equalization aid formulas, accounting for municipal overburden and tradeoffs between expenditures and taxes. Tests the model using the Michigan state aid formula. Results relate elasticities to spending and tax levels and suggest that relatively unrestricted guaranteed tax base formulas can work. (PGD)

On December 24, 1994, the Michigan State Legislature passed a comprehensive school finance reform package for the K-12 education system. This document analyzes the school finance reform package and presents a comprehensive review of the issues affected by the proposed reforms. The first section reviews the overall financial components of the…

Analyzes data on the economic prospects of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin--including demographic and economic trends, trends in taxation systems, school revenue and expenditure trends, and future revenue prospects--and offers prognoses for individual states. Generally, short-range revenue prospects are bleak, and long-range…

Efforts of members of the Michigan higher education community to defeat a substantial 1980 tax-cut bill, Proposal D, before the state's voters were successful. The history and strategy of the campaign are described, including a coalition of 150 groups that raised funds and advertised their cause throughout the state. (MSE)

Two logic models are presented to explain voter turnout and voter choice for a referendum considering a millage increase to finance a new high school building. The models incorporate attitudinal, demographic, and economic variables. This approach suggests that interested parties (like school officials) can influence referendum outcomes. Includes…

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which school revenue equity has been improved by changing the state aid funding systems of Illinois, Michigan, and Kansas from foundation systems to power equalization systems. Chapter 1 contains the general background and rationale of the study, evaluative criteria, and definitions…

In March 1994, Michigan voters approved a ballot proposal that used a mixture of state and local taxes to fund the K-12 educational system. This document presents a comprehensive review of the issues affected by the reform. The enacted K-12 school-finance reform package made a major change in the way state aid was distributed to local school…

Although the Serrano decision is not binding on Michigan, the state has adopted the fourth alternative listed by the California court--school district power equalizing. (Author/MLF)

Presents a model explaining voter behavior in educational tax rate referenda, arguing that increasing rejection of these referenda is explained by a narrowing gap between actual school expenditures and the level of expenditures voters regard as optimal. (JG)

This paper discusses a study that examined three questions: How has overall state spending on higher education changed from year to year in relation to states' ability to fund higher education? (2) Has the growth in state spending on higher education varied significantly from the growth in total state budgets in recent years? and (3) What have…

This study examines the organization and operations of local education foundations in Michigan and the fiscal programmatic impact of nonprofit education foundations on Michigan public schools. It also compares the socioeconomic characteristics of foundation and nonfoundation districts and tests the hypothesis that residents of local districts with…