Joe the Planner

I’m very excited and proud to have a paper on published on the Michigan Policy Network website.  In it, I discuss yet another policy tool that Flint and the Genesee County Land Bank Authority could use to stabilize and revitalize a neighborhood – tapping into creative entrepreneurs for a little cultural economic development.  By no …

Before you read: The following is a paper I wrote for an urban policy issues class.  By no means am I kicking Flint while they’re down – there are significant ‘statistical’ barriers facing Flint in the future, but they are just numbers.  Leaders in Flint are doing damn near everything they can – from pretty …

Thank you so much for your interest!  Click the ‘Download’ button below for my updated resume.  Feel free to contact me anytime at: — joe (at) manzella.us Or by phone if you can read roman numerals (to combat spammers… ): — (517) 618 - MDXLIV

Dr. Sapotichne at MSU had our class apply some of the analytical techniques we discussed to some real-world policy debates.  When I was at CATA, I had the chance to actually participate in some of the transportation reform discussions.  Naturally, I jumped at the chance to write about transportation reform and how it went awry… …

The Headlee Amendment from 1978 aims to prevent non-voter approved property tax increases.  Sounds like a good idea, right?  Keep everyone honest; only take as much as the voters agreed to.  It all sounds great, but there’s a problem: it doesn’t do what it was meant to do. As a quick refresher: Property taxes in …