Hosts IPPSR Director Matt Grossmann and State of the State Survey Director Charles Ballard add IPPSR's Associate Director Arnold Weinfeld to the broadcast. Their focus in this edition is IPPSR's State of the State Survey and its latest results: levels of consumer confidence in Michigan and state residents' attitudes on President Donald Trump and Gov. Rick Snyder's job performance.

This is the first of 2018's State of the State Podcasts and the third lively discussion on topics that are often at the forefront of Michigan's legislative, advocacy and citizen debate. This month, hosts Matt Grossmann and Charles Ballard team with Kristi Bowman, who serves as Michigan State University's Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law. She is an education law scholar whose work has examined schools in fiscal crisis, students' free speech rights and racial/ethnic equality in education. This discussion centers on school funding, minority rights and the long Michigan history of equalizing funding across school districts.

In this second State of the State Podcast, guest political scientist Josh Sapotichne, director of Michigan State University's Public Policy Program, joins Matt Grossmann and Charles Ballard. Dr. Grossmann is a political scientist who directs MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Dr. Ballard is an economics professor who directs IPPSR's State of the State Survey.

IPPSR's first State of the State Podcast featuring IPPSR Director Matt Grossmann and Charles Ballard, MSU professor of economics and director of IPPSR's State of the State Survey. A research-based perspective on Michigan's hottest political topics. Their first discussion spotlights proposed Michigan income tax cuts, the potential for a part-time Michigan Legislature and the state's bid for a new headquarters for the online powerhouse Amazon.