State of the State Survey

Charles L. Ballard, Ph.D.
Dr. Ballard is Director of the State of the State Survey (SOSS) and Professor of Economics at Michigan State University. He is a distinguished economist, widely published and well-known for his ability to communicate the complexities of economics in everyday language. His research has focused on such topics as tax policy, healthcare financing and Michigan's financial future.

He co-edited "Michigan at the Millennium," a portrait of the state's fiscal and economic structure and is winner of the 2007 College of Social Science Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award. His most recent book is "Michigan's Economic Future: Challenges and Opportunities." He is also the author of "Real Economics for Real People" and "A General Equilibrium Model for Tax Policy Evaluation."

He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Treasury. He can be reached at ballard@msu.edu or 517-353-2961.

Supporting Staff
IPPSR's staff plays a key role in SOSS success. Those supporting staff members include: Development and Oversight: IPPSR Director Douglas B. Roberts, Ph.D.; Methodology and Data Collection: Larry Hembroff, Ph.D; Project Management: Karen Clark; Survey Research Lab Director: Linda Stork; Events, Programs and Business Development: AnnMarie Schneider;
Publications, Analysis, Website: Cynthia Kyle.

Frequently Participating Faculty
A variety of faculty members from colleges across campus regularly participate in SOSS. Several faculty members have participated on a regular basis in recent years, including Mark Wilson (nonprofit), Rex Lamore (land use), Maureen Mickus (long-term care), and Beth Olson (obesity).