The City of Mt. Pleasant is once again being recognized for its economic and entrepreneurial contributions to the state of Michigan.
For the fifth year, Mt. Pleasant has been acknowledged by the eCities study, an annual measurement of efforts in economic development among Michigan communities conducted by researchers at iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn's Center for Innovation Research.
Researchers use publicly available data in determining the outcomes, starting with 277 communities across 54 counties.
Mt. Pleasant is one of 183 communities to be recognized as such.
"While accounting for only about 15 percent of the cities and townships in Michigan, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 70 percent of the population and 85 percent of the state’s commercial property," says Tim Davis, the College of Business’s assistant dean for student engagement and success.
"By analyzing these high-performing communities, our goal is to showcase what cities and townships are doing to spur growth and how we can continue to support their efforts in developing business and encouraging entrepreneurs."
Mt. Pleasant, determined a four-star community, is one of 178 communities recognized as either a four- or five-star community. The cities of Hillsdale, Houghton, Saginaw, and Tecumseh and Hartland Township were named 2019 eCities Honored Communities.
According to the researchers at iLabs, the study focuses on five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates among the 277 communities. These factors, they say, indicate aspects of growth, investment, and costs of doing business within these Michigan cities.
Over the five-year period of 2014 to 2018, Mt. Pleasant and the other 182 communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2.25 percent per year by investments that include upgrades to infrastructure, streetscapes, and first responder computer equipment. At the same time, property taxes increased by less than one percent on average per year.
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