Michigan Capitol Confidential’s watchdog agenda for 2026

As Michigan enters 2026, state government continues to expand its reach, its spending, and its resistance to public scrutiny.

Michigan Capitol Confidential will meet that reality the same way it always has: with aggressive watchdog reporting, relentless use of public records laws and a refusal to accept secrecy as the cost of governance.

The coming year will see CapCon double down on its core mission: holding Michigan government accountable to the people who fund it.

At the center of that effort will be watchdog investigations that follow taxpayer dollars wherever they lead. Michigan’s economic development programs, emergency spending authorities, and discretionary grant mechanisms remain ripe for abuse and underreporting. CapCon will continue examining whether promised jobs materialize, whether benchmarks are enforced and whether officials face consequences when public funds fail to deliver public benefit.

Transparency does not happen by accident, which is why records requests will remain a foundational tool of CapCon’s reporting in 2026. Freedom of Information Act requests are often the only way to uncover internal communications, contract terms, and decision-making processes that agencies would prefer remain hidden. CapCon filed over 300 record requests in 2025, and we plan to expand our use of FOIA to expose delayed responses, excessive fee demands and “grant-and-delay” tactics that undermine the law’s purpose.

When agencies stall or stonewall, CapCon will report not just on what government does, but how it tries to avoid being seen.

In 2026 readers can expect continued scrutiny of administrative power and regulatory overreach. From pandemic-era authorities that never fully sunset, to rulemaking processes that bypass meaningful legislative oversight, CapCon will track how unelected officials shape policy without direct voter consent.

CapCon will also focus on how government’s failure to be transparent harm real people. Whether it’s benefit programs plagued by fraud, infrastructure projects that miss deadlines, or public safety initiatives that quietly fall short of their stated goals, the consequences of mismanagement are not abstract. They show up in higher costs, weaker services and diminished trust.

CapCon’s standard is not ideology; it’s whether government officials honor the law, respect taxpayers and tell the truth.

Equally important, CapCon will continue documenting legislative efforts to restore transparency. Bills that strengthen public access to records, tighten oversight of incentive programs, or curb executive overreach deserve close attention — not just when they’re introduced, but when they stall or quietly die.

The goal for 2026 is simple but demanding: more records requests, more original reporting and more accountability for those entrusted with governmental power.

Michigan residents deserve to know how public officials make decisions and spend taxpayer funds — and who benefits. If you know of a story that deserves more sunshine, please share it with CapCon, and bring supporting documents.

We will keep asking uncomfortable questions — and keep publishing the answers.