FAQs
Assessing
Yes! Most departmental records are considered public record and are open for inspection during Normal business hours.
You may send a personal representative or a letter of explanation. Please include the reason for appealing your assessed value, the parcel identification number, your address and telephone number. The Board of Review will make a decision and notify you by first class mail.
The first thing you should do is talk to your local Assessor about the valuation on your parcel. Check the appraisal records to make sure all components of the property are correct. If you wish to proceed at this point, you must make an appointment with the March Board of Review to lodge an appeal. The Board of Review is set up under the Michigan General Property Tax Law. The three member board is appointed by the Township Supervisor and approved at a public meeting by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Review will hear your appeal and will make a decision using their best judgment.
You have the right to file an appeal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal. This appeal must be filed with the Tribunal on or before June 30, of the current year.
The taxable value was created upon the passage of Proposal A, by the electorate in 1994. The taxable value is the lower of the State Equalized Value or the capped value. This is the value used times the millage rate that produces the amount of taxes levied against the property. However, the year following a transfer of ownership, a property is uncapped and the taxable value becomes the same as the assessed value. Following the uncapping, the property’s taxable value will follow the capped value formula.
The taxable value can increase from year to year by 5.0% or the amount of the Inflation Rate (IRM), whichever is less. Additions or losses to the property are also taken into consideration. The formula is the previous taxable value, minus losses, x 1.05% or the IRM, whichever is less, plus any additions = capped value.
Market value is a product of the price paid for the property. Since assessments must be set by market value, changing real estate values in the community will be reflected in the assessments. As prices increase/decrease, so does market value. All property values do not change to the same degree. Many factors influence values. Properties with water or scenic views, for example, may increase more rapidly than others.
The assessed value must reflect 50% of market value. As market value changes, so does your assessment. For instance, if you add a garage to your home, the assessed value increases. However should your property be permanently damaged by fire, the assessed value would decrease. Property owners have a responsibility for reporting any changes made to their property that would affect its value. When you obtain a building permit, our office is notified by the Building Department.
