As anyone who has tried to contest the city or township’s assessment of their property can attest, the process can be daunting.
Currently, the Michigan Tax
Tribunal (MTT) hears appeals from property owners contesting the assessment on
their property. However, there are some
who think the MTT should be reformed or eliminated altogether because it is too
complicated and yields inconsistent results.
There is currently a movement to eliminate the MTT and replace it with a Michigan Tax Court. Supporters of this plan hope to hire judges and magistrates with more experience and pay them more. Part of the problem, according to supporters of the new tax court, is that the current MTT members’ compensation is significantly lower than district and circuit court judges. This makes it difficult to attract high caliber candidates.
Of course, legislation is
required to make these changes. A common
complaint with the current process is that the agency doesn’t track residential
appeals. Only paper copies are kept of
small claims appeals, making it difficult for property owners to research
previously decided cases.
Whether this movement for reform
will catch on remains to be seen. One
thing is for sure – if a new agency or court is created, careful planning will
have to be made to ensure that the problems of the MTT aren’t simply rolled
over into a new entity.
If you have questions regarding
the appeal process for property tax assessments, contact Matthew Worley or
Keith Madden, the experienced MTT legal team at Fausone Bohn, LLP, at (248)
380-0000 or online at www.fb-firm.com.
To read more about the movement to reform the MTT, please visit:
http://www.record-eagle.com/statenews/x1221259894/Proposal-would-overhaul-states-tax-appeal-process
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