Beaver Island Taxpayer's unfair and unvoted tax

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sbsp
Posts: 443
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:06 pm
Location: Beaver Island, Kalamazoo, Fripp Island, SC

Post by sbsp »

Scott -
I completely agree that when one looks at their tax bill, the figure is not big but let's follow the real money and issue here. Go back to the first post on this thread and review the numbers. The cost estimate was provided by Charlevoix County officials. Keep in mind that an Administrative Fee is just that, a fee placed on the cost of doing something, it this case sending out tax notices.

$21,529.46 Administrative Fee collected
$2,000.00 Estimated cost of tax notices or 9.3% of revenue
$19, 529.49 Balance remaining and unaccounted for or 90.7%
Most people may find this amount insignificant. However, keep in mind that this fee has been charged since 1965, with the estimated total to date being $1,000,000 (one million dollars) or more. Apply the same percent ratio as above to this figure. If 90% of this figure is unaccounted for, it equals over $900,000 (nine hundred thousand dollars). That insignificant amount on one's tax bill suddenly becomes more significant or should to all taxpayers.
The point being that we are being over charged by 90% above what the cost of tax notices total. It is an imposed tax without taxpayer approval and we believe done so unlawfully without the required authorization.
As for traction, people are reading this and talking about it but not necessarily posting about it. Taxpayers can make up their own minds, we simply want to shine a light on the issue in hopes of accountability by the officials we entrust with our tax dollars.

Kirk
sbsp
Posts: 443
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:06 pm
Location: Beaver Island, Kalamazoo, Fripp Island, SC

Post by sbsp »

A quick update summary of the St. James Township Property Tax Administrative Fee issue:
For a township treasurer to lawfully collect a Property Tax Administrative Fee, the township MUST first approve, in advance, an authorization Resolution.
St. James Township in responding to a recent Freedom Of Information Act request for the township's Resolution stated, "No record found after thorough research, 2. This item does not exist under the name provided in your request or another name reasonably known to the township."
On the recommendation of the Michigan Township Association, the St. James Township board, at its August 6th meeting, passed the Resolution authorization to collect a Property Tax Administrative Fee. It reads in part, "This resolution shall apply to all property tax levies that shall become due in 2014." Oops, let me repeat that, "This resolution shall apply to all property tax levies that shall become due in 2014." No reference to previous years.
This means that the Property Tax Administrative Fees collected from 1982, to date were done so without the required lawful authorization Resolution by the township for the collections of those fees. Taxpayers simply paid the fees assuming that the township had levied them lawfully. This fact was never questioned until this year.
At the meeting and following, the township feels no obligation to go on the record with an explanation to the public for their questionable actions.
Moving on, it will be fun to see how the sewer issue flushes out, so to speak, with the township. It's off to a good start with lots coming through the pipe, starting with a closed session meeting out of the public eye and then no follow up explanation to the public after the closed session. There seems to be a pattern here when it comes to explanations or lack thereof.
Don't put your waders away quite yet, it going to get deep before it gets done.

Kirk
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