Summer Tax Bills Due
The City of Grand Rapids Treasurer’s Office has sent 67,423 tax bills to property owners. The summer tax bills are due July 1st and payable without penalty by August 2nd. This year’s summer tax levy for most taxpayer is less than the amount billed in 2009. This is the first “year over year” decrease for the majority of taxpayers since 2003. The decrease is because of two factors. The first factor is that the Grand Rapids Public School debt levy, established to provide funds for debt service payments in 2010, decreased from $2.42 mills to $2.29 mills, as the debt schedule in 2010 required less funding due to variations in debt service payments. The second factor is that the assessed and taxable value for most real properties declined due to a negative CPI (Consumers Price Index) in MI in 2009. This results in most real property parcels having a lower tax bill in 2010 than in 2009. The MI law that caps the increase in taxes paid on a home to the rate of the CPI when a home appreciates in value also allows for a decrease in value as a negative CPI occurs. People who have not received their tax bill by July 9th are requested to contact the City Treasurer’s Office at 456-3020, access the tax amount at www.grcity.us, or send an e-mail requesting a bill to grtreasurer@grcity.us. Eligible citizens who are homeowners (those with a total household income of $40,000 or less and who are either 62 years of age or a qualified person eligible for disability) may complete the deferment form included with their bill and return it the City Treasurer's Office by September 15, 2010 to defer payment until February 14th, 2011.