Coalition Suggests Ways For Overtax Paybacks

The Coalition for Property Tax Justice released a report outlining a series of ideas for ways the city could compensate overtaxed homeowners. It included survey results from more than 200 Detroiters. Ideas included property tax credits, Section 8 rental vouchers, home repair grants, Detroit Land Bank Authority’s rehabbed homes, and as-is Land Bank homes paired with home repair grants or cash payments. Although cash payments to overtaxed homeowners was a main focus, Detroit’s top attorney has indicated that the city cannot use general fund monies to compensate individuals. State law prohibits direct support from the general fund for private purposes.