PONTIAC – Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner is calling on all Oakland County homeowners who have received notices of impending tax foreclosure to contact his office immediately to set up a Taxpayer Assistance Meeting and save their home from the harsh, state-imposed process of property tax foreclosure.
“Under the very harsh system of property tax foreclosure in Michigan, property owners will lose rights to their property on March 31, 2012* for unpaid taxes,” said Meisner. “I am begging property owners in Oakland County with delinquent taxes to get into the office to work out a payment plan before that deadline – set in state law – forces our hand.”
Under state law, if property taxes are not paid to the local city, village or township, they are turned over to the County Treasurer as “delinquent” on March 1 of the next year at which time the taxes are subject to 1% of interest each month. On March 1 of the following year, the interest rate increases to 1.5% per month or 18% annually. In the third year, a property can be lost to the county for non-payment.
“We offer all taxpayers the chance to sit down with me personally to protect their home by entering into a good-faith payment plan,” said Meisner. “However, if taxpayers refuse to pay and attempt to shift their tax burden onto the backs of others, I will not let that happen on my watch.”
While a State Representative, Treasurer Meisner introduced legislation to give County Treasurers the discretion to lower the state law imposed interest and fees when a taxpayer shows good faith by entering into a payment plan. Similar proposals languish in Lansing due to legislative inaction.
* Because March 31, 2012 is on a Saturday, taxpayers will be able to redeem until close of business on Monday, April 2, 2012
