Detroit's comeback has been well documented, as has its efforts to remove blight and demolish vacant properties. A new report sheds light on another of the city's deepest challenges: how to reform property taxes to achieve fiscal certainty.
"Detroit is still hindered in its recovery by structural flaws in its property tax system," according to a new report published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
A post on the Lincoln Institute's blog introduces the study, which details the multiple stresses on the city's fiscal system associated with property tax system, including high property tax rates, delinquencies, inaccurate assessments, overuse of tax breaks, and limitations imposed by the Michigan constitution and state statutes.
The report, titled Detroit and the Property Tax: Strategies to Improve Equity and Enhance Revenue and written by Gary Sands, Wayne State University professor emeritus of urban planning, also provides five suggestions for reforming Detroit's property tax system, which are informative for other post-industrial cities struggling to achieve fiscal balance. The reports suggested reforms:
- Continue to improve assessments
- Improve the targeting of tax abatements
- Implement a land-based tax
- Eliminate the state's taxable-value cap
- Reduce statutory tax rates
Christine MacDonald picked up the news of the report, providing coverage for The Detroit News. The article focuses mostly on the imbalance of tax breaks for businesses and the highest tax rates of any major city in the country for individual property owners.
FULL STORY: Detroit’s Property Tax: Averting Another Disaster
Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.
Southeast Michigan's RTA Could Trim its Footprint to Build Support for Transit Funding
One way to get a transit funding tax plan approved is just to cut outlying areas out of transit taxes, and transit planning, entirely.
Detroit Completes Citywide Property Tax Reappraisal
It's counterintuitive, but in Detroit, the hope is that by lowering property taxes, the city might actually collect more in property taxes.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.
Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.
Oregon Bill Would End Bans on Manufactured Housing
The bill would prevent new developments from prohibiting mobile homes and modular housing.
Nashville Doesn’t Renew Bike Share Contract, Citing Lost Federal Funding
The city’s bike share system, operated by BCycle, could stop operating if the city doesn’t find a new source of funding.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions