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Kalamazoo Tax Bills Really Are Going Down

Andy Robins
/
WMUK

Property owners in the City of Kalamazoo will get a big tax cut this year, thanks to a $70 million donation by two area business owners in 2016. But city officials say some residents were apparently confused by a recent tax notice they got in the mail.

City Manager Jim Ritsema says the annual mailing only shows the tax value of a property.

"Those numbers do not represent actual taxes that people will have to pay. I think there was confusion that (that) increase was demonstrating that they'd pay, so that was values only."

Kalamazoo is reducing its property tax rate from 19.3 mills to only 12 mills, a reduction of 38 percent. City Commissioner Jack Urban says that means property owners in Kalamazoo will still see big savings in 2017, even if the tax value of their property went up.

"The millage rate is going to go down by seven mills. So, if the taxable value of your house is, for example, $50,000, you'll be saving approximately $350 in taxes on your summer tax bill."

Urban and other city commissioners say they hope many residents will donate some or all of their tax savings back to the city. It wants to raise $500 million for the "Foundation for Excellence" by the end of 2019. It will help the city stabilize its budget and pay for poverty reduction and quality-of-life improvement programs.

City officials say Kalamazoo property owners will see an overall reduction of about 11 percent on their tax bills this year. That's because they also include levies by school districts, the Kalamazoo Public Library, KVCC, and others that are not affected by the city's tax cut.

Andy Robins has been WMUK's News Director since 1998 and a broadcast journalist for over 24 years. He joined WMUK's staff in 1985. Under his direction, WMUK has received numerous awards for news reporting.
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