RAYMOND J. WOJTOWICZ - TREASURER
TERRANCE A. KEITH - CHIEF DEPUTY
ROBERT J. GRDEN - DEPUTY

Wayne County Treasurer, Raymond J. Wojtowicz, advises Wayne County taxpayers that time is running out to pay delinquent 2003 real property taxes. The deadline is March 31, 2006. Taxes not paid in full by March 31 st will result in property owners losing title to their property.

As of March 13th, there are 11,254 properties scheduled for tax foreclosure, more than double the 5,176 properties for the same period in 2005. The figure includes 7,564 properties identified as either abandoned property or vacant lots. Of particular concern are the 3,690 properties identified as occupied. A concerted effort by the Treasurer to assist taxpayers experiencing financial difficulty has resulted in 732 taxpayers applying for the Treasurer's Financial Hardship Program for residential property, which has more than doubled the applicants from last year. The remaining properties include 2,507 in Detroit, nearly double the 2004 figure of 1,151, and 451 in the balance of the County.

1. The City of Detroit is now part of the uniform state property tax collection process that places the responsibility for collecting 2003 Delinquent Taxes with the County Treasurer. The 2003 delinquent tax roll is the first tax year that City of Detroit delinquent taxes have been forwarded to the County Treasurer for collection. The dollar amount of the Detroit tax levy is significantly higher than the County tax levy, resulting in a much higher delinquent tax bill than in the past and may, in part, explain the increased difficulty for Detroit taxpayers paying the full amount of the delinquent 2003 tax bill. The average delinquent 2003 tax bill for the City of Detroit is approximately $1,444.00.
   
   
2. The overall adverse economic climate that has lingered in the County – rising mortgage interest rates, high unemployment, wage cuts, increased medical, transportation, and utility costs – has strained the financial resources of Wayne County residents. These higher costs, combined with higher delinquent tax bills, appear to have combined to dramatically increase in the number of occupied properties subject to tax foreclosure. It appears some property owners may have stopped paying their property taxes and are facing mortgage foreclosure. Of the 3,690 occupied properties subject to tax foreclosure, 865 or 23% have mortgages. Just this year the Wayne County Sheriff's Department has recorded over 3,927 mortgage foreclosures in Wayne County.
   
   
3. The 2003 delinquent tax roll for the City of Detroit contained a significantly higher number of properties identified as vacant or abandoned.

The higher foreclosure figures exist despite overall record delinquent tax collections by the Treasurer's Office during December, January, and February and collections exceeding 88% of the 2003 delinquent tax roll for the City of Detroit.

In response to the numbers Treasurer Wojtowicz stated: "We have tried to do whatever we could within the scope of the law to help taxpayers to pay their taxes by March 31st, as required by P.A. 123. While I am encouraged by the public's response to our message, I remain greatly concerned. I do not want to see people lose their property. That is why for the first time my office sponsored workshops to help people apply for an extension thorough our Financial Hardship Program, giving qualifying taxpayers an additional year to pay 2003 taxes. As a result, we have more than doubled the number of financial hardship applications we have received this year versus last year."

"Our experience shows that taxpayers respond to our messages and that most people will pay by the end of March," said Treasurer Wojtowicz. "It is my sincere hope that Wayne County taxpayers will continue to respond to our messages and pay their taxes by March 31st, and we can significantly reduce the number of occupied properties that go to foreclosure, as we have done in the past."

Taxpayers are urged to make their payments online, with no additional charge, at the Treasurer's website www.treasurer.waynecounty.com. Cashier's checks or money orders, payable to the Wayne County Treasurer, can also be mailed via overnight express or certified mail, or sent by hand delivery, to: Office of the Wayne County Treasurer, 400 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with special hours on Saturday, March 25th, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Personal checks are not accepted for 2003 taxes.

Taxpayers who need help paying their taxes are encouraged to visit the Treasurer's web site at www.treasurer.waynecounty.com or call (313) 224-5990. Taxpayers may also contact either United Community Housing Coalition at (313) 963-3310 or Legal Aid & Defender Association of Detroit at (313) 964-4111 by March 31st for assistance.