Property tax levies finalized
TAWAS CITY - Tawas City continues to be the most expensive place to live in Iosco County, at least in terms of taxation, while the portion of Sherman Township falling within the Tawas Area School District remains the lowest, according to the 2004 Apportionment Report, developed by Iosco County Equalization Director Susan Dumaw.
Oscoda Township again has the highest tax base and thus will collect the most money from the levies, while Whittemore has the lowest base and the smallest tax collection.
All Iosco County property owners will pay more taxes, with both the tax base and the millage rates increasing in every township and city, largely due to the generosity of voters in passing almost every millage question put to them this past year.
Property owners of Iosco County will pay an estimated $29,915,602 in property taxes and special assessments levied on the Dec. 1 and July 1 tax bills, compared to $26,769,973 this year.
The responsibility for authorizing the levy of the rates falls to the Iosco County Board of Commissioners. It did this last Wednesday at Dumaw's recommendation after she ascertained that each township, city and school district has followed state law in establishing millage rates.
The table to the right lists the total maximum millage which will be levied on property owners for 2003, along with the taxable value and estimated tax and special assessment collections.
Taxable values are subject to change by boards of review and/or the Michigan Tax Tribunal, and so the estimated dollars to be raised.
Property owners can compute their estimated individual property tax liability by multiplying the total homestead or non-homestead rate, whichever applies, against the taxable value of their property, the later figure divided by 1,000. For example, the taxes on a homestead in Tawas City with a taxable value of $40,000 would be determined by multiplying 40 times 35.1054 mills for a total of $1,404.
The millage rates shown on the table for each township and city include a tax of 3.9901 mills for county operations; a 0.2968 mill levy to support Commission on Aging programs; a 0.4509 mill levy for Iosco County Medical Care Facility (ICMCF) operations; a 0.3421 mill levy to pay for the ICMCF Alzheimer's wing; a 0.4417 mill to support county ambulance operations; a 0.0977 mill tax to support the Iosco Transit Corporation; and a 0.5 mill tax for the Iosco-Arenac District Library.
The lion's share of the total levy goes to support schools and includes the 6.0 mill state school tax, as well as local school issues.
Each total includes two millages to support operations of the Iosco Regional Educational Service Agency: 0.2172 allocated operating and 0.6522 voted operating.
The voted levies included in the totals for all properties within the boundaries of the Tawas Area School district are 0.4847 for the sinking fund and 1.4 mills for debt retirement. In addition, non-homestead property owners must pay an 18.0 mill voted operating levy.
Additional school levies in the Oscoda school district are 2.0 mills for school improvement project and 0.7821 mill for the sinking fund. Non-homestead additionally pay 16.7888 and 1.2112 mills for operating.
All properties within the Hale school district will pay a 3.1 mill levy for debt retirement; in addition to which non-homestead property will be taxed for two voted operating issues of 16.5022 and 1.4978 mills.
All Iosco County property owners within the Whittemore-Prescott district pay a 4.55 mill levy for debt retirement, with non-homestead owners taxed for two additional levies of 16.6786 and 1.3214 mills.
The final tax rates which comprise the totals are those imposed by the individual cities or townships. These are as follow and are the same for homestead and non-homestead.
Alabaster Township: 0.6571 mill general operating; 1.2703 roads; 1.1431 fire; and 1.1431 mills for garbage.
AuSable Township: 4.6678 mill general operating and 1.2 mill fire.
Baldwin Township: 0.7577 mill general operating; 0.6 bond debt; 0.4955 roads; 0.7577 mill and 0.3 mill for fire; and 0.4547 and 0.7 mills garbage.
Burleigh Township: 0.8915 mill operating; 2.0 mills roads; and two fire millages in the amount of 1.0 and 0.4785 mills.
Grant Township: 0.7157 allocated; 1.8946 mill refuse; 0.2367 roads; and two fire millages in the amounts of 0.9472 and 0.4734.
Oscoda Township will levy 4.696 mills for allocated operating.
Plainfield Township: 0.7282 mill operating; 1.0 mill roads; and two fire levies, 0.4874 and 0.5 mill.
Reno Township: 0.9214 mill operating and two fire millages, 0.9935 and 0.4767 mill.
Sherman Township: 0.8351 mill operating and 1.4928 mills fire.
Tawas Township: 0.8735 mill operating and 1.4519 mills fire.
Wilber Township: 0.8224 mill operating; 1.0 mill fire; and 2.0 mills roads.
East Tawas: 13.6 mills operating and 4.75 mills for bond debt, both levied in the summer.
Tawas City: 13.9671 mills for operating and 6.2649 mills for bond debt, both levied in the summer.
Whittemore: 8.21 mills operating and two fire millages, 1.0 and 0.4713 mill.