Report: 47 Percent of Detroit Property Owners Pay No Taxes

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[chessplayer]

An estimated 47 percent of Detroit’s property owners pay no taxes, according to recent report from The Detroit News.

n fact, according to The News, delinquency in the shattered city is so bad that that 77 blocks had only one owner who paid taxes in 2012.

Yes, one person paid taxes in an area covering 77 blocks.

Many of the people interviewed by The News said that they don’t understand why they should pay into a system that has failed to provide them with basic public services.

“Why pay taxes?” asked Fred Phillips, who owes more than $2,600 on his home. “Why should I send them taxes when they aren’t supplying services? It

[chessplayer]

In other words, everything should be free. Streetlights should be free. Police, firefighters, etc., should work for free.

[cripplecreek]

The people of Detroit should be damn glad they can be armed.



Weekly/biweekly Michigan legislative action thread

[griswold3]

I’m sure there are enough evil rich folk in Detroit to carry their dead weight.
harumph!

[fwdude]

46%. Very interesting. Where have we heard that figure before?

[Tea Party Terrorist]

In other words, a $4,000 tax bill on a $35,000 property is insane and unjust. I wouldn’t pay it either.

[csmusaret]

America lost its’ War on Poverty and War on Drugs. Now cities like Detroit and Chicago are paying the price.

[Dalberg-Acton]

“Why should I send them taxes when they aren’t supplying services?"

In Texas, it's because your property will be sold at auction if you don't pay the taxes.

[MNDude]

Unfortunately, they will just migrate to places that are doing fine, will elect the same type of officials they have in Detroit, and ruin them as well.

[ConservativeInPA]

46% is just another reason why Detroit should not be bailed out.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I think his point is that if he pays $2600 in taxes, $2300 will go directly to pay retired city employees to sit home on their arse.

[ClearCase_guy]

In Greece, they made the welfare state bigger and bigger and bigger. And the people -- the people who wanted the bigger welfare state -- decided that the taxes were too onerous, and they just stopped paying. Almost no one pays taxes in Greece. And so Greece went bankrupt and is now in a virtual state of collapse.

Just like Detroit.

Cloward-Piven. This is how its done. Make the system so big it is unsustainable. Then all the rules will be swept off the table, and a Strong Man can arise and tell everyone what to do.

[GOPJ]

In other words, everything should be free. Streetlights should be free. Police, firefighters, etc., should work for free.

Feel for the people who stood their ground against 'white flight' and now live in worthless homes in high crime areas...AND have limited city services AND neighbors who won't pay taxes... Michael Moore should be forced to live in the hellhole his ideas helped create...

[blueunicorn6]

Why aren’t the Republicans mentioning Detroit every day? If a government refuses to protect you or your property, why pay taxes to them? So they can hire their relatives to a nice government job?

[lacrew]

I’m not sure alot of buyers would show up to the auction, for some of these Detroit properties.

[SeaHawkFan]

Heck, I’m surprised there are any houses in Detroit worth $2,600.

[GeronL]

wow. That is crazy. The welfare bums don’t even have to pay property taxes?

[lacrew]

“Detroit has the highest property taxes among big cities nationwide...”

How’s that working out?

[cripplecreek]

Why aren’t the Republicans mentioning Detroit every day?

Because conservatives don't want to hear anything but bashing and that's a surefire loser.

The fact is that things are looking a lot brighter for Detroit than they have in a long time and its because Detroit is increasingly under the control of republican held state government.

Big money buyers are buying up the riverfront for development within easy reach of the new bridge.

[The_Reader_David]

Actually, in Detroit, I suspect the blocks and blocks of properties with tax-delinquent owners are owned by people who just hope that the city will seize the worthless property for back taxes-owed, rather than leaving it on their hands.

[cripplecreek]

Some of the luckiest people in Detroit are those who will be “forced out of their homes” in Delray through eminent domain.