The residents of Detroit with a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) should soon expect to receive a slightly less winter property tax bill than originally anticipated. Detroit's Treasury Office is rolling out corrected bills following a mishap that wrongfully included the 1.3968 School Operating Millage in the initial mail-outs. The PRE specifically shields homes from this particular levy, and the correction will reflect this exemption.
Nearly 108,000 homes were impacted by the error and the city is quickly moving to promptly rectify the situation. The revised tax bills—which will be distinctively yellow compared to the original blue—are set to be distributed starting next week. For those who have already dealt with the blue bills and paid their taxes, a refund is being organized to be sent out within a 30-day time frame. This is according to a statement released by the City of Detroit.
As the deadline for winter tax payments looms on January 15, 2025, the city also made sure to quickly update all digital payment systems with the new, accurate tax bill amounts, allowing homeowners to quickly and seamlessly make correct payments. This update was accomplished within the short span of 48 hours after the mistake was caught.
"The City’s Treasury department identified this programming error on Tuesday and was able to correct it across all payment channels within 48 hours; system and process updates have been made to prevent this error in the future. I apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused homeowners," Nikhil Patel, Deputy CFO, Treasurer, told the City of Detroit. To ensure accuracy and avoid future hiccups, the Treasury has implemented system and process updates.
For Detroit residents on the lookout or those wishing to confirm their corrected property tax balances, real-time figures can be accessed via the City's official website or directly at DivDat Kiosks. Links to the city's tax payment portal are readily available at www.detroitmi.gov/payproptax, with electronic payments encouraged for their efficiency. Anyone seeking more information can reach out to the Detroit Taxpayer Service Center via phone at (313) 224-3560 or by dropping an email at [email protected].
