Detroit: Unpaid Property Taxes Rise
County officials in the Detroit Metro area have a problem. Unpaid property taxes are at an all time high leaving county coffers short and putting more residents at risk of losing their homes. In total, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties are trying to recoup some $415 million in unpaid property taxes.
A weak economy and lack of jobs are being blamed for the rise in unpaid property bills in those three counties. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth report approximately 7.1% of Michiganians were out of work as of last month. A lack of work has some residents moving out of Michigan in search of jobs, creating a glut of available real estate and streets dotted with “for sale” signs.