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Over 42,000 Wayne County Business And Homeowners Owe Back Taxes

DETROIT (WWJ) - Wayne County property owners, fighting foreclosure, showed up in large numbers looking for help in Detroit Tuesday.  More than 42,000 business and homeowners are listed as owing back property taxes from 2009; the vast majority of which are in the City of Detroit.

Chief Deputy Treasurer for Wayne County David Szymanski says, unfortunately, the numbers indicate the recovery hasn't reached everyone in Metro Detroit yet.

"We are very optimistic that it will, I hear about people being hired into the automotive industry, I'll believe it when I see it. I hear about the economic recovery around the country, I want it to come here to Detroit. We are just trying to have tax payers hold on until the recovery gets here," said Szymanski.

Wayne County "show cause" hearings, normally held in a court room continue Wednesday at Cobo Center due to the large number of delinquencies.

A northwest homeowner, who did not give his name, spoke with WWJ: "I'm okay with setting up a payment plan. I have to figure out which one will work best for me," said the homeowner.

"I lost my job with the automaker, Chrysler Corporation,  after 22 years I was layed-off. So, I have been layed-off since 2008," said another homeowner.

This is the last chance for property owners to make arrangements to pay back taxes from 2009.

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