Mayor: 75 Percent Of Detroit Homeowners Will See Decrease In Property Assessments

DETROIT (WWJ) - Most homeowners in Detroit will be paying lower property taxes this year. Mayor Mike Duggan says three-quarters of those who own property in the city will see cuts in their assessment from five to 20 percent.

Duggan says assessments will be in the mail by Saturday.

The issue of homeowner assessments was a major issue for voters during the last mayoral election.

"Last year, my friend Benny Napoleon told me he got a several hundred-dollar reduction," said Duggan. "I don't know if it would have changed his vote in the election - other people saw reductions of $25 and $50 dollars."

But there are neighborhoods which are not benefiting from a stay or reduction in their home assessment.

Only very few neighborhoods won't see a reduction -- that's because they've already hit bottom says Duggan.

"In 25 neighborhoods in the city there is no assessment cut," said Duggan. "They are the neighborhoods that you would hope would be showing this kind of growth so it's Palmer Woods, it's Indian Village, it's Woodbridge so we are really pleased that's it's in areas we have spent a lot of time in."

He says last year similar cuts didn't cost the city any money because it resulted in more homeowners paying their tax bills.