Property Tax Exemptions

Property taxes are state laws, meaning each state will have their own laws regarding property tax.  One common misconception is that there is a “senior citizen’s discount” on property taxes.  Although some states have such an exemption/reduction in taxes, Michigan does not.  Michigan has several exemption programs, such as the poverty exemption (a tax exemption for a homeowner whose income is below the federal poverty guidelines) and the disabled veteran exemption (an exemption from most taxes for a veteran rated as 100% permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability).   Applicants who feel they qualify for these exemptions should apply every January to the Assessing Office, as these exemptions are only good for one year at a time, requiring re-application every year.  

Other exemptions, such as the principal residence exemption, or the small taxpayer exemption for personal property (for commercial accounts with a value less than $180,000), only require a one-time application, except for some limited circumstances. An audit will be completed by the Assessing Office moving forward. 

If you have questions on these exemptions, contact the Assessing Office at 517.669.6494.

Snow Maintenance Tips

The snowiest month of the year in Michigan is February so…Let’s talk snow!

The weight of snow is a vital piece of information. Whole sections of the building code are based on knowing how much additional weight a structure will need to support due to the typical snow loads in a given area.

There is no foolproof rule for estimating the weight of snow; however, if you know the conditions of which the snow was formed and the conditions under which it was kept, you can come up with a reasonably accurate guess. Snow density will change when it interacts with temperature, wind exposure and depth of the snow. Snow density will increase over time as the snow melts and compacts along with the effects of temperature and wind. Wind rounds off the snow particles and allows them to fit together more tightly. Snow will also be compacted by its own weight, so the deeper the snow, the denser and heavier it will be at the lower portion of the snow pack.

Snow can vary in weight from 1 pound to 30 pounds per cubic foot. Fresh fluffy snow may weigh from 1 pound to 4 pounds when it snows; however, after a few days of normal weather, it may weigh 15 to 20 pounds per cubic foot.

Many times, after an accumulating snow we see people on top of their roofs shoveling in the hopes of preventing structural damage to their roof system. This is a dangerous practice and mostly unnecessary.

In this region of Michigan, all roof structures are designed for 30 pounds per square foot of ground snow load along with a 25% safety factor. These roofs are also designed with consideration to specific construction loading such as pallets of shingles being placed at the ridges awaiting application.

If you are considering removing the snow from your roof, here are a couple of factors to think about.

• With the exception of a 500-year snow event, and/or a faulty or damaged roof structure, your roof should not ever become overloaded.
• Accessing and working on a roof with snow on it is inherently dangerous and should only be done by a professional. Please look at this article put together by O.S.H.A. “Falls and other hazards to workers removing snow from roofs and elevated surfaces.” Eye opening!
• Attempting to remove snow from your roof may cause damage to your roof covering and cost you money for repairs in the spring.

Snow will not stay on your roof for very long.  The best advice the Building Department can give you after a snow event is to stay warm, safe and let Mother Nature handle the heavy lifting. 

If you have any questions regarding these items, please feel free to call DeWitt Township’s Building Department at 517.668.0278.   

2022 Construction Snapshot

New Commercial Builds - 2
New Residential Builds - 18
New Multi-family Builds - 0

Child Passenger Safety Technician on Staff  

Did you know that the DeWitt Township Fire Department has a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) on staff?  A CPST is issued a certificate from Safe Kids Worldwide, under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) curriculum.  They must first successfully complete a 36-hour course which combines both classroom & hands-on training.  They must then maintain this certification by completing a minimum of five car seat checks; which are observed and signed off by an instructor, six hours of continuing education, and two community car seat check events per two-year cycle.  

The certified CPST from DeWitt Township Fire Department is Laura Plaza.  We encourage anyone in need of this service to call the Fire Department at 517.669.0071 to schedule an appointment.  We look forward to assisting you in keeping your child passengers safe while traveling. 

The Fire Department also has FREE booster seats and installation available to those who qualify.  Examples of qualifying programs:  WIC; MI Child; Head Start; Social Security; Disability; Bridge Card; replacement after fire, flood or crash; foster care, and more.

You must have an appointment and eligibility verification.

Website Tools at your Fingertips 

The winter months can be a perfect time to look around our homes and neighborhoods for areas that need attention.  The slowing down that winter may bring to our lives allows our attention to notice that a streetlight may not work, or that we’ve accumulated items that are no longer useful and need to be properly disposed.  

Should there be a streetlight in your neighborhood that is out, flickering or damaged, simply go to the DeWitt Charter Township website and report the problem. Click Report a Streetlight and follow the links to either Consumer’s Energy or the Board of Water and Light. If you are not sure which energy company services your neighborhood, call us at 517.668.0270.

Certain items in our homes may be hard to dispose of. Items such as old paint, automotive fluids, appliances, etc. can be disposed of properly with a quick search of the Waste Wizard page on the Clinton County website. This very useful page covers disposal, reuse and recycle programs in our area. 

With these tools at our fingertips we can improve our homes, our neighborhoods and our community! 

Winter Property Tax Bills

All property taxes, both real and personal, are due February 14, 2023.  A one-time penalty of 3% is applied to outstanding balances on February 15, 2023.

February 28, 2023 is the last day tax payments can be accepted in the Township Treasurer's Office. Outstanding real property taxes are turned over to the Clinton County Treasurer's Office for collection on March 1, 2023.

Michigan Townships Association - Robinson Scholarship 

Help ensure that today’s youth become involved in local government tomorrow! College juniors, seniors, and graduate students pursuing a career in local government administration are eligible to apply for a Robert R. Robinson Scholarship. Scholarship applicants must be enrolled in a Michigan college or university.  For more information call 517.321.6467, or visit MTA’s website at michigantownships.org/scholarship.asp. 

Unclaimed Property

The Michigan Department of Treasury has millions of dollars in lost or forgotten assets from dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, valuables left in safe deposit boxes, and stock certificates.  Because these properties were considered abandoned and unclaimed by the bank or company entrusted with them, they are turned over to the State.  The Michigan Department of Treasury is the custodian of these assets and returns them to their owner when they are rightfully claimed.  Statistically, 1 in every 10 people has unclaimed property where a company cannot locate the owner.

Visit unclaimedproperty.michigan.gov to determine if the State is holding valuables on your behalf.  Claimants may also call 517.636.5320 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Important Upcoming Dates

02/14 - Winter real and personal property tax bills due
02/28 - Last day to pay 2022 property taxes to Treasurer's Office at the Township Hall
03/01 - Delinquent 2022 property taxes turned over to Clinton County