Detroit - On Monday, September 8, Sen. Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) held a press conference at Wayne County Community College to introduce legislation that will help Detroit residents struggling with climbing property taxes. His new bill, to be introduced on the Senate floor this week, will give Detroit’s City Council and others across the state the authority to freeze property taxes for commercial and residential properties at 2008 levels.

“It’s extremely unfair to homeowners to pay rising property taxes while their property value is plummeting,” said Clarke. “Giving City Councils the ability to freeze property taxes will give them another way to protect people in their communities struggling to keep their heads above water.”

Sen. Clarke’s bill will provide relief to cities in Michigan fighting to keep residents in their homes. Michigan is seeing the effects of the worst foreclosure crisis since the Great Depression, and the city of Detroit has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation. Freezing property taxes is one way of reducing financial burdens on residents who are already struggling with job loss, rising gas and food prices, and uncertainty about the future.

“I believe my bill will encourage Detroit homeowners to stay in the city and not move to the suburbs if they are assured that their property taxes won’t increase for a fixed time period,” said Clarke.

Sen. Clarke understands the problems Detroit is facing, and has fought hard for legislation that would address the city’s challenges. He has introduced a bill that would implement a two year moratorium on foreclosures, which would help stabilize property values and prevent homes from becoming vacant. He also enacted legislation that encourages companies in Michigan to hire Michigan workers, helping to retain current jobs and create new jobs as part of a long-term economic development plan. This legislation passed with bipartisan support.

Sen. Clarke’s property tax bill was proposed by former State Representative Alma G. Stallworth and the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan.

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