Bay City, Michigan 48706
Front Page 03/28/2024 07:47 About us
www.mybaycity.com September 13, 2009
(Prior Story)   Government ArTicle 4188   (Next Story)

City Eyes Consultant to Help Find Businesses Avoiding Personal Property Tax

Seaplane Base at James Clements Airport Appears Ready to Take Off

September 13, 2009       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

Printer Friendly Story View

Tax Management Associates (TMA), Charlotte, N.C., says it has already recovered $3.2 billion in unpaid personal property taxes for Michigan communities.

Now the City of Bay City is about to consider bringing in the firm to boost local tax revenues by finding those that are going unpaid and placing them on the rolls.

Monday, at 6:30 p.m. in the Finance and Policy Committee meeting, commissioners and officials will hear from Bob Lucas, CPA, regarding the TMA "discovery of unlisted businesses" program.

TMA claims to find about 20 percent of businesses within every municipal jurisdiction are not paying personal property taxes.

TMA has listed results from about 300 clients in 13 states in which about $30.9 billion in personal property taxes have been added to the tax rolls. North Carolina leads with about $13 billion recovered.

The consulting firm identifies personal property as "everything that is not real property including but not limited to machinery and equipment, furniture and fixtures, computer equipment and leasehold improvements."

Discovery is describes as "the identification and documentation of business establishments and their associated business personal property value not appearing on the latest tax roll."

TMA lists clients in 17 Michigan counties, including the City of Midland and Saginaw County on its website www.tma1.com. Thirty Wayne County communities alone are on the list of 58 statewide.

"Local programs thrive on the support generated through personal property taxes," states the firm. "Equalization of the tax base means that local programs receive the funding necessary for their success without creating new taxes."

The firm reports that its discovery methods include scrutinizing databases, contacting nonpaying businesses by mail encouraging them to file a return in the next 30 days, applying value through an evaluation technique, and auditing businesses with value greater than $50,000.

Meanwhile, the city is proceeding with a $176,000 project to install a seaplane base at James Clements Airport. Low bidder for the construction portion to be recommended is Wonsey Tree Service of Alma at its bid of $117,223.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has approved a grant for most of the total $176,000 cost with the city's share to be 2.5 percent. The grant will cover construction of improvements, construction management, and purchase of wetland mitigation bank credits.

Darwin Baranski, parks, buildings and grounds manager, said: "The project represents another important step to increasing the use of the airport and the potential to generate additional revenues."

Mr. Baranski noted that seaplanes have operated out of the airport throughout its history and there are currently four private seaplanes based there. He added that James Clements is the only seaplane facility in Michigan capable of providing a variety of seaplane services on site, including transient hangar storage and aviation fuel.

The project will include a hard-surfaced ramp extending 100 feet into the river and connected to a paved access drive from the top of a dike. The shoreline will be improved for purposed of beaching aircraft.

The second phase of the project, expected to occur next year, will include installation of a floodlight and electrical services near the ramp, along with a floating dock for mooring seaplanes in the river.

Mead and Hunt, of Lansing, will provide construction management services if the commission approves the project.###

Printer Friendly Story View
Prior Article

February 10, 2020
by: Rachel Reh
Family Winter Fun Fest is BACC Hot Spot for 2/10/2020
Next Article

February 2, 2020
by: Kathy Rupert-Mathews
MOVIE REVIEW: "Just Mercy" ... You Will Shed Tears, or at Least You Should
Agree? or Disagree?


Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

More from Dave Rogers

Send This Story to a Friend!       Letter to the editor       Link to this Story
Printer-Friendly Story View


--- Advertisments ---
     


0200 Nd: 03-24-2024 d 4 cpr 0






12/31/2020 P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm

SPONSORED LINKS



12/31/2020 drop ads P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm


Designed at OJ Advertising, Inc. (V3) (v3) Software by Mid-Michigan Computer Consultants
Bay City, Michigan USA
All Photographs and Content Copyright © 1998 - 2024 by OJA/MMCC. They may be used by permission only.
P3V3-0200 (1) 0   ID:Default   UserID:Default   Type:reader   R:x   PubID:mbC   NewspaperID:noPaperID
  pid:1560   pd:11-18-2012   nd:2024-03-24   ax:2024-03-28   Site:5   ArticleID:4188   MaxA: 999999   MaxAA: 999999
claudebot