{"id":5189,"date":"2016-09-12T16:31:08","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T20:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mml.org\/wp\/inside208\/?p=5189"},"modified":"2016-09-12T16:31:08","modified_gmt":"2016-09-12T20:31:08","slug":"business-groups-push-back-against-dark-stores-fix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mml.org\/inside208\/2016\/09\/12\/business-groups-push-back-against-dark-stores-fix\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Groups Push Back Against Dark Stores Fix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last\u00a0week, the Detroit News ran an op-ed article <\/a>from a lobbyist with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, expressing their opposition to the dark stores fix being supported by the Municipal League and every other local government and education organization in the state. \u00a0The piece, titled “Local officials mislead property taxpayers<\/strong><\/em>“, asserts that the push for a legislative solution (HB 5578<\/a>) on the big box retail tax assessment appeal issue is being driven by “Local officials, who are unhappy that their efforts to over-assess taxpayers have been routinely rejected in court<\/em>“. \u00a0The opinion piece goes on to claim that the proposed legislation is unconstitutional, would force the MI Tax Tribunal to ignore accepted appraisal principles, and that local governments would use the bill to over-tax businesses based on their profitability. \u00a0The author closes by stating “Local governments are trying to legitimize over-taxing by making scapegoats out of job providers who have successfully challenged their over-assessments<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the author uses more spin than fact in their arguments. \u00a0A quick reading of\u00a0the language in House Bill 5578 (Maturen) reveals a very different picture…<\/p>\n