LANSING – After only a few months in office, State Representative Coleman Young II (D-Detroit) has passed his first bill, which is part of a package to amend the Tax Tribual Act in order to make the Michigan Tax Tribunal (MTT) – which currently has a backlog of cases that increases costs imposed on taxpayers – more effective, efficient and accessible.
"These reforms would save Michigan taxpayers about $460,000," Young said. "The people of Michigan are already stretched to the limit – we have to get the MTT process moving again, and my bill will help do that."
The Michigan Tax Tribunal is an administrative court within the Department of Labor and Economic Growth that hears disputes in property and non-property tax matters. Currently, there is a backlog of more than 10,500 appeals pending before the tribunal, with an additional 8,000 appeals filed annually.
Young's bill, House Bill 4434, would direct fees and other charges from the MTT to the Michigan Tax Tribunal Fund, to be used solely for the operations of the MTT. Other bills in the package would:
- Allow for mediation disputes.
- Eliminate a prohibition on having more than three members of MTT in the same profession.
- Expand the scope of hearings that may be heard before the small claims division.
- Eliminate the requirement that the small claims division hold evening hearings if requested by the petitioner.
The bills now head to the Senate for consideration.