Where do my property taxes go?

Have you ever wondered where your property taxes go? While Muskegon Township serves as the collector of your property tax payments, we only retain 22.9% of them. The remainder of your taxes is allocated to other entities to fund various public services in Muskegon Township.

Muskegon Township distributes your tax payment amongst these entities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Muskegon Area Intermediate School District (MAISD) receives 12% of your property tax payments. The MAISD provides quality and equitable educational opportunities to students and schools throughout Muskegon County by providing leadership and programming that enhance the success of all individuals it serves.

The Muskegon Area District Library (MADL) is a primary resource for literacy and learning, receiving 3.1% of your annual property tax payments. MADL ensures the public sharing of nearly 190,000 physical materials, including books for all ages, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, hotspots, Playaway Tablets, as well as e-resources, and programs and activities for kids, teens, and adults.

The State Education Tax Act (SET) mandates that the property be assessed at 6 mills as part of summer property taxes. This accounts for 15.4% of your tax payment, which is then sent to the state treasury for the state’s school aid fund.

Muskegon Community College, a fully accredited institution by the Higher Learning Commission and the fourth oldest community college in the state of Michigan, receives 6.2% and offers 54 associate degree programs and 32 certificate programs.

Muskegon Township is home to Reeths-Puffer and Orchard View Schools, and a small portion of our residents reside in the Muskegon Public Schools school district. Approximately 22.9% of your property tax payments are contributed to the public school district in which you reside. These educational communities create a safe, supportive environment that foster academic growth, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning for all students.

Furthermore, 17.4% of your tax payments are allocated to services provided by or through the County of Muskegon. Some of the services or entities included in the County distribution are Muskegon Central Dispatch, Muskegon County Museum, Muskegon County Sheriff’s Department, and Senior Millage Programming.

The 22.9% of your property taxes that Muskegon Township retains are allocated to support these operations and services:

 

* Property taxes do not serve as the source of funding for the Sanitation Department or the Yard Waste Site. These services are directly supported through our customers.

 

 

 

 

 

The 22.9% of your taxes that remain in Muskegon Charter Township are collected through millages for general operations, street lights, roads, and Public Safety. Of that 22.9%, departments and services such as assessing, elections, township hall, parks, and the township board utilize 27.2% for general operations while 2.4% is used for street lights.

Our Public Works provides general road maintenance and snowplowing as well as park maintenance, removal of downed limbs, and lift station and sewer monitoring. In 2023, thanks to the voter supported road millage, the Muskegon County Road Commission was able to repair or upgrade 3.6 miles of local secondary roads and brine nearly 10 miles of gravel roads. These, and other services, provided by our Department of Public Works utilize 11.4% of Muskegon Township’s portion of tax payments.

The largest portion of your property taxes that Muskegon Township retains is used for Public Safety services. Our Police and Fire Departments utilize 59% of the Township’s portion of your property taxes. Our public safety departments are dedicated to serving our community in a multitude of emergency situations as well as preventative education, public assistance, and community outreach. In 2023 Fire personnel responded to 5,503 calls for service and our Police Officers responded to 10,587. Fire personnel installed 328 smoke alarms and 87 carbon monoxide alarms in 99 homes and also reached 2,716 children with fire prevention education. Our Police Department also conducted 1,662 requested house checks for our residents and we continue to share in the cost of providing a School Resource Officer for Orchard View and Reeths-Puffer schools. Muskegon Township Police and Fire Departments remain steadfast in our mission to protect and serve our residents.