Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on March 8, 2007, to temporarily raise the real estate transfer tax applied to sales of primary residences from .75 percent to .85 percent, and give this tax revenue to the county and local government in which a parcel is located. These would be required to use the money for extra public safety spending. The higher tax would not apply to new construction. The higher tax and revised distribution would be in effect from April 1, 2007 to Sept. 1, 2008. The bill is tie barred to HB 4440 (each will only become law if the other does), which authorizes a temporary moratorium on the Proposal A taxable value “pop-up” for property that is sold as a homestead (principle residence)

The vote was 58 in favor, 50 opposed and 2 not voting

(House Roll Call 44 at House Journal 25)

Click here to view bill details.

I hope your constituants fire you.

5 of my neighbors are trying to sell their houses for less than they paid for them 4 years ago. They already may need to bring money to closing. Why not hit them while they are down with more transfer tax. Even with England and Canada's high taxes, I may find them a more attractable place to live than Michigan if this keeps up.

Proposal A is keeping people from buying a new home in Michigan and the transfer tax combined with the pop up of Proposal A is keeping people from selling and upgrading.

gives the additional revenue to the local government. and..gives the additional revenue to the local government. and..gives the additional revenue to the local government.

That's not the objectionable part of this. Actually this and the bill it't tie barred to are sad, not objectionable. They are evidicence of how sice the real estate market (and home values) are here. This bill trades a small increased in the R.E. transfer tax for a lower property tax on the house you buy. This bill is sop/bribe to local governments to compensate them for the greater amount they would collect on a permanent bases given the temporarily suspended 'pop up.' What's pathetic is that pols like this bill's sponsor are doing things to the biz climate here that will further damage home values (and boost outbound U-Haul rentals); this bill is pathetic effort to compensate.

That Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved the pop-up tax adjustment when they voted for Proposal A in 1994. There is no good reason to chip away at that Constitutional amendment now ... unless the whole thing was fatally flawed. If that is the case, the proper step is to repeal the amendment and start over.

Proposal A was shoved down Michigans throat. It was during an economic crisis like we are in now. You could sell anything with a huge campaign like the Proposal A backers put together. Don't blame the uniformed naive Michigan voters for a crap proposal put together by tax hungry politicians. If you don't see that it is flawed, especially by the myriad of exemptions and exclusion proposed, you are blind.

Rep. Sheen, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: No Vote Explanation on HBs 4440 - 4441 - 4442 The people of the state of Michigan voted by referendum to make Headly and Proposal A apart of the Michigan Constitution. I do not believe the legislature should arbitrarily change these constitutional enactments. If this was put in place by a vote of the people, then it should be changed by a vote of the people, not the legislature."

Bad Move For MI Homeowners and Taxapyers: * More "Unequal Taxation" * Decrease in home value for those who have already been Pop'ed u in taxes * Fix the problem, save the band-aid approach * The House has over-stepped their boundary on this one. Should go to the voters. * What is our next "trick" in 18 momths?

Please write your Legislator on this one!

I experienced a major increse in my total mortgage payment in just 2yrs. I live on a 25,000 salary and a major budget, so when my relator sold me the house without telling me I felt violated. I was'nt old enough to vote when proposal A was in effect so I still suffer. I may have to sell my home if it goes up any further. Angry homeowner l

So let me get this straight, freeze the POP UP tax but raise the transfer tax? Does the transfer tax get lowered whent he POP UP freeze is lifted, or is it the plan to keep it higher in the future anyway. Just another angle of thought. I felt the POP UP freeze sounded good until it was glued to 4441