By Bill Lucia
Route Fifty
Property tax revenue began falling in Wayne County, Michigan in 2008 and, since then, the decline has continued unabated.
Between fiscal years 2007 and 2013, collections dropped from about $485 million to around $285 million—a 41 percent decrease, based on figures in the county’s comprehensive annual financial reports. Property taxes have traditionally been an important source of financial lifeblood for Wayne. They provided 18 percent of revenue for government activities there in 2013.
But falling property tax revenue is just one factor that has left finances strained in the county, which is home to the city of Detroit and has a population of approximately 1.7 million people.
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