DETROIT -- A Detroit city council member has paid $68 in property taxes this year because city records say her home doesn't exist.
JoAnn Watson's brick Tudor-style home on the city's west side has been occupied since 1926, but city records have classified the parcel as an empty lot for the past decade.
Owners of comparable homes pay $2,000 to $6,500 in property taxes.
Watson told the Detroit Free Press she thought the steep drop in property taxes was a result of tornado damage. She doesn't recall when the tornado struck, however, saying it might have been 1993 or 2002.
Watson has asked for a review of her tax bill.
The city's chief assessor, Linda Bade, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
___
Information from: Detroit Free Press,
© 2009 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
