LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino on Wednesday took to the Senate floor to talk about sky-high property taxes that are squeezing the life out of Michigan families, small-business owners and seniors on fixed incomes.

“High property taxes are driving people out of their neighborhoods, discouraging investment and making it harder for young families to buy their first homes. Retirees are being forced to downsize, not because they want to, but because they simply can’t keep up with the tax bills,” said Bellino, R-Monroe. “Property taxes were meant to fund essential local services like schools, police, and fire departments. But over the years, the system has been twisted into a bloated, complex and ever-growing tax burden that punishes homeowners for the crime of simply living in and maintaining their own homes.

“Enough is enough. We must stop treating taxpayers as a bottomless bank account and start treating them as the hardworking citizens they are. If we fail to act, we will lose more families, more small businesses and more of our future to states that respect their residents and their wallets.”

Bellino called for serious property tax reform in Michigan, such as:

• Further capping annual property tax increases so people can plan their future without fear of being taxed out of their home.
• Ending the practice of reassessing homes at inflated values just to squeeze more money from families.
• Expanding exemptions and relief for seniors and disabled residents so they can live their final years with dignity and stability.
• Making sure every dollar is used for core services — not pet projects or bloated bureaucracies.

Residents can watch Bellino’s floor remarks on his official Senate Facebook page at Facebook.com/SenJoeBellino.

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