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Resident Charles Miles presses council for help as city and county point to delinquent tax years
Summary
A longtime Detroit resident, Charles Miles, told the council he has paid property taxes but still faces collection attempts; council members and city staff described a multi‑year administrative dispute and said the outstanding balances involve prior tax years now handled by the county.
A Detroit resident who said he has proof of paying his property taxes told the City Council on Wednesday he has been waiting more than two years for a resolution to an outstanding collection action involving multiple properties.
During general public comment, Charles Miles said he had paid tax bills but was still being pursued for penalties and interest. Council members present acknowledged the length of the dispute and said council staff and several council offices had worked to arrange meetings with treasury staff and the law department. The council asked representatives of the city and county to meet with Miles and report back.
What city staff said: City staff described a complex, multi‑year situation in which some tax years are “past” and therefore managed by the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office. Director Patel (city staff) summarized the city and county records presented to the council: - Some issues date to 2014–2015 and have been resolved; remaining issues are from 2016 onward. (Director Patel) - One of Miles’s properties lost its Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) in 2016 because the owner already had a PRE on another parcel; the state denied a later PRE appeal in 2019. (Director Patel) - On April 18, 2018, Miles paid $1,249 on a parcel but an outstanding balance — described by staff as roughly $1,400 for a particular tax year — remained. After a tax year closes, delinquencies are transferred to the county for further collection. (Director Patel)
County role and next steps: City staff and council members told Miles they would involve the county treasurer because the unpaid balances are for prior tax years that moved to county collection. Council members asked that the law department and treasury coordinate with Miles and report back publicly; some council offices offered to bring the treasurer to a future meeting so the matter can be addressed on the public record.
What Miles said: Miles said he has receipts and documents and sought an on‑the‑record response from the law department and the treasury. He also told the council he had been told by a county representative that the situation was the city’s fault.
Council response and follow-up: Several council members — including Member Durhall, Member Waters and Member Young — said their offices have been working with Miles for months and would continue to pursue a resolution. Corporation Counsel staff and the office of the treasurer were asked to meet with Miles and return to council with a clear statement of outstanding balances and recommended next steps. The city indicated that if accounts are truly delinquent at the county level, the county’s collections team can set up payment plans.
Ending: The council directed staff to get the county treasurer and the law department to confer publicly with Miles so the record is clear; staff said they will follow up and that the county is best positioned to set repayment terms for tax years transferred for delinquent collection.
