Finance Director (Assessor & Treasurer)
Janice Sal
616-669-0200 x 413
Assessing Assistant
Teri Schut
616-669-0200 x416
The Assessor's Office is responsible for performing and maintaining property assessments for the uniform and equitable distribution of the property tax burden. This office maintains information on the real and personal property within the City limits including address, owner, taxpayer, description of land, lot size, building size, quality, construction type, year built, and true cash, assessed and taxable values.
This information is used to prepare the assessment and tax rolls for the city. The assessment and tax rolls are used to levy and collect taxes to fund the various local public services provided by the city and county, and to fund the local and intermediate school districts.
The Assessing Department also processes deeds and property transfer affidavits for the establishment of correct and current property ownership. It administers homestead, agricultural and industrial facility tax exemptions, conducts property sales studies, performs neighborhood revaluation, and values and records new construction.
The Board of Review falls under the jurisdiction of the Assessor's office. The City's three member Board of Review meets approximately five times each year to review the property assessment roll, hear assessment appeals, make any needed corrections to, and ultimately endorse the assessment roll. The Board is also responsible, at its July and December sessions, to hear appeals on approvals and denials of homestead and agricultural exemption issues and to correct clerical errors and mutual mistakes of fact regarding the assessment roll.