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What is the difference between real and personal property taxes?
How is property assessed?
What is a principal residence exemption and how do I know if I have one?
How is my tax rate determined?
How do I find out the Zoning District for my property?

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  Q. What is the difference between real and personal property taxes?
  A.Real property is property which is attached such as land and buildings. Real property taxes are assessed on either commercial/industrial or residential property.

Personal property is any property that isn't real property. Personal property taxes are assessed only on property that is used in a business.
  Q. How is property assessed?
  A.Real property assessments are based on market values and are assessed yearly by the assessor's department.

For more information on Property Assessments, please contact the Township Assessor's Office at (616) 874-6966.
(view details)
  Q. What is a principal residence exemption and how do I know if I have one?
  A.A homestead exemption entitles the owner of real property an exemption from the 18* mills of school operating tax for the percentage of taxable value used as a primary
residence.

* or less subject to Headlee Amendment roll back (view details)
  Q. How is my tax rate determined?
  A.In the summer tax cycle, the tax levies of the Township, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD), Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), the State of Michigan, and the respective public school district within which the property is located are approved by the elected board members. These taxing units primarily utilize their tax collections for the operating fiscal year that commences July 1st of the tax year being billed and continues through June 30 of the succeeding year. The State Education Tax is also levied in the summer tax cycle and the tax rate is authorized by the state treasurer. The state monies are applied to the State of Michigan operating fiscal year from October 1st (three months after the billing) through September 30th of the next year. The Kent County Board of Commissioners approves the county tax rate to be levied for property tax bills which are levied December 1st of each year.

The winter tax provides monies for the operating fiscal year that commences January 1st of the succeeding year (one month after the levy date) and continues through December 31st of the same next year.
  Q. How do I find out the Zoning District for my property?
  A.It is easy to find out the Zoning District. Click on the Zoning Map and you should be able to find your property by checking the cross streets. Some parcels may need an interpretation by the Zoning Administrator. Most of the Township is in the RR - Rural Residential & Agricultural Zoning District.

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