The News Herald: Breaking news coverage for Southgate, MI: "Senior citizens no longer will receive discounts on their property taxes.
The City Council recently voted 4 to 3 to end the practice, which was approved in an amendment to the city charter in the 1970s.
City Attorney Charles Wycoff said the discount was illegal under the state’s constitution, which does not allow for different taxation rules based on arbitrary factors such as age or race.
To qualify, the tax credit required a person to be over 65 and a resident of Gibraltar for 10 years or more.
The measure to rescind the discount was not approved quietly. A crowd of seniors came to the meeting to argue their case against repealing the amendment.
One unidentified man asked what gave the council the right to take away an amendment the community voted in.
Others expressed concern that fixed incomes could make it difficult for seniors to cover taxes without assistance."
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