Practical proposal unanimously approved in House floor vote 

A bill offered by state Rep. Bradley Slagh that will help townships serve their residents more effectively when collecting tax payments was advanced on Thursday by the Michigan House.

Current law requires township treasurers to remain at a township office at least one day during normal business hours for important cycles on the tax calendar – March 1 and Sept. 14 for instances of summer tax levies and at least one day between Dec. 25-31.

House Bill 4209 allows a designee in the office to accept payments when a treasurer is not present. The designee must be approved by the township board.

“This bill underscores the importance of good customer service for our taxpayers. It may not seem like it, but people collecting these payments for a township are serving customers in actuality,” said Slagh, who served as Ottawa County treasurer from 2007-18. “It’s inconvenient for those customers if only one person at an office can take their payment. This plan offers some flexibility for our communities and updates existing language to legalize what is likely already occurring when people are away from the office due to illness or an emergency.”

HB 4209 now moves to the Senate for consideration.