State Investigation Underway After Former Assessor Missed 30 Properties
VICKSBURG, Mich. — Schoolcraft Township's former property tax assessor left approximately 30 homes in Vicksburg off the tax rolls for six years. The mistake cost the village at least $120,000 in lost revenue. Michigan law now allows local governments to request a state investigation into the assessment errors.
Vicksburg Village Manager Jim Mallery discovered the error late last year after Schoolcraft Township's previous assessor resigned in February 2025. The new assessor found about 30 properties in Vicksburg being taxed as empty land or under construction when they were actually occupied homes dating back to 2020.
Let's say there was, you know, 27, 28, 29, 30 parcels that were missed or misassessed and each one was misassessed by $4,000. You're at $120,000 of lost revenue to the village, Mallery said.
Schoolcraft Township documents obtained by News Channel 3 show township leaders discussing the problems throughout 2025. Several months before a formal meeting between the township and Vicksburg village, letters were sent to residents at those properties informing them their property taxes would increase by thousands of dollars.
Township Refuses to Make Residents Pay for Its Own Mistake
Vicksburg wants the lost money back. But Schoolcraft Township says it will not charge residents for its own assessment mistake. Schoolcraft Township supervisor Don Ulsh declined to comment when contacted. Township attorney Michael Homier directed questions to the attorney.
From our perspective, we've corrected or are correcting those errors, Homier said.
Michigan law lets local governments ask the state tax commission to retroactively collect taxes from homeowners whose properties were incorrectly assessed. Homier says Schoolcraft Township is not going to pursue that option.
Is it going to have a detrimental impact on any taxing jurisdiction over that period of time? Probably not, Homier said. But, it's going to have a really big effect on those residents of the township.
Vicksburg Considering Incorporating as City
In December, Vicksburg's village attorneys sent Schoolcraft a letter demanding the township hire an auditor to look at years of assessment records. Schoolcraft declined, saying its new assessor already conducted one.
What purpose would be served by spending additional taxpayer money on hiring a third party to identify the same properties that we've identified? Homier asked.
Homier says all assessment corrections will only be made on a going-forward basis. That is not good enough for Vicksburg. The village is now asking Michigan's tax commission to investigate Schoolcraft Township and the former assessor.
It's never too late to for parties to get together and have honest, direct, transparent conversations, Mallery said.
News Channel 3 confirmed a state investigation is now underway into the omitted properties. Vicksburg's village attorneys sent a letter to Schoolcraft Township about the investigation.
Vicksburg says it is considering incorporating as a city in order to handle tax assessments itself. The village is in charge of deciding how much most of Vicksburg pays in property taxes. Schoolcraft Township is in charge of property tax assessments for most of the township.
Impact on Village Budget
Mallery says the mistake put a big hole in Vicksburg's budget. The lost revenue would have gone to repairing roads, parks, and beautification programs. Each of Vicksburg's 4,000 residents is affected by the error.
Goes to repairing roads, having our parks and beautification program, all different items that service the citizens, Mallery said, referring to the missing revenue.
Mallery is still not sure how much this mistake has actually cost Vicksburg. He knows each of the 30 parcels was misassessed by about $4,000. But the total impact on village services remains unclear.
Mallery hopes it won't have to come to a state investigation. He wants parties to get together and have honest, direct, transparent conversations about how to fix the problem.
But the dispute has escalated. Vicksburg has asked Michigan's tax commission to investigate Schoolcraft Township. The controversy involves what Schoolcraft Township calls omitted properties in Vicksburg.
The township is in charge of deciding how much most of Vicksburg pays in property taxes. Schoolcraft Township's former assessor left certain homes off the tax rolls for six years. The mistake is costing at least six figures for the village.