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General Tax Bill Information
The online tax bill lookup is now available on line. The information is updated each day that receipts are processed (approximately three times per week).
Who Receives Tax Bills and When?
What If My Taxes Become Delinquent?
Bank & Mortgage Company Tax Escrow
Who Receives Tax Bills and When?
All of Columbia Township, including the Village of Breedsville, receive winter & summer tax bills. For information about summer tax bills call:
Breedsville property owners should call the Breedsville Treasurer, Susan Hammond, at 427-7941.
Columbia Township property owners should call the Township Treasurer, Mary Fogarty at 434-6227.
Your Tax & Assessment Amounts
The amount of your taxes is based on the current tax rates and the assessment on your property. The Assessor, not the Treasurer, sets your assessment. Please contact the Assessor for assessment questions.
Paying Before The Deadline
In order to avoid interest and penalty, please pay your winter property taxes before March 1st, and your summer taxes before September 14th. The most convenient way to pay your taxes is by mail. Detach the lower portion of your tax bill(s) and enclose them along with your check or money order in the return envelope. I will send your receipt by return mail.
If you want to pay your taxes in person, I will be available at the Columbia Township Hall at 53053 CR 388 (˝ mile east of Grand Junction) during the following times:
 | Tuesday--Wednesday--Thursday--9am to Noon |
| Monday February 28, 2007-9am to 5pm |
This schedule is printed on your tax bill.
What If My Taxes Become Delinquent?
The Michigan State Legislature and Governor Engler have passed a new state law that significantly reduces the time it takes to loose your property due to non-payment of real property taxes. Whereas it used to take from 5 to 7 years to loose your property, it now takes just 2 years for taxes to become delinquent! For details and questions, please contact the Van Buren County Treasurer at 219 Paw Paw Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079 (269) 657-8228.
Paying Delinquent Taxes
On March 1, your winter property taxes become delinquent and on September 14th, your summer taxes become delinquent. To pay delinquent taxes for any year, contact the Van Buren County Treasurer to get the total amount due including interest and fees. The administration fee is a one-time charge of 4%. Interest accrues at the rate of 1% per month or part thereof. You must pay your delinquent taxes to the Van Buren County Treasurer either in person or by mail. The Van Buren County Treasurer is located in the Administration Building just north of the County Court House in Paw Paw and may be reached at (269) 657-8228.
Address Changes
It is important that I have your current mailing address. I use the address shown on the bottom portion of your tax bill to mail your tax bill and receipt. The Assessor uses the same address to mail your assessment notice in March.
If you want me to change your mailing address, please make corrections to the address shown on the bottom portion of your tax bill.
If you have moved and left a forwarding address with the post office, the post office will return your tax bill to me with your new address (until the expiration date of your forwarding order). I will update your address from the post office’s information and re-mail your tax bill to that new address.
If you have a temporary forwarding address, I will forward your tax bill to that address without making a permanent change in my records.
If the post office returns your tax bill and has no forwarding address, there is no way for us to get your tax bill, tax receipt, and assessment notice to you.
Bank & Mortgage Company Tax Escrow
Many home owners have a property tax escrow account with their bank or mortgage company. In this case, the bank or mortgage company pays your taxes out of your tax escrow account.
Since I mail your tax bill to the property owner, banks and mortgage companies must request your tax information from me each year. Beginning this year, they may look up your taxes on the Internet. Once they pay your taxes, I mail the receipt to the property owner. When you receive your tax receipt, you know your bank or mortgage company has paid your taxes.