Several years ago in Polk County (Lakeland) Florida friends told me that the authorities had hired people strictly to drive around and look for property that appeared to have *anything* on that would have originally required pulling a building permit to do. Sheds, fences, you name it. Then they go back 20 years in the records looking for a permit. If they don’t find one, they then bill the property owner for the cost of a permit.
The problem in Michigan is that some of the Assessors are in bed with the tax commission. I know one assessor who has at least 3 townships. Kinda crooked if you ask me.
He was hired by one township to do 20% of the properties per year. 3 years later he had assessed less than 20% and the Tax Commission raised hell about the tax rolls so while not doing the job he was hired to do, the township(recommended by the State Tax Commission) then contracted his company to do a complete township assessment for over 100,000 dollars.
How do you fight an assessment if you have to use comparable properties in the area ALL being set by the same crook?
I have to fight idioit assessors all the time. They once took a photo through my shop eindow and ASSumed my office equipment was worth $100k. A crappy old desk, chair and printer. Another idiot insisted a used lathe was worth 20 times what I had paid even after producing receipts. I hate those arrogant condescending little twerps.