County treasurers use a variety of methods and numerous
community resources to help people pay their taxes and prevent tax foreclosure. The
Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled that people who have property foreclosed for
unpaid taxes have a common law right to any remaining proceeds from the sale of the
property, after all the taxes, interest, penalties, fees, and costs have been paid. This
decision is called Rafaeli after the person who began the case.
The Michigan Association of County Treasurers supports proposed legislation to amend state law to comply
fully and fairly with the Michigan Supreme Court Rafaeli decision. The legislation proposed by Senators Jim
Runestad (R-White Lake) and Peter J. Lucido (R-Macomb), and Representative Brandt Iden (R-Kalamazoo) changes
current tax law to include several things:
SB 1137
SB 676
HB 6268
Catherine McClary - MACT Legislative
Committee Co-Chair and
Washtenaw County Treasurer
734-222-6600
Amanda Price - MACT Legislative Committee Co-Chair and Kalamazoo County Treasurer