Oakland County Treasurer’s Office Foreclosure Prevention

Oakland County Treasurer’s Office Foreclosure Prevention

1200 N. Telegraph Road, Dept. 479  

Pontiac, MI 48341-0479  

(248) 858-0611  

oakgov.com/treasurer 

Robert Wittenberg, Treasurer Jody Weissler DeFoe, Chief Deputy Treasurer

Oakland County Treasurer’s Office Foreclosure Prevention 

The Oakland County Treasurer’s Office is in the final stretch of our Foreclosure Prevention efforts. The tax  foreclosure deadline for the 2020 or prior year taxes is on March 31st, 2023. That means if these taxes  aren’t paid off by March 31st or any interested party hasn’t entered into a repayment schedule with the  Treasurer’s office by then, the property will be foreclosed. 

Since December of 2022, the Treasurer’s office has conducted over a thousand Taxpayer Assistance Meetings to assist taxpayers with keeping their properties by working with them to get on a repayment  schedule and/or by identifying resources that may be beneficial to them and their situation. We are here  to help and strongly encourage taxpayers to contact us before the tax foreclosure deadline if they have  delinquent taxes for 2020 or prior tax years. Taxpayers interested in scheduling a Taxpayer Assistance 

Meeting may call us at 248-858-0611 or they may visit www.oakgov.com/treasurer 

Some of the resources available to assist taxpayers include: 

  • Michigan Homeowners Assistance Fund (MIHAF) which is a state grant that will cover up  to $25K for delinquent taxes (2019 and forward), mortgage payments, and utility bills. Must  be a primary residence, make <150% AMI, and prove covid hardship in order to qualify. Apply  at mihaf.michigan.gov. 
  • Financial Empowerment Center in the Treasurer’s Office which provides one-on-one financial coaching and services to help taxpayers achieve their financial goals. Contact Reda  at [email protected] or 248-807-5287. 
  • Lakeshore Legal Aid provides free legal services to people who are low income and  seniors. 1-888-783-8190 is the number for new clients. 

Again, we are here to help and strongly encourage taxpayers to contact the Treasurer’s office if they have  delinquent taxes for 2020 or prior tax years. If taxpayers are interested in scheduling a Taxpayer Assistance Meeting, they may call us at 248-858-0611 or they may visit www.oakgov.com/treasurer

Thank you! 

Robert Wittenberg 

Oakland County Treasurer 

MDHHS launches OpiRescue smartphone app

MDHHS launches OpiRescue smartphone app

MDHHS banner with logo no names

Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 8, 2023

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

MDHHS launches OpiRescue smartphone app to help Michigan residents prevent and reduce opioid overdoses

LANSING, Mich. – In an effort to reduce the occurrence of overdoses and help residents learn to treat an overdose, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is launching OpiRescue, a smartphone app aimed at reducing harm.

The OpiRescue app helps anyone, including first responders, prevent opioid misuse and reduce opioid overdose deaths by addressing education, prevention and tracking of overdose reversals.

“Preventing opioid deaths includes offering a variety of strategies to provide residents tools when and where they need them,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “The OpiRescue app will support those who may encounter an overdose to immediately begin life-saving treatment to an affected individual.”

The OpiRescue app provides:

  • Educational content to identify and reverse overdoses.
  • A Naloxone finder to locate the medication nearby.
  • A treatment locator.
  • Information on how to report an overdose reversal.

The OpiRescue app is available statewide in Michigan on both Android and iOS platforms. It is free to use and anonymous. It can be downloaded at Apple iOS app store or through Google Play.

MDHHS partners, including Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans and Syringe Service Programs, actively involved in caring for members of the public experiencing opioid use disorder will have access to a dashboard for their region. The dashboard will allow those partners to view overdose reversal data in near real time and allocate additional resources as needed to areas with increased reports of overdose reversals.

For more information on Naloxone and how to obtain the medication, visit Michigan.gov/Naloxone.

Whitmer Signs Lowering MI Costs Plan into Law

Whitmer Signs Lowering MI Costs Plan into Law

Governor Whitmer Header

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 7, 2023

Contact: [email protected]

 

Gov. Whitmer Signs Lowering MI Costs Plan into Law, Cutting Taxes by $1 Billion for Working Families and Seniors

 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, Speaker of the House Joe Tate, and members of the Michigan legislature to sign the Lowering MI Costs plan into law. The Lowering MI Costs plan rolls back the retirement tax, putting $1,000 back in the pockets of 500,000 households, and quintuples the Working Families Tax Credit, delivering an average combined tax refund of $3,150 to 700,000 families, directly benefiting nearly one million kids – almost half the kids in Michigan.

 

“Right now, families are facing the pinch and having tough conversations about how to make ends meet,” said Governor Whitmer. “Today, I am proud to sign a $1 billion tax cut for seniors and working families. Getting this done will help people pay the bills, put food on the table, and afford essentials like groceries and school supplies. It will ensure seniors can keep more of what they’ve earned over a lifetime of hard work and put money back in the pockets of 700,000 working families. I will continue to work with our legislative partners to build on this progress, grow our economy, and lower costs for every Michigander.”

 

“Today, we’re undoing the unfair, decade-long budget experiment that required some of our most vulnerable to sacrifice even more,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids). “Our new majority for the people means putting the real needs of real Michiganders first, and hundreds and thousands of retirees and families earning the least will have a bit of financial breathing room under the Lowering MI Costs Plan. Our legislation is rooted in deeply held core values of the new leadership and our caucuses; values like honesty, pragmatism, and making sure every resident has a shot at financial security and all of the good things that come with it.”

 

“We are delivering on our commitment to Michiganders,” said House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit).  “With the signing of this bill, we are giving retirees back their hard-earned dollars and putting more money into the hands of working families.  This is meaningful relief to help support our residents and it lets them know that their priorities are our priorities.”

 

“I’ve held office in the House for three terms, and each term, I introduced a bill to repeal the retirement tax: I’m so happy for Michiganders that we finally got it across the finish line,” said Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township). “In addition to repealing the retirement tax, which has been eating away at the finances of older Michiganders for over a decade, we are also expanding the working families tax credit and ensuring that our state is ready to lead in 21st-century green manufacturing. I’m grateful that members on both sides of the aisle could come together, set aside our differences, and do the right thing for our state.”

 

“When Democrats lead with our values and unite around creating meaningful opportunities, we’re able to do really big things,” said Sen. Kristen McDonald-Rivet (D-Bay City). “Michigan’s working families and retirees needed us to go big and we did. I’m proud my working families tax credit expansion is part of this historic, massive tax relief. A million Michigan kids and their working parents will get game-changing stability. Tens of thousands will move out of poverty. Our small businesses will gain from the credit’s incentive to work and our entire state will benefit from the half a billion dollars it will pump back into local economies.”

 

Retirement Tax

House Bill 4001, sponsored by State Representative Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township), amends the Income Tax Act to phase out the retirement tax over four years and ultimately deliver an average of $1,000 to 500,000 households. The bills also equalizes the exemption on both public and private pensions.

 

Working Families Tax Credit

House Bill 4001 will quintuple the Michigan Working Families Tax Credit match of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit to 30%, up from 6%. This expansion will deliver an average combined tax refund of $3,150 to 700,000 families, directly impacting nearly one million kids – almost half the kids in Michigan.

 

“More than a decade ago, this shameful pension tax broke a promise to retirees and forced those on fixed incomes to change their retirement plans when the rules of the game unexpectedly were rewritten,” said AARP Michigan State Director Paula D. Cunningham. “But today, after a 12-year fight and a final push that swamped state legislators with more than 13,300 emails from AARP members, this wrong has been righted, providing relief for half a million current retirees and waves of retirees yet to come. AARP applauds the governor and those legislators who elevated the repeal of this tax as a top priority and voted yes.”

 

“For many years, we have advocated for an increase to the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, and we are thrilled to see Governor Whitmer sign this substantial boost for working families into law today,” said Dr. Darienne Hudson, President and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “Raising Michigan’s EITC to 30% of the federal credit will directly benefit more than 2 million Michigan children by providing a meaningful increase to working families’ incomes, many of whom are still struggling in the wake of the pandemic and whose budgets have been strained by inflation. We applaud Gov. Whitmer and the members of the legislature who supported this truly meaningful investment in households across the state.”

 

“The Michigan Education Association applauds Gov. Whitmer for providing relief to hard-working retirees by rolling back the unfair retirement tax,” said Michigan Education Association President Paula Herbart, a veteran teacher from Macomb County. “Many Michigan educators planned for their retirement expecting their pensions would be tax-free — but a decade ago, retirees had the rug pulled out from under them through an unfair tax hike on those who could least afford it. The governor and our new legislative leaders have righted a wrong, and thanks to their hard-fought efforts, Michigan seniors and families will finally receive some much-need money back in their hands.”

 

bill signing lowering mi

 

Gov Lowering MI Costs

 

LG Lowering MI Signing

 

Brinks Lowering MI Costs

 

Tate Lowering MI

Reward of Hosting Your Regional and Motivation to  Win Districts

Reward of Hosting Your Regional and Motivation to Win Districts

The Reward of Hosting Your Regional and the Motivation to Win Districts.

Written Sunday March 5th at 10:30 AM

When Athletic Directors put in for regionals to the MHSAA and it’s granted. They tend to feel that their team can get to the regional where they would host.

Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s very rough for the losing team in districts and knowing that their opponent is heading to your regional in your own gym.

The reward for some schools is that they get to host their regional.

Lake Orion, Macomb Dakota, Coldwater, Dearborn Fordson, Frankenmuth, Yale, Saline, Sandusky, Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Dansville, Petersburg Sumfield, Athens, and Kingston will host their respective girls basketball regionals and their team are playing in their regionals throughout the State.

The common theme is that each of these teams won their district in an opposing gym. That is the biggest motivation is to host their own regional.

Rochester, Detroit Cass Tech, Grosse Pointe North, Redford Westfield Prep, Detroit Edison, Dearborn Divine Child, Hart, West Iron County, Oscoda, Grass Lake, Dansville, Hanover-Horton, Blissfield, Riverview Gabriel Richard, New Lothrup, Fowler, Petersburg Summerfield, Gaylord St. Mary, Au Gres Sims, St. Charles, Fruitport Calvary Christian, Climax Scott, and Athens all won girls basketball districts on their home floors.

It happens in any sport.

Having home court this late in the season is very important. Those teams are familiar with the gym and the surroundings. Now all these teams won’t make it past regionals but that feeling of playing at home is very rewarding to those who have gotten this far.

Like I said before, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t that’s the bottom line.

 

Reward of Hosting Your Regional and Motivation to  Win Districts

Boys Basketball Top 23

Boys Basketball Top 23.

Written Saturday March 4th at 11:00 PM

These are the final Boys Basketball Top 23 for the regular season.

  1. North Farmington (19-1): Raiders rolling with confidence into the postseason.
  2. Ferndale (14-8): Eagles gearing up for hopefully a run in Division Two.
  3. Adams (13-8): Highlanders have some momentum despite loss to North Farmington.
  4. West Bloomfield (15-6): Lakers have a really tough test looming in the postseason.
  5. Groves (16-6): Marc West has done a very good job with the Falcons in his first year back.
  6. Troy (16-6): Colts better beware of Utica in the district semifinals.
  7. Oak Park (11-7): Knights struggling a little bit heading into a very tough district.
  8. Bloomfield Hills (15-7): Blackhawks have a really tough test looming in the postseason.
  9. Harper Woods (15-7): Pioneers have a very interesting matchup with Grosse Pointe North looming.
  10. Clarkston (13-9): Wolves should be fine in their district.
  11. Lake Orion (11-11): Dragons have played a tough schedule this season.
  12. Seaholm (12-10): Maples won the Blue with a strong 2023.
  13. Oxford (13-9): Wildcats have some confidence heading into the postseason.
  14. Troy Athens (11-9): Red Hawks have no momentum heading into the postseason.
  15. Berkley (14-8): Bears staring at Detroit University-Detroit Jesuit in the district semifinals.
  16. Royal Oak (13-8): Ravens have a very tough matchup with Detroit Renaissance looming.
  17. Stoney Creek (3-18): Cougars have no momentum heading into the postseason.
  18. Rochester (5-17): Max Mohl has been very impressive lately.
  19. Farmington (6-15): Falcons are in a very tough spot without Jaden Turner.
  20. Southfield Arts and Tech (9-13): Warriors have no momentum heading in the postseason.
  21. Avondale (10-12): Yellow Jackets are a wildcard in their district.
  22. Ferndale University (9-12): Eagles have been inconsistent heading into the postseason.
  23. Pontiac (3-18): Phoenix have really struggled heading into the postseason.