City Hall (269) 857-2603

PayTreasurer and Assessor

Property Taxes

The City Treasurer collects summer and winter property taxes at City Hall, and the City Assessor values every parcel each year; a value can be appealed to the Board of Review in March.

Pay at
City Hall, 102 Butler Street
Counter hours
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Drop box
At City Hall, open 24 hours
Treasurer
(269) 224-9503

Paying a Tax Bill

At the counter
City Hall, 102 Butler Street, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Drop box
At City Hall, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
By mail
City of Saugatuck, P.O. Box 86, Saugatuck, MI 49453
Parcel records
BS&A Online, the City's tax parcel record search

If mailing anything be sure to include the post office box.

Automatic Payment

  • The City can take the full amount of each summer and winter tax bill from a checking or savings account on the date you choose.
  • Summer taxes are taken on the due date; winter taxes at year end or on the due date.
  • A copy of a voided check is required to ensure the correct account and ABA/routing numbers are used for this electronic payment.
  • To stop automatic payment, write to the City at least 14 days before the next payment date.
  • A payment returned by the bank carries a fee, and the taxes are unpaid, and subject to penalty, until they are paid.

Return the signed form to City Hall in person, by mail, or in the drop box, and keep a copy.

Where Each Tax Dollar Goes

A mill equals one one-thousandth of a dollar ($1 of tax for each $1,000 of taxable value).

The 18-mill school operating tax is not levied on a principal residence, so a home its owner lives in pays 40.5382 mills and other property pays 58.5382.

  • City of Saugatuck32¢13.0187 mills
  • Schools41¢16.5069 mills
  • Allegan County17¢6.9663 mills
  • Fire district7¢2.9 mills
  • District library2¢0.6665 mills
  • Interurban1¢0.4798 mills
Of each dollar of property tax on a principal residence, the cents each body levies, from 40.5382 mills in all

On a taxable value of $100,000, these levies come to $4,053.82 a year on a principal residence and $5,853.82 on other property.

All 18 levies
LevyMills
City of Saugatuck
City operating9.9774
City roadsVoted, expires 20311.6413
City road debtVoted, expires 20281.4000
Schools
School operatingNot levied on a principal residence18.0000
State education tax6.0000
School intermediate district6.3164
School debt3.4500
School building and site0.5000
School recreation0.2405
Allegan County
County operating5.1619
County roads0.9870
County seniors0.4823
County medical care0.2394
County conservation0.0957
Fire district
Saugatuck Township Fire District2.9000
District library
District library0.4284
District library debt0.2381
Interurban
Interurban Transit Authority0.4798
A principal residence40.5382
Other property58.5382

2026/2027 Annual Budget PDF, 3.9 MB

From the City’s proposed budget presentation for fiscal year 2026–2027, page 10.

Your Assessment Notice

Every year at the end of February, owners receive an Assessment Change Notice explaining the changes in the Assessed and Taxable value of their property.

This is an Assessment Notice. It indicates what the local assessor determines your property is worth and how much of that value is taxable. It does not indicate what your taxes will be for this year.

The Assessed Value is approximately one half of what the State calculates your property is worth in a specified year. The Taxable Value is the amount that your taxes are calculated on.

If you have owned your home for more than a year, the Taxable Value should be less than the Assessed Value. The gap between these two numbers will continue to grow the longer you own the property. Taxable and Assessed will be the same the year after you buy a property.

The Assessor ensures the accurate and timely appraisal and assessment of real and personal property according to established property tax laws.

Typical response time will be 48 hours, in the event we are not available within 48 hours, responses will not be longer than 7 days. We hold office hours the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 8:30am - 5pm if you would like to meet in person. We can also make special arrangements if necessary.

Appealing an Assessment

  1. December 31

    Tax day

    These assessments are based on the value of the property on "tax day" which is December 31.

  2. End of February

    The notice arrives

    The last section of the notice gives the information for the March Board of Review.

  3. March

    Board of Review

    The first level of appeal is to the Board of Review. The Board of Review is comprised of three members who are City of Saugatuck residents appointed by City Council. Hearings are by appointment. Please call City Hall at (269) 857-2603 to schedule.

    Next Tuesday, March 9, and Wednesday, March 10, 2027

  4. First Monday in June

    The decision

    Notification of the Board's decision is provided by mail no later than the first Monday in June.

In writing

Property owners may appeal in writing. All written appeals must be received prior to the last meeting date of the Board of Review.

Owners who live elsewhere

Within the City of Saugatuck, a non-resident taxpayer may appeal his/her assessment to the local Board of Review by letter. The letter must be timely to constitute an appearance.

What to bring

Applicants appearing before the Board of Review are advised to bring information that helps to substantiate claims of over-assessment, such as photographs, appraisals, and listings of comparable sales.

To reach the Tribunal

Without the Board of Review appearance, the Tax Tribunal would lack jurisdiction to hear the matter and the taxpayer would have no other remedy.

Board of Review meetings

Exemptions

If this property is your primary residence, it should qualify for an exemption that would save you a significant amount on your taxes. If you believe you are eligible for this exemption, but the notice does not say you are exempt, please contact your local assessor.

Owners who cannot pay because of poverty may apply to the Board of Review for an exemption under the income guidelines the City Council sets each year.