As more residents of Plainfield Township are using wipes, utilities in the area are reporting sewer backups.   The wipes typically claim to be “flushable” but most are not really safe for your pipes since they do not biodegrade like regular toilet paper.  That can cause backups in your home or further down the line causing backups in your neighbor’s homes.  Please do not flush wipes or other non-biodegradable products down the toilet.   This is from the township:

Plainfield Township Asks for “No Wipes Down the Pipes”

Plainfield Township wants to remind residents to not flush wipes or materials other than toilet paper down their pipes to avoid sewer backup.

So-called “flushable” wipes and other items do not break down in water like toilet paper and can clog pipes, which can lead to a sewer backup in homes, streets and businesses.

“Just because the package says flushable does not mean it’s true,” said Scott Schoolcraft, director of North Kent Sewer Authority. “Many items marked as disposable or flushable do not degrade like toilet paper.”

This includes items such as: diapers (cloth, cotton or disposable or plastic), cleaning or baby wipes, paper towels, cloth towels or any type of rag, feminine hygiene products and facial tissues. These items should be placed in a trash can.

Additionally, it now looks like this is a nationwide problem according to this article.

As cases of COVID-19 increase in our area, the CDC has put together a nice web page describing what to do if you’re infected, how to properly clean and what to do to prepare should you find positive cases in your area or household.  That page can be found HERE.

With the updated property tax assessments showing up in our mailboxes, the township  has published some frequently asked questions below:

Why is there a taxable value and assessed value? Why are they not the same?
In 1994 the voters in the State of Michigan passed a ballot proposal commonly called “Proposal A” that made major changes to how property taxes are calculated.  The biggest impact for taxpayers is that Proposal A limits how much the taxable value of a property can increase each year – either by the rate of inflation or by 5%, whichever is less.  This created the need to track the taxable value separately from the assessed value, which is tied to the estimated market value of the property.

In Michigan, taxes are based on the taxable value of the property, not the assessed value. The taxable value can never be higher than the assessed value. However, in a year following a property sale, known as a transfer of ownership, the taxable value will be equal to the assessed value.

Assessed value is the value of a property estimated by the Township Assessor as of tax day. For 2020, tax day was Dec. 31, 2019.  The assessed value represents 50% of the market value, or true cash value of the property, on tax day.

Taxable value is a figure determined by a mathematical calculation known as the capped value formula.

Capped Value = (prior year’s taxable value – losses) X 1.019 (2020 inflation rate) + additions.

Additions are defined as increases in the property’s value caused by new construction, remodeling. Losses are defined as decreases in value caused by the removal or destruction of property, or the value of property that has been removed from the assessment.

Why do I have a similar assessed value to my neighbor, but my taxes are higher?
Michigan property taxes are based on the taxable value, not the assessed value. Since the taxable value often grows more slowly than assessed value it is often the case that residents that have owned their home for a longer period of time pay less taxes than someone who just purchased a home of equal market value.  This is a result of Proposal A that was approved by the voters of Michigan in 1994.

Why isn’t my new assessment 50% of my purchase price?
Michigan law does not allow an assessor to determine assessed value for each individual property, but rather at the neighborhood, or groups of properties, level. The assessor is required to review sales and compare them to the assessed value of those properties.  This information is then utilized to determine how a neighborhood will be adjusted as a whole, using a mass appraisal model.

I just bought property, why is the assessed value and the taxable value the same amount in the year following the sale?
Due to the state’s Proposal A law passed in 1994, it is required that the taxable value of a property become uncapped the year following a sale. Uncapping is a one-time occurrence for a newly purchased property and brings the taxable value up to match current market value. The next year, the property would be capped again and the taxable value would only rise based on the consumer price index, also known as inflation rate.

What is the consumer price index and how does it affect me?
The consumer price index, or inflation rate, is a figure determined by the federal government and increases the taxable value on an annual basis. For 2020 the consumer price index is 1.9%, meaning, the taxable value will increase at this rate for the current year. By law, this increase can never be more than 5%, even if the consumer price index is higher.

Beginning February 21st and continuing through March 16th, the Kent County Recycling Center will be completely shutdown for upgrades.  All of your recyclables will go to the landfill.  If you want to ensure that your recycling materials are actually recycled, please take note of that 3 week period, specifically the Hillside pickup date of  March 5th.  Recycling will be picked up using one truck by Herringtons Refuse on March 5th but it will all go to the landfill and will not be recycled.  More can be read about it here:

Kent County Recycling Center & Recycling Drop-Off Stations Temporarily Closed

Here is the very latest and greatest flyer of what you CAN and CANNOT send to the recycling center:  KCRC Flyer

Thank you.