DETROIT – Homeowners gathered Wednesday night at Wayne County Community College for a meeting to address this month’s Detroit News investigation that found City Hall overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million between 2010 and 2016.
Tensions flared at the meeting as many Detroit residents appeared frustrated. The Pulse Institute hosted an open forum to answer any political or legal questions regarding the tax overcharge between those years.
“People have lost their homes,” a resident said. “Their homes have been over assessed.”
Sam Riddle, senior fellow with the Pulse Institute, among others are pressuring the city to right its wrong. Especially since now is a time when a lot is being invested into development.
“People have been ripped off in Detroit. They’re not street thugs. The thugs are wearing pinstripe suits and they’re occupying the major’s office and some of them might be in the treasurer’s office,” Riddle said.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan have acknowledged the issue. So far there is no immediate plan of action to correct those who may have been affected.
Some are refusing to believe the overcharging stops with just taxes.
This was just one of a dozen forums the Pulse Institute will be hosting throughout the year.
The mayor’s office released a statement saying they were not invited to Wednesday night’s event.
“We were not invited to tonight’s event, we are happy to speak with some of the group’s representatives in the coming days. The mayor has currently a team of people actively looking to identify some possible solutions that are both positive and legally allowable," reads a statement from Duggan’s office.