HOUSE BILL No. 4442

 

March 25, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Vagnozzi, Condino, Plakas, Bieda, Lipsey, Murphy, Brandenburg and Clack and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1967 PA 281, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Income tax act of 1967,"                                                   

                                                                                

    by amending sections 520 and 522 (MCL 206.520 and 206.522),                 

                                                                                

    section 520 as amended by 1995 PA 245 and section 522 as amended            

                                                                                

    by 2000 PA 41.                                                              

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 520.  (1) Subject to the limitations and the                           

                                                                                

2   definitions in this chapter, a claimant may claim against the tax           

                                                                                

3   due under this act for the tax year a credit for the property               

                                                                                

4   taxes on the taxpayer's homestead deductible for federal income             

                                                                                

5   tax purposes pursuant to section 164 of the internal revenue                

                                                                                

6   code, or that would have been deductible if the claimant had not            

                                                                                

7   elected the zero bracket amount or if the claimant had been                 

                                                                                

8   subject to the federal income tax.  The property taxes used for             

                                                                                

9   the credit computation shall not be greater than the amount                 

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   levied for 1 tax year.                                                      

                                                                                

2       (2) A person who rents or leases a homestead may claim a                    

                                                                                

3   similar credit computed under this section and section 522 based            

                                                                                

4   upon 17% of the gross rent paid for tax years before the 1994 tax           

                                                                                

5   year, or 20% of the gross rent paid for tax years after the 1993            

                                                                                

6   tax year.  A person who rents or leases a homestead subject to a            

                                                                                

7   service charge in lieu of ad valorem taxes as provided by                   

                                                                                

8   section 15a of the state housing development authority act of               

                                                                                

9   1966,  Act No. 346 of the Public Acts of 1966, being                        

                                                                                

10  section 125.1415a of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1966 PA 346, MCL           

                                                                                

11  125.1415a, may claim a similar credit computed under this section           

                                                                                

12  and section 522 based upon 10% of the gross rent paid.                      

                                                                                

13      (3) If the credit claimed under this section and section 522                

                                                                                

14  exceeds the tax liability for the tax year or if there is no tax            

                                                                                

15  liability for the tax year, the amount of the claim not used as             

                                                                                

16  an offset against the tax liability shall, after examination and            

                                                                                

17  review, be approved for payment, without interest, to the                   

                                                                                

18  claimant.  In determining the amount of the payment under this              

                                                                                

19  subsection, withholdings and other credits shall be used first to           

                                                                                

20  offset any tax liabilities.                                                 

                                                                                

21      (4) If the homestead is an integral part of a multipurpose or               

                                                                                

22  multidwelling building that is federally aided housing or state             

                                                                                

23  aided housing, a claimant who is a senior citizen entitled to a             

                                                                                

24  payment under subsection (2) may assign the right to that payment           

                                                                                

25  to a mortgagor if the mortgagor reduces the rent charged and                

                                                                                

26  collected on the claimant's homestead in an amount equal to the             

                                                                                

27  tax credit payment provided in this chapter.  The assignment of             


                                                                                

1   the claim is valid only if the Michigan state housing development           

                                                                                

2   authority, by affidavit, verifies that the claimant's rent has              

                                                                                

3   been so reduced.                                                            

                                                                                

4       (5) Only the renter or lessee shall claim a credit on                       

                                                                                

5   property that is rented or leased as a homestead.                           

                                                                                

6       (6) A person who discriminates in the charging or collection                

                                                                                

7   of rent on a homestead by increasing the rent charged or                    

                                                                                

8   collected because the renter or lessee claims and receives a                

                                                                                

9   credit or payment under this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.            

                                                                                

10  Discrimination against a renter who claims and receives the                 

                                                                                

11  credit under this section and section 522 by a reduction of the             

                                                                                

12  rent on the homestead of a person who does not claim and receive            

                                                                                

13  the credit is a misdemeanor.  If discriminatory rents are charged           

                                                                                

14  or collected, each charge or collection of the higher or lower              

                                                                                

15  payment is a separate offense.  Each acceptance of a payment of             

                                                                                

16  rent is a separate offense.                                                 

                                                                                

17      (7) A person who received  aid to families with dependent                   

                                                                                

18  children, state family assistance, or state disability                      

                                                                                

19  assistance through family independence programs pursuant to the             

                                                                                

20  social welfare act,  Act No. 280 of the Public Acts of 1939, as             

                                                                                

21  amended, being sections 400.1 to 400.119b of the Michigan                   

                                                                                

22  Compiled Laws  1939 PA 280, MCL 400.1 to 400.119b, in the tax               

                                                                                

23  year for which the person is filing a return shall have a credit            

                                                                                

24  that is authorized and computed under this section and                      

                                                                                

25  section 522 reduced by an amount equal to the product of the                

                                                                                

26  claimant's credit multiplied by the quotient of the sum of the              

                                                                                

27  claimant's  aid to families with dependent children, state family           


                                                                                

1   assistance, and state disability  assistance through family                 

                                                                                

2   independence programs pursuant to the social welfare act, 1939 PA           

                                                                                

3   280, MCL 400.1 to 400.119b, for the tax year divided by the                 

                                                                                

4   claimant's household income.  The reduction of credit shall not             

                                                                                

5   exceed the sum of the  aid to families with dependent children,             

                                                                                

6   state family assistance, and state disability  assistance through           

                                                                                

7   family independence programs pursuant to the social welfare act,            

                                                                                

8   1939 PA 280, MCL 400.1 to 400.119b, for the tax year.  For the              

                                                                                

9   purposes of this subsection,  aid to families with dependent                

                                                                                

10  children  any assistance through family independence programs               

                                                                                

11  does not include child support payments that offset or reduce               

                                                                                

12  payments made to the claimant.                                              

                                                                                

13      (8) A credit under subsection (1) or (2) shall be reduced by                

                                                                                

14  10% for each claimant whose household income exceeds $73,650.00             

                                                                                

15  and by an additional 10% for each increment of $1,000.00 of                 

                                                                                

16  household income in excess of $73,650.00.                                   

                                                                                

17      (9) If the credit authorized and calculated under this                      

                                                                                

18  section and section 522 and adjusted under subsection (7) or (8)            

                                                                                

19  does not provide to a senior citizen who rents or leases a                  

                                                                                

20  homestead that amount attributable to rent that constitutes more            

                                                                                

21  than 40% of the household income of the senior citizen, the                 

                                                                                

22  senior citizen may claim a credit based upon the amount of                  

                                                                                

23  household income attributable to rent as provided by this                   

                                                                                

24  section.                                                                    

                                                                                

25      (10) A senior citizen whose gross rent paid for the tax year                

                                                                                

26  is more than the percentage of household income specified in                

                                                                                

27  subsection (9) for the respective tax year may claim a credit for           


                                                                                

1   the amount of rent paid that constitutes more than the percentage           

                                                                                

2   of the household income of the senior citizen specified in                  

                                                                                

3   subsection (9) and that was not provided to the senior citizen by           

                                                                                

4   the credit computed pursuant to this section and section 522 and            

                                                                                

5   adjusted pursuant to subsection (7) or (8).                                 

                                                                                

6       (11) The department may promulgate rules to implement                       

                                                                                

7   subsections (9) to  (16)  (14) and may prescribe a table to allow           

                                                                                

8   a claimant to determine the credit provided under this section              

                                                                                

9   and section 522 in the instruction booklet that accompanies the             

                                                                                

10  respective income tax or property tax credit forms used by                  

                                                                                

11  claimants.                                                                  

                                                                                

12      (12) A senior citizen may claim the credit under subsections                

                                                                                

13  (9) to  (16)  (14) on the same form as the property tax credit              

                                                                                

14  permitted by subsection (2).  The department shall adjust the               

                                                                                

15  forms accordingly.                                                          

                                                                                

16      (13) A senior citizen who moves to a different rented or                    

                                                                                

17  leased homestead shall determine, for 2 tax years after the move,           

                                                                                

18  both his or her qualification to claim a credit under subsections           

                                                                                

19  (9) to  (16)  (14) and the amount of a credit under subsections             

                                                                                

20  (9) to  (16)  (14) on the basis of the annualized final monthly             

                                                                                

21  rental payment at his or her previous homestead, if this                    

                                                                                

22  annualized rental is less than the senior citizen's actual annual           

                                                                                

23  rental payments.                                                            

                                                                                

24      (14) For a return of less than 12 months, the claim for a                   

                                                                                

25  credit under subsections (9) to  (16)  (14) shall be reduced                

                                                                                

26  proportionately.                                                            

                                                                                

27      (15) The Michigan state housing development authority shall                 


                                                                                

1   report on the effect of the credit provided by subsections (9) to           

                                                                                

2   (16)  (14) on the price of rented and leased homesteads.  If the           

                                                                                

3   authority determines that the price of rented and leased                    

                                                                                

4   homesteads has increased as a result of the credit provided by              

                                                                                

5   subsections (9) to  (16)  (14), the authority shall make                    

                                                                                

6   recommendations to the legislature to remedy this situation.  The           

                                                                                

7   report shall be made to the chairpersons of the house and senate            

                                                                                

8   committees that have primary responsibility for taxation                    

                                                                                

9   legislation 2 years after the credit provided by subsections (9)            

                                                                                

10  to  (16)  (14) is in effect.                                                

                                                                                

11      (16) The total credit allowed by this section and section 522               

                                                                                

12  shall not exceed $1,200.00  per year  for tax years that begin              

                                                                                

13  before January 1, 2003 and $1,500.00 for tax years that begin               

                                                                                

14  after December 31, 2002.                                                    

                                                                                

15      Sec. 522.  (1) The amount of a claim made pursuant to this                  

                                                                                

16  chapter shall be determined as follows:                                     

                                                                                

17      (a) A claimant is entitled to a credit against the state                    

                                                                                

18  income tax liability equal to 60% of the amount by which the                

                                                                                

19  property taxes on the homestead, or the credit for rental of the            

                                                                                

20  homestead for the tax year, exceeds 3.5% of the claimant's                  

                                                                                

21  household income for that tax year.                                         

                                                                                

22      (b) A claimant who is a senior citizen or a paraplegic,                     

                                                                                

23  hemiplegic, or quadriplegic and for tax years that begin after              

                                                                                

24  December 31, 1999, a claimant who is totally and permanently                

                                                                                

25  disabled or deaf is entitled to a credit against the state income           

                                                                                

26  tax liability for the amount by which the property taxes on the             

                                                                                

27  homestead, the credit for rental of the homestead, or a service             


                                                                                

1   charge in lieu of ad valorem taxes as provided by section 15a of            

                                                                                

2   the state housing development authority act of 1966, 1966 PA 346,           

                                                                                

3   MCL 125.1415a, for the tax year exceeds the percentage of the               

                                                                                

4   claimant's household income for that tax year computed as                   

                                                                                

5   follows:                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

6                      Household income                 Percentage              

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

7       Not over $3,000.00                                  .0%                 

                                                                                

8       Over $3,000.00 but not over $4,000.00              1.0%                 

                                                                                

9       Over $4,000.00 but not over $5,000.00              2.0%                 

                                                                                

10      Over $5,000.00 but not over $6,000.00              3.0%                 

                                                                                

11      Over $6,000.00                                     3.5%                 

                                                                                

12      (c) For a tax year that begins before January 1, 2000, a                    

                                                                                

13  claimant who is totally and permanently disabled is entitled to a           

                                                                                

14  credit against the state income tax liability equal to 60% of the           

                                                                                

15  amount by which the property taxes on the homestead, or the                 

                                                                                

16  credit for rental of the homestead or for a service charge in               

                                                                                

17  lieu of ad valorem taxes as provided in section 15a of the state            

                                                                                

18  housing development authority act of 1966, 1966 PA 346, MCL                 

                                                                                

19  125.1415a, for the tax year, exceeds the percentage of the                  

                                                                                

20  claimant's household income for that tax year based on the                  

                                                                                

21  schedule in subdivision (b).                                                

                                                                                

22      (d) A claimant who is an eligible serviceperson, eligible                   

                                                                                

23  veteran, or eligible widow or widower is entitled to a credit               

                                                                                

24  against the state income tax liability for a percentage of the              

                                                                                

25  property taxes on the homestead for the tax year not in excess of           


                                                                                

1   100% determined as follows:                                                 

                                                                                

2                                                                                (i) Divide the taxable value allowance specified in section                         

                                                                                

3   506 by the taxable value of the homestead or, if the eligible               

                                                                                

4   serviceperson, eligible veteran, or eligible widow or widower               

                                                                                

5   leases or rents a homestead, divide 17% of the total annual rent            

                                                                                

6   paid for tax years before the 1994 tax year, or 20% of the total            

                                                                                

7   annual rent paid for tax years after the 1993 tax year on the               

                                                                                

8   property by the property tax rate on the property.                          

                                                                                

9       (ii) Multiply the property taxes on the homestead by the                     

                                                                                

10  percentage computed in subparagraph (i).                                    

                                                                                

11      (e) A claimant who is blind is entitled to a credit against                 

                                                                                

12  the state income tax liability for a percentage of the property             

                                                                                

13  taxes on the homestead for the tax year determined as follows:              

                                                                                

14                                                                               (i) If the taxable value of the homestead is $3,500.00 or                           

                                                                                

15  less, 100% of the property taxes.                                           

                                                                                

16      (ii) If the taxable value of the homestead is more than                      

                                                                                

17  $3,500.00, the percentage that $3,500.00 bears to the taxable               

                                                                                

18  value of the homestead.                                                     

                                                                                

19      (2) A person who is qualified to make a claim under more than               

                                                                                

20  1 classification shall elect the classification under which the             

                                                                                

21  claim is made.                                                              

                                                                                

22      (3) Only 1 claimant per household for a tax year is entitled                

                                                                                

23  to the credit, unless both the husband and wife filing a joint              

                                                                                

24  return are blind, then each shall be considered a claimant.                 

                                                                                

25      (4) As used in this section, "totally and permanently                       

                                                                                

26  disabled" means disability as defined in section 216 of title II            

                                                                                

27  of the social security act, 42 U.S.C. 416.                                  


                                                                                

1       (5) A senior citizen who has a total household income for the               

                                                                                

2   tax year of $6,000.00 or less and who for 1973 received a senior            

                                                                                

3   citizen homestead exemption under former section 7c of the                  

                                                                                

4   general property tax act,  Act No. 206 of the Public Acts of                

                                                                                

5   1893  1893 PA 206, may compute the credit against the state                 

                                                                                

6   income tax liability for a percentage of the property taxes on              

                                                                                

7   the homestead for the tax year determined as follows:                       

                                                                                

8       (a) If the taxable value of the homestead is $2,500.00 or                   

                                                                                

9   less, 100% of the property taxes.                                           

                                                                                

10      (b) If the taxable value of the homestead is more than                      

                                                                                

11  $2,500.00, the percentage that $2,500.00 bears to the taxable               

                                                                                

12  value of the homestead.                                                     

                                                                                

13      (6) For a return of less than 12 months, the claim shall be                 

                                                                                

14  reduced proportionately.                                                    

                                                                                

15      (7) The commissioner may prescribe tables that may be used to               

                                                                                

16  determine the amount of the claim.                                          

                                                                                

17      (8) The total credit allowed in this section for each year                  

                                                                                

18  after December 31, 1975  shall not exceed  $1,200.00 per year              

                                                                                

19  the amount determined under section 520.                                    

                                                                                

20      (9) The total credit allowable under this act and part 361 of               

                                                                                

21  the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA             

                                                                                

22  451, MCL 324.36101 to 324.36117, shall not exceed the total                 

                                                                                

23  property tax due and payable by the claimant in that year.  The             

                                                                                

24  amount by which the credit exceeds the property tax due and                 

                                                                                

25  payable shall be deducted from the credit claimed under part 361            

                                                                                

26  of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994             

                                                                                

27  PA 451, MCL 324.36101 to 324.36117.