Property Taxes

Millages on Summer Bill

Lake Orion School Debt Lake Orion Community Schools residents voted in November 2018 to approve a $160 million, 10-year, three series bonds. The bond plan will improve every facility in the district.

Lake Orion School Operating: This millage is a component of Proposal A of 1994. Under the proposal, a school district can levy 18 mills for school operating purposes. An exempt PRINICIPAL RESIDENCE (aka Homestead) property is not subject to the levy of school operating millage. For the majority of Orion Township taxpayers, this line item will be zero as your property is your Principal Residence and it is exempt from this tax. Businesses, rental properties and people owning multiple properties will pay the non-homestead school operating millage

State Education Tax: The SET was one of several components of Proposal A of 1994 that changed the way in which elementary-secondary education is funded in Michigan. The state levies the SET statewide at a six-mill rate on all real and tangible personal property not otherwise exempt from the property tax.

Oakland County Intermediate School District (allocated & voted): This is the levy of the Intermediate School District. Proposal A did not affect this levy and it appears only on the summer tax bill.

Oakland Community College: Residents of the OCC District (almost all of Oakland County and parts of Lapeer, Livingston, and Washtenaw) were asked to renew their property tax commitment for ten years, commencing in 2022, to support Oakland Community College operations. The millage will be for ten years, from 2022 to 2031. The millage will generate approximately $45 million annually beginning in 2022.

Oakland County: This is the operating millage for Oakland County that covers the operating cost of the County. This millage is ongoing.

School Sinking Fund Lake Orion Community Schools voters approved the Building and Site Sinking Fund in August 2016, providing a dedicated source of funding, needed for long-term facility repairs, renovations and replacement projects.

Millages on Winter Bill

County Parks: The purpose of the 10-year millage is to improve, operate, and maintain parks, open space and water areas, trails, and recreation facilities; to allow for free day-use park admission for seniors (62 and over), military, veterans, and residents with permanent disabilities; to expand trails; to enhance local recreation programs; and to increase environmental conservation and recreation activities. Revenue from this millage will be disbursed only to the County of Oakland to be used solely for the purpose of funding the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission. Voted on Nov 2020 ballot set to expire December 2029.   

Metro Parks: This millage is for the development and operations of the Metro Parks with in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Washtenaw, and Livingston County. This is an ongoing millage.

Zoo Authority: Voted on in 2016 by voters in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties to help with annual costs covering the operation and maintenance expenses for the zoo. This is a 10 Year commitment set to expire in 2027.

Art Authority: In March 2020 voters in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties approved a ten-year commitment millage (property tax) to fund the Detroit Institute of Arts. The DIA entered into service agreements with each county's Art Institute Authority to provide these benefits to county residents: free unlimited general museum admission, free school field trips with free bus transportation, free group visits for seniors, expanded teacher professional development with school systems, and expanded community partnerships. 

General Fund: Covers operating cost of Orion Township Municipality. This millage is ongoing.

Fire Fund: The millage funds would be used for funding fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS), including Advanced Life Support and all related operations, wages, benefits, and capital expenditures. This is a six-year commitment (December 2020- December 2025)

Police Fund: The millage will allow for the Oakland County Sherriff’s Office to continue to provide police protection and gradually increase staffing to meet levels of population growth and federal guidelines for an essential and safe police response.  This is a six-year commitment (December 2020- December 2025)

Safety Path: This millage is for the establishment, construction, repair and maintenance of safety paths within Orion Township. This millage will run until December 2027.

Library operating: This ongoing millage covers the operating cost of the Orion Township Public Library.

Oakland Transit: Voted on November 2022 to authorize Oakland County to levy a millage for the purpose of funding public transportation services in Oakland County, including operating, maintaining, improving, and expanding transit services, creating and expanding new fixed routes for bus service connecting local communities, expanding transportation services for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities, and providing transportation to get employees to jobs, patients to healthcare, students to colleges and universities, for the general public to have more transportation options, and for related purposes authorized by law. This millage would be levied at a maximum rate of .95 mills (95 cents per $1,000 in taxable value) for a period of 10 years beginning in 2022 and ending in 2031.

Township parks: The proceeds of the levy will be used for operation, programming, equipment, facilities, personnel, maintenance, acquisition, capital improvements and all related costs of the Orion Township Parks and Recreation Department. Voted on November 2022 beginning in 2023 through 2029.

Residents of the Village of Lake Orion receive a Summer tax bill for Village related millages including General Operating and Village Police.

The Charter Township of Orion Treasurer's department is responsible for billing, collection and settlement of all taxes for the Village of Lake Orion.

Village residents, drop-off tax payments should only be made at Township hall located at 2323 Joslyn Rd. at the Treasurer's counter or the drop box.

What Are Millage Rates? Your total tax rate includes millage rates for our public schools, Orion Township and Oakland County. School millage rates vary among school districts. There are four school districts within Orion Township: Lake Orion, Clarkston, Rochester, and Pontiac. Each school district has a principal residence rate for the residence owned and occupied by the taxpayer and a non-principal residence rate for property not occupied as a principal residence by the taxpayer.

What are the 2023 Property Tax Millage Rates?  View the 2023 Property Tax Millage Chart to see the breakdown of your 2023 Property Taxes, and see which are collected when.

Where does your property tax go?  View the 2023 Property Tax Pie Chart showing the distribution of your total 2022 yearly homestead millage rate of 35.0416.

2023 Guide to Property Taxes & Proposal A.

The millage rate times the taxable value (per thousand) is your tax obligation.

Example:

• Taxable value ($150,550) x Millage rate (30.6705)
• Divide by 1000
• Equals Estimated yearly tax
• $150,550 x 30.6705 = $4,617,443.78 / 1000 = $4,617.44

PAYMENT OPTIONS

• Mailed with return coupon Mail to 2323 Joslyn Road, Lake Orion, MI 48360.  Make checks payable to Charter Township of Orion.  Please note: Payments sent to the Water/Sewer P.O. Box will be posted to your Water/Sewer Account and not the Tax account which could result in penalties.
• Paid through your personal online banking site  Please set up a separate payee for tax payments payable to: Charter Township of Orion, 2323 Joslyn Road, Lake Orion, MI 48360.  Use your parcel ID number for the account number.  Please allow two weeks for delivery of the bank check to our office.  Do not use the Water/Sewer payee account number or P.O. Box payment address for your tax payment.
• Payable at local Bank Branches of Oxford Bank or Genisys Credit Union.
• In person at the Township Treasurer's office Located at  2323 Joslyn Road we accept cash, check or credit/debit card (a 2.8% convenience fee applies to credit/debit cards only.)
• Drop Box  A drive up box is located across from the main entrance by the flag poles at 2323 Joslyn Road.
• Online with a credit card There is a convenience fee of 2.8% for credit/debit card payments and a $0.85 fee for e-checks (up to $10,000). Pay Online
• By phone with a credit card (2.8% convenience fee applies) This is a 24/7 automated system where you will be prompted to enter all applicable information including property ID number. The number is (855) 649-2637. 

TAX DEFERMENTS
Taxes may be deferred if your 2022 total household income was less than $40,000 and you meet one of the following requirements:

• Senior Citizen, age 62
• Paraplegic, Quadriplegic
• Eligible Service person, Veteran, Widow or Widower
• Blind Person
• Totally & Permanently Disabled

Print out a copy of the Application for Deferment of Summer Taxes or visit the Treasurer's office for a hard copy. The application must be returned by September 15th. You must apply for deferment every year.

Deferments do not reduce your tax bill, they only waive the interest and penalties until March 1st. You must meet one of the requirements listed above to be eligible, and you must show proof of income.

TAX EXEMPTION FOR HARDSHIP
Tax Exemptions are available for applicants meeting specific income standards.  These income guidelines and other established guidelines are stated in the application and Township Poverty Exemption Resolution.  This exemption is for the current tax year only.  You may print out the Hardship Exemption Application, or hard copies are available in the Treasurer's office.  Completed applications must be turned in to the Township Assessing Clerk who will forward them to Oakland County Equalization/Assessing.  They will be brought before the Board of Review for consideration at the March, July or December Board of Reviews.

Unpaid taxes become "delinquent" and payable to the Oakland County Treasurer on March 1^st each year.

A four percent (4%) administrative fee is added and interest begins to accrue at 12% per year.

Please visit the Oakland County Treasurer's website for more information about delinquent taxes.