ZEELAND, MI (WHTC) – Sighs of relief were audible not only at Zeeland City Hall last night, but a few blocks north as well at the Zeeland Public Schools’ district offices.
Both entities had a proverbial financial Sword of Damocles over their heads for the past couple of years as Consumers Energy was planning to take a 2014 assessment of its Fairview Road natural gas-fueled power plant of over 260 million dollars to the Michigan Tax Tribunal in an attempt to bring it down to 112.5 million. If that panel had ruled for the utility, it would have cost the city and the district a combined 1.75 million dollars in tax revenues.
However, the Zeeland City Council last night approved a deal with Consumers Energy that would establish a property value for the site of 445 million dollars, which would mean a tax assessment of over 90 percent of the city’s initial levy. Speaking on “WHTC Morning News” today, Zeeland School Superintendent Cal DeKuiper was relieved. “On the range of possibilities, from worst-case scenario to best-case scenario, we’re at the 90-percent range,” he admitted. “I’m really, really thankful for the outcome.”
The Jackson-based utility is the city’s largest taxpayer.
