State Rep. Steve Carra on Tuesday introduced legislation to provide property tax relief to Michigan residents who do not have dependents enrolled in government schools. The primary bill amends the General Property Tax Act to eliminate school-related property taxes for qualifying taxpayers. This legislation reflects the principle that individuals should not be compelled to fund services they do not utilize.

“Michigan taxpayers deserve fairness in how their hard-earned money is spent,” said Carra, R-Three Rivers. “It’s fundamentally unjust to force people – including seniors, empty-nesters, those who pay for private school, and those without children – to subsidize a government education system they do not use. This is especially unfair because our broken system spends a record amount of money yet results continue to plummet.”

If approved, the four-bill package would exempt property owners from paying school-based property taxes if they do not have a dependent utilizing a taxpayer-funded K-12 school. The exemption would be phased in starting with a 40% reduction in taxes in 2027 and then expand by 15 percentage points annually until eliminated completely in 2031.

The property tax reduction would also apply to property taxes collected under the State Education Tax, Revised School Code, and District Library Establishment Act.

Approximately 72% of Michigan households do not have a child in government schools.

Carra pointed out that the government spent on average $21,629 per Michigan student enrolled in traditional K-12 schools in 2024. Despite record funding, 4th grade reading proficiency has dropped to 44th in the nation, demonstrating a disconnect between funding and results.

“In typical fashion, the government overtaxes and under delivers when it comes to education. This legislation is a step in the right direction because it helps restore fairness and provides substantial tax relief for those who are not using the government service.”

House Bills 5376-5379 now head to the House Committee on Government Operations for further consideration.