CITY OF SAGINAW
Tax Burden Overview
2025–2026 Property Taxes, Fees & Income Tax
Property taxes in the City of Saginaw are billed in two installments: Summer (City bill, typically due late July) and Winter (County bill, typically due mid-February). The 1979 property tax cap limits only the general operating millage revenue to approximately $3.8 million. Multiple other levies — including a dedicated police millage, spun-off authorities, and county-wide taxes — bypass this cap entirely through special assessments and independent taxing authorities.
City residents pay the full stack of Saginaw County millages in addition to City taxes, despite already funding a dedicated 7.5-mill police millage outside the general operating cap.
Summer Tax Bill (City of Saginaw)
Primarily contains City operating, police, school, and spun-off authority levies.
Component Rate (mills) Notes
Suppressed City Operating Millage 6.3365 General fund • Limited by 1979 $3.8M cap
City Police / Public Safety Millage ★ 7.5000 Dedicated to police • Outside cap via PA 33
State Education Tax (SET) 6.0000 Statewide uniform tax
Local School Operating (Non-Homestead) 18.0000 Full rate on non-PRE properties
STARS Transit Authority ~2.9 – 3.2 Spun-off authority millage
Public Libraries of Saginaw ~1.4 – 2.06 Spun-off library authority
ISD Sinking / Operating ~4.50 Intermediate School District components
DDA (Downtown Development Authority) 0 – 9.10 Only applies inside DDA district (real property)
Winter Tax Bill (Saginaw County)
Primarily contains county operating, roads, sheriff, debt, and sinking fund levies.
Component Rate (mills) Notes
Saginaw County Operating / Allocated ~4.85 (split) Portions may appear on either bill
County Roads Millage 2.0000 Voter-approved in 2024
Sheriff Service Millage 1.7473 County-wide • Paid in addition to City Police
County Debt & Sinking Funds ~7.76 (portions) Varies by annual certification
Other County Special Millages ~0.38 Includes special fire protection
County Millages (Paid by City Residents)
These county-wide levies apply fully to City of Saginaw properties in addition to all City taxes.
Millage Rate Year / Notes
County Roads 2.0000 mills 2024 voter-approved
Sheriff Service 1.7473 mills County-wide
Mosquito Control ~1.0000 mills
Animal Control ~0.4243 mills
Children’s Zoo ~0.2000 mills
School District Debt & Bond Millages
In addition to the 18-mill school operating millage, Michigan school districts commonly levy separate millages to repay voter-approved bonds for building construction, renovations, technology, and safety improvements. These are a significant part of the total property tax burden on City of Saginaw households.
Key points:
• These bond millages are voter-approved and are separate from the City’s capped general operating millage.
• Rates vary by specific school district boundaries within the City and by the amount of outstanding bond debt.
• In the Saginaw area, school district debt/bond millages commonly range from roughly 2.0 to 8.0+ mills depending on the district and recent bond issues.
• These levies typically appear on the Winter tax bill and are part of the real total cost of owning property in the City.
Other Taxes & Fees
Mandatory Trash Collection “Fee”
Approximately $200–$240 per household per year (flat fee). Classified as a “fee” rather than a property tax, this bypasses both the 1979 cap and the state Headlee limit entirely. The same amount is charged regardless of property value, making it highly regressive on lower-value homes, seniors, and fixed-income households.
City of Saginaw Income Tax
This is a major revenue source for the General Fund (historically ~35% of tax revenue) and grows with wages and economic activity.
• Resident Individuals: 1.50%
• Non-Resident Individuals: 0.75%
• Corporations: 1.50%
Total Tax Burden Summary
A typical City of Saginaw household faces one of the more complex and layered tax burdens in the region. The total includes:
• Capped City general operating millage (6.3365)
• Dedicated 7.5-mill City Police millage (outside the cap)
• Spun-off authority millages (STARS Transit + Libraries)
• Full Saginaw County millage stack (Roads, Sheriff, operating, debt, etc.)
• School operating (18 mills on non-homestead) + School district bond/debt millages (typically 2–8+ mills)
• State Education Tax + ISD components
• Regressive flat trash fee + City income tax (1.5% on residents)
Approximate Total Property Millage Range:
• Homestead (PRE) properties: ~40–55 mills
• Non-Homestead properties: ~60–70+ mills (includes full 18-mill school operating)
• Plus DDA surcharge (up to 9.1 mills) where applicable
Notes & Sources
• Actual tax bills depend on each property’s Taxable Value, Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) status, and location within the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) district.
• For a precise estimate on a specific parcel, use the Michigan Property Tax Estimator or contact the Saginaw County Treasurer or City of Saginaw Assessor’s office.
• Rates are based on 2025 Certified Tax Rates from Saginaw County and City of Saginaw records. 2026 summer rates will be finalized in the coming weeks.
• The 7.5-mill police millage and spun-off levies (STARS, Libraries) exist outside the 1979 general operating cap through special assessments and independent authorities.
• Sources: Saginaw County Certified Tax Rates (2025), City of Saginaw official records, Michigan Department of Treasury millage data.
This document is for informational and advocacy purposes. Tax rates and structures are subject to change by local governing bodies and voter approval.