State Rep. Joseph Pavlov yesterday voted for a comprehensive affordability package designed to lower costs for Michigan families by cutting property taxes and reducing utility bills.

Pavlov said the HELP-UP plan (House Effectively Lowering Property Taxes and Utility Payments) focuses on addressing some of the biggest financial challenges facing working families, seniors, and first-time homebuyers.

“Michigan families are working hard, but too many feel like they are falling further behind as everyday costs continue to rise,” said Pavlov (R-Smiths Creek). “People deserve a government that looks for ways to ease the burden, not add to it. This plan takes meaningful steps to lower costs and help families keep more of what they earn.”

The package would:
• eliminate the state portion of property taxes
• roll back utility rates by $1 billion statewide, effectively wiping out the last three years of rate increases
• eliminate the real estate transfer tax, saving homebuyers thousands of dollars in closing costs
• repeal the “pop-up tax,” which can dramatically increase property taxes when a home changes ownership
• eliminate the remaining personal property taxes on business equipment, ending a tax that forces business owners to keep paying year after year on equipment they already own

Pavlov said the plan is also designed to make homeownership more attainable, whether for young families buying their first home or seniors looking to downsize.

“Homeownership should be within reach for hardworking people, not something that feels increasingly out of reach because of taxes and rising costs,” Pavlov said. “Whether it’s lower property taxes, lower energy bills, or fewer barriers to buying a home, this package is about making life more affordable for families across Michigan.”

The bills now move to the Senate for consideration.