47 percent

A recent report revealed that almost half of all of Detroit's 300,000 properties failed to pay their 2011 property taxes. Over $245 million in revenue went uncollected in a city that is at the brink of bankruptcy and has struggled to maintain even the most basic services. This is in addition to all the vacant properties and abandoned homes where no revenue is possible. The city has all but given up trying to recoup this money.


Are people not able to pay their taxes, or..and it seems from the reporting done this may be more of the case, are people  choosing  not to pay what they owe. "Why should I send them taxes when they aren't supplying services? It is sickening. … Every time I see the tax bill come, I think about the times we called and nobody came." is the sentiment from one resident.

At what tipping point is there that the collective action (or inaction) overwhelms the system and disables the ability for the community, or the city government in this case, to respond in a rational or reasonable way. If people just say no and give up, it seems the response from the city is to give up in return.

You can read more about it here.