More Detroit Woes.

In yet another bizarre and unusual case involving an elected official of the City of Detroit, it came out in today's Detroit Free Press that Councilwoman JoAnn Watson paid a measly $98 in property taxes on her west side home this past year. The parcel of land the home sits on was listed as a vacant lot despite the fact that a house had been there since 1926.

Property taxes in that area are generally well over the $2,000 per year mark. You would think that anyone, particularly a member of the City Council, would have realized that a paltry tax bill ought to indicate that something was amiss. Ms. Watson explained that she thought perhaps the assessment had went down because of a tornado striking the house. Yet she could not herself remember when the twister might have hit it, and besides, how would the City Assessor's office know that it was a victim of mother nature seeing as she filed no claims over her humble abode against her homeowner's insurance nor called the City to report the damage?

I think that the average person would remember quite clearly when a tornado had struck their home. But I will allow that Ms. Watson may have thought little of the tax bill plummeting in this age of declining home prices. It is fair to ask ourselves too whether we would have reported the issue or simply went ahead and paid the tax and thought that it was just too bad for Detroit. Their mistake; I really don't have a problem with that on moral grounds, although it probably would be wiser to request that someone look into the issue.

Which again, to be fair, the Councilwoman is in the process of doing. Nevertheless, and fair or not, elected officials are more under scrutiny than most people. They should realize that things in their personal lives, even such relative trivialities as a property tax assessment, need to be order precisely so no one can accuse them of the slightest taint of malfeasance. With the circus atmosphere that has engulfed Detroit government the last few years, the City does not need yet another sideshow act. Especially one which did not have to go on.