Treasurer’s Office
Kenneth Parrish, County Treasurer
Steven W. Orchard, Deputy County Treasurer
County Administration Building
300 Monroe Avenue NW
Grand Rapids MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-7500
Fax: (616) 632-7505
Delinquent Tax Search on Property Lookup
Mission Statement
To collect lodging and delinquent real property taxes and manage County funds within relevant laws, regulations, policies and community standards.
Hotel/Motel Tax Ordinance - 1975/2002
Overview
Elected to a four-year term, the County Treasurer serves as the custodian of all County funds, and as such is responsible for receipting, recording and investing all money deposited with the County. The County’s General tax revenue (e.g. property tax and trailer tax) and general intergovernmental revenue (e.g. the County’s share of the state sales tax - also called State Revenue Sharing) are reported as part of the Treasurer’s Office’s revenues.
With respect to tax dollars, the Treasurer collects delinquent real property taxes and, following a court order, conducts the sale of properties which are more than 24 months delinquent. The County Treasurer also serves as the agent of the delinquent tax revolving fund, through which the County is able to forward to local units the amount of delinquent taxes due and owing on real property while it pursues payment of the taxes —along with accrued interest and a four percent administrative fee —from the debtor. The Delinquent Tax Revolving Fund program minimizes the impact of delinquent tax payments on local units of government, allowing for consistency with respect to revenues.
The Board of Commissioners has also appointed the County Treasurer as administrator of the Lodging Excise Tax. Accounted for in a special revenue fund and therefore not reported here, the “Hotel/Motel Tax” (as it is commonly called) is an assessment on hotel and motel room charges within the County, and the revenues are used 1) to promote Kent County as a tourism and business destination, and 2) to maintain, acquire or construct certain public convention and entertainment facilities.
In addition, the office manages a Local Government Investment Pool, providing local governments a safe, liquid investment opportunity; and distributes state aid to schools, townships, cities and villages.
Operational Goals
- To collect delinquent real property taxes in accordance with the methods prescribed by state statute
- To collect all lodging taxes due to the County
- To invest funds entrusted to the Office of the County Treasurer in accordance with investment policies
2009 Adopted Uses: $19,920,407

2009 Adopted Revenues: $101,270,456

Selected Performance Measures
Performance Measure |
2006 Actual |
2007 Actual |
2008 Actual |
2009 Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of hotel/motel audits completed annually (minimum of 25% of eligible establishments) | 30.00% |
31.00% |
22.22% |
25.00% |
| Number of tax receipts processed | 20,910 |
22,340 |
23,582 |
22,000 |
| General fund investment income | $4,368,903 |
$3,826,061 |
$2,599,234 |
$3,000,000 |
| Number of hotel audits per auditor (2 FTEs) | 12.0 |
12.5 |
10.0 |
11.5 |
Department History of Uses
| Uses |
2006 Actual |
2007 Actual |
2008 Adopted |
2009 Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Personnel |
$1,007,429 |
$1,012,739 |
$1,025,995 |
$1,060,276 |
Commodities |
18,244 |
17,395 |
19,500 |
19,500 |
Contractual |
51,960 |
60,296 |
109,594 |
109,022 |
Operating Capital |
2,510 |
2,130 |
12,350 |
12,300 |
Other Expense |
140 |
- |
1,000 |
1,000 |
Total Uses |
$1,080,283 |
$1,092,560 |
$1,168,439 |
$1,202,098 |
Personnel FTE |
16 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
Significant Budget Issues
The downturn in the economy is affecting the Treasurer’s office in several ways. First, the decline in property values is leading to level or possibly declining property tax revenues. Second, lodging tax revenues are down as hotel occupancy is also declining. And finally, the reduction in interest rates has caused a drop in investment income for all of the county funds.
History of Uses (in millions)


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