Marquette County Board of Commissioners talks money

MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners had a meeting tonight and spending was a big topic.

One of the most important items on the agenda was discussion of the Audit Report. The report covers spending in the county for the 2014 fiscal year is put together by Anderson, Tackman & Company of Marquette. Chairman Gerry Corkin says it looks pretty good.

“It shows what kind of job your county board and county staff are doing in managing the taxpayer’s money. If you’re going to have services like you come to expect, you have to have the finances to provide them. So, it’s important that we live within our financial means,” said Corkin.

The Board also discussed the Dark Store loophole, which essentially allows big box stores to pay much smaller property taxes by claiming the value of the store comes from doing business, not the land it sits on. The Board is making an attempt to appeal a Tax Tribunal ruling that allowed this loophole.

“Chippewa County, Marquette County and every other county doesn’t think it’s following the way the tax commission had set up the rules to value property,” added Corkin.

The Board did vote to support the appeal.