Latest News (8)
Job Opening: Assistant City Manager
The City is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant City Manager.
Read more ...Agenda for City Commission meeting, 6:00pm Monday, June 27, 2022
To view the agenda items before the St. Joseph City Commission at its meeting of Monday, June 27, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. go to the following link:
Job Opening: Plant Manager, Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Benton Harbor - St. Joseph Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Plant Manager.
Read more ...Job Opening: Streets and Sanitation Foreman
The City of St. Joseph is seeking qualified individuals for the position of Public Works Streets and Sanitation Foreman.
Read more ...Job Opening: Utility Billing Specialist
The City of St. Joseph is seeking a Utility Billing Specialist to join our team!
Read more ...Property Maintenance Board of Appeals & Construction Board of Appeals Meetings 6/23/22 Meetings Cancelled
Please be advised that the St. Joseph Property Maintenance Board of Appeals & Construction Board of Appeals meetings have been cancelled.
Read more ...Request for Proposal (RFP) Howard Ice Arena HVAC Package Unit Replacement
Proposals will be received until 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday July 5, 2022 by the City of St. Joseph, at the City Clerk’s Office; 700 Broad Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085.
Read more ...Request for Proposal (RFP) Professional Engineering Services 2022 SCIP Phase II
The City of St. Joseph invites interested Consultants to submit information regarding their experiences, qualifications, and fees for providing professional engineering services for the 2022 WTP SCIP Phase II Project.
Read more ... To read all the latest news, click here.
City Assessor
The Assessing Department is responsible for establishing assessments on all taxable property in the City for the equitable distribution of the property tax burden in accordance with Michigan's General Property Tax Act. The Assessing Department's responsibilities include creating the annual assessment roll, maintaining property cards, ownership records, property descriptions and parcel maps, processing Personal Property Statements, and inspecting existing property and new construction.
City Assessor:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Address: 700 Broad Street
Phone: (269) 983-1231
Fax: (269) 985-0347
Proposal A
On March 15, 1994, Michigan voters approved the constitutional amendment known as Proposal A which was designed to limit the growth in property taxes by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) until ownership in the property was transferred. Prior to Proposal A, property taxes were based on the SEV or assessed value of your property. Generally speaking, under the protection of Proposal A, increases in property taxes are limited to the rate of inflation or 5% whichever is less. Exceptions include transfers of ownership, new construction and changes in millage rates. For 2020, the rate of inflation was 1.4%
Transfer of Ownership
Under Proposal A, a Property Transfer Affidavit must be filed with the local assessor when there is a transfer of real property even if a deed is not recorded. This form is usually provided by the Title Company in your real estate closing, but many times a transfer of property does not use a Title Company. It is the responsibility of the new owner to file this form with the Assessor within 45 days of the transfer.
Principal Residence Exemption
If you own and occupy your home as your principal residence you may be exempt from a portion of the local school operating taxes.
- Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit L-2368 (pdf)
- Principal Residence Exemption Guidelines (link)
If your home is no longer your principal residence, you must file a form to rescind your principal residence exemption. Example: You have converted your home to rental property or a vacation home.
- Request to Rescind Principal Residence Exemption (pdf)
- Conditional Rescission of Principal Residence Exemption (pdf)
- Conditional Rescission Guidelines (link)
Board of Review
A taxpayer has the right to appeal their property assessment in March each year. Your assessment change notice that is mailed in late February provides you with dates and times of the Board of Review meetings.
Poverty Exemption
The principal residence of persons who, in the judgment of the Assessor and the Board of Review, by reason of poverty, are unable to contribute towards the public charges is eligible for exemption in whole or in part from taxation under this act. (MCL 211.7u)
- Federal Guidelines (pdf)
- Application Form (pdf)
Informational Links
- State Tax Commission (link)
- Berrien County (link)
- Instructions to access Assessing information from the BS&A Website (link)
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Parks & Recreation

Office Hours at City Hall
Monday – Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City Facts
- Population - 8,365
- City Employees - 81
- City Budget - $22.8 million
- City S.E.V. - $531,397,117 Avg.
- Residential True Cash Value - $199,000
- Square Miles - 4.4
- City Charter - Approved 1928
- Commercial S.E.V. - 96 million
- Industrial S.E.V. - 35 million
- Residential S.E.V. - 395 million
- Tax Millage - 16.5344