The Wayne County treasurer on Monday said he doesn't have the authority to put a moratorium on foreclosing on homes valued at under $50,000 for unpaid property taxes, despite a coalition of officials calling for him to do so last week.

The Coalition for Property Tax Justice called on Treasurer Eric Sabree in a public statement to put a moratorium on tax foreclosed homes assessed under $50,000, saying Detroit has had a pattern of over-assessing homes under that amount in violation of the state constitution. The auction for tax-foreclosed homes started last week.

But Sabree said in an interview Tuesday that that authority lies with the Wayne County Circuit Court.

"My office is not statutorily authorized to issue moratoriums. We're mandated to collect property taxes every year, and if peop

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