The Isabella Reservation and your property taxes

A large part of Isabella County lies within the boundaries of the Isabella Indian Reservation — the homeland of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan, a federally recognized sovereign nation whose presence, history, and enterprises (like the Soaring Eagle resort) are a major part of the community. Part of the city of Mount Pleasant sits within the reservation, along with several surrounding townships.

For almost all homebuyers, being within the reservation boundaries doesn’t change your property taxes. Privately owned (“fee”) land — the vast majority of property in the area, including in Mount Pleasant — is assessed and taxed by your city or township just like anywhere else in Michigan.

The exception is land held in federal trust for the Tribe or its members. Trust land isn’t on the local property-tax rolls; it falls under tribal and federal jurisdiction instead. That’s a relatively small share of the land here (the Tribe holds roughly 2,700 acres in trust). A 2010 federal court settlement clarified the reservation’s boundaries and how the Tribe, the county, the city, and the state share jurisdiction over taxes, land use, and law enforcement. If you’re ever unsure of a specific parcel’s status, the local assessor and the county can tell you whether it’s taxable fee land or tribal trust land.