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S.B. 58

             1     

PROPERTY TAX VALUATION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Wayne L. Niederhauser

             5     
House Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill addresses the assessment of fair market value of property.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    defines terms;
             13          .    requires certain reporting of property tax property valuation reductions on appeal;
             14          .    requires an assessor to consider a valuation reduction in certain prior years in
             15      determining the fair market value of property;
             16          .    requires an assessor to consider certain other factors in assessing the fair market
             17      value of property; and
             18          .    makes technical and conforming changes.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          This bill takes effect on January 1, 2013.
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          59-2-1002, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 86
             26          59-2-1003, as repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 3
             27          59-2-1004, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 231, 301, and 382


             28      ENACTS:
             29          59-2-301.4, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 59-2-301.4 is enacted to read:
             33          59-2-301.4. Definition -- Assessment of property after a reduction in value --
             34      Other factors affecting fair market value.
             35          (1) As used in this section, "valuation reduction" means a reduction in the value of
             36      property on appeal if that reduction was made:
             37          (a) within the three years before the January 1 of the year in which the property is being
             38      assessed; and
             39          (b) by a:
             40          (i) county board of equalization in a final decision;
             41          (ii) the commission in a final unappealable administrative order; or
             42          (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction in a final unappealable judgment or order.
             43          (2) In assessing the fair market value of property subject to a valuation reduction, a
             44      county assessor shall consider in the assessor's determination of fair market value:
             45          (a) any additional information about the property that was previously unknown or
             46      unaccounted for by the assessor that is made known on appeal; and
             47          (b) whether the reasons for the valuation reduction continue to influence the fair
             48      market value of the property.
             49          (3) This section does not prohibit a county assessor from including as part of a
             50      determination of the fair market value of property any other factor affecting the fair market
             51      value of the property.
             52          Section 2. Section 59-2-1002 is amended to read:
             53           59-2-1002. Change in assessment -- Force and effect -- Additional assessments --
             54      Notice to interested persons.
             55          (1) The county board of equalization shall use all information it may gain from the
             56      records of the county or elsewhere in equalizing the assessment of the property in the county or
             57      in determining any exemptions. The board may require the assessor to enter upon the
             58      assessment roll any taxable property which has not been assessed and any assessment made has


             59      the same force and effect as if made by the assessor before the delivery of the assessment roll
             60      to the county treasurer.
             61          (2) During its sessions, the county board of equalization may direct the assessor to:
             62          (a) assess any taxable property which has escaped assessment;
             63          (b) add to the amount, number, or quantity of property when a false or incomplete list
             64      has been rendered; and
             65          (c) make and enter new assessments, at the same time cancelling previous entries,
             66      when any assessment made by the assessor is considered by the board to be incomplete or
             67      incorrect.
             68          (3) The clerk of the board of equalization shall give written notice:
             69          (a) to all interested persons of the day fixed for the investigation of any assessment
             70      under consideration by the board at least 30 days before action is taken[.]; and
             71          (b) to the assessor of a valuation adjustment made in accordance with Section
             72      59-2-301.4 or another adjustment under this section.
             73          Section 3. Section 59-2-1003 is amended to read:
             74           59-2-1003. Power of county board to increase or decrease assessment.
             75          (1) The county board of equalization may, after giving notice as prescribed by [rule]
             76      any rules the commission makes in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
             77      Rulemaking Act, increase or decrease any assessment contained in any assessment book, so as
             78      to equalize the assessment of all classes of property under Section 59-2-103 .
             79          (2) In accordance with any rules the commission makes in accordance with Title 63G,
             80      Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the county board of equalization shall notify
             81      the assessor of an adjustment made in accordance with Subsection (1).
             82          Section 4. Section 59-2-1004 is amended to read:
             83           59-2-1004. Appeal to county board of equalization -- Real property -- Time
             84      period for appeal -- Decision of board -- Extensions approved by commission -- Appeal to
             85      commission.
             86          (1) (a) A taxpayer dissatisfied with the valuation or the equalization of the taxpayer's
             87      real property may make an application to appeal by:
             88          (i) filing the application with the county board of equalization within the time period
             89      described in Subsection (2); or


             90          (ii) making an application by telephone or other electronic means within the time period
             91      described in Subsection (2) if the county legislative body passes a resolution under Subsection
             92      (5) authorizing applications to be made by telephone or other electronic means.
             93          (b) The contents of the application shall be prescribed by rule of the county board of
             94      equalization.
             95          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), for purposes of Subsection (1), a
             96      taxpayer shall make an application to appeal the valuation or the equalization of the taxpayer's
             97      real property on or before the later of:
             98          (i) September 15 of the current calendar year; or
             99          (ii) the last day of a 45-day period beginning on the day on which the county auditor
             100      mails the notice under Section 59-2-919.1 .
             101          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a), in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             102      Administrative Rulemaking Act, the commission shall make rules providing for circumstances
             103      under which the county board of equalization is required to accept an application to appeal that
             104      is filed after the time period prescribed in Subsection (2)(a).
             105          (3) The owner shall include in the application under Subsection (1)(a)(i) the owner's
             106      estimate of the fair market value of the property and any evidence which may indicate that the
             107      assessed valuation of the owner's property is improperly equalized with the assessed valuation
             108      of comparable properties.
             109          (4) (a) The county board of equalization shall meet and hold public hearings as
             110      prescribed in Section 59-2-1001 .
             111          (b) The county board of equalization shall make a decision on each appeal filed in
             112      accordance with this section within a 60-day period after the day on which the application is
             113      made.
             114          (c) The commission may approve the extension of a time period provided for in
             115      Subsection (4)(b) for a county board of equalization to make a decision on an appeal.
             116          (d) The decision of the board shall contain a determination of the valuation of the
             117      property based on fair market value, and a conclusion that the fair market value is properly
             118      equalized with the assessed value of comparable properties.
             119          (e) If no evidence is presented before the county board of equalization, it will be
             120      presumed that the equalization issue has been met.


             121          (f) (i) If the fair market value of the property that is the subject of the appeal deviates
             122      plus or minus 5% from the assessed value of comparable properties, the valuation of the
             123      appealed property shall be adjusted to reflect a value equalized with the assessed value of
             124      comparable properties.
             125          (ii) [The] Subject to Sections 59-2-301.1 , 59-2-301.2 , 59-2-301.3 , and 59-2-301.4 ,
             126      equalized value established under Subsection (4)(f)(i) shall be the assessed value for property
             127      tax purposes until the county assessor is able to evaluate and equalize the assessed value of all
             128      comparable properties to bring them all into conformity with full fair market value.
             129          (5) If any taxpayer is dissatisfied with the decision of the county board of equalization,
             130      the taxpayer may file an appeal with the commission as prescribed in Section 59-2-1006 .
             131          (6) A county legislative body may pass a resolution authorizing taxpayers owing taxes
             132      on property assessed by that county to file property tax appeals applications under this section
             133      by telephone or other electronic means.
             134          Section 5. Effective date.
             135          This bill takes effect on January 1, 2013.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-2-12 10:40 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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