1     
REVENUE AND TAXATION MODIFICATIONS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Daniel McCay

5     
Senate Sponsor: Deidre M. Henderson

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends provisions related to property taxes.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     amends the definition of locally assessed new growth to exclude a change in
13     assessed value that occurs due to assessment under the Farmland Assessment Act or
14     the Urban Farming Assessment Act.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          This bill provides retrospective operation.
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          59-2-924, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapters 350 and 367
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 59-2-924 is amended to read:
25          59-2-924. Definitions -- Report of valuation of property to county auditor and
26     commission -- Transmittal by auditor to governing bodies -- Calculation of certified tax
27     rate -- Rulemaking authority -- Adoption of tentative budget -- Notice provided by the
28     commission.
29          (1) As used in this section:

30          (a) (i) "Ad valorem property tax revenue" means revenue collected in accordance with
31     this chapter.
32          (ii) "Ad valorem property tax revenue" does not include:
33          (A) interest;
34          (B) penalties;
35          (C) collections from redemptions; or
36          (D) revenue received by a taxing entity from personal property that is semiconductor
37     manufacturing equipment assessed by a county assessor in accordance with Part 3, County
38     Assessment.
39          (b) (i) "Aggregate taxable value of all property taxed" means:
40          (A) the aggregate taxable value of all real property a county assessor assesses in
41     accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, for the current year;
42          (B) the aggregate taxable value of all real and personal property the commission
43     assesses in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the current year; and
44          (C) the aggregate year end taxable value of all personal property a county assessor
45     assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, contained on the prior year's tax rolls
46     of the taxing entity.
47          (ii) "Aggregate taxable value of all property taxed" does not include the aggregate year
48     end taxable value of personal property that is:
49          (A) semiconductor manufacturing equipment assessed by a county assessor in
50     accordance with Part 3, County Assessment; and
51          (B) contained on the prior year's tax rolls of the taxing entity.
52          (c) "Centrally assessed benchmark value" means an amount equal to the highest year
53     end taxable value of real and personal property the commission assesses in accordance with
54     Part 2, Assessment of Property, for a previous calendar year that begins on or after January 1,
55     2015, adjusted for taxable value attributable to:
56          (i) an annexation to a taxing entity; or
57          (ii) an incorrect allocation of taxable value of real or personal property the commission

58     assesses in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property.
59          (d) (i) "Centrally assessed new growth" means the greater of:
60          (A) zero; or
61          (B) the amount calculated by subtracting the centrally assessed benchmark value
62     adjusted for prior year end incremental value from the taxable value of real and personal
63     property the commission assesses in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the
64     current year, adjusted for current year incremental value.
65          (ii) "Centrally assessed new growth" does not include a change in value as a result of a
66     change in the method of apportioning the value prescribed by the Legislature, a court, or the
67     commission in an administrative rule or administrative order.
68          (e) "Certified tax rate" means a tax rate that will provide the same ad valorem property
69     tax revenue for a taxing entity as was budgeted by that taxing entity for the prior year.
70          (f) "Eligible new growth" means the greater of:
71          (i) zero; or
72          (ii) the sum of:
73          (A) locally assessed new growth;
74          (B) centrally assessed new growth; and
75          (C) project area new growth.
76          (g) "Incremental value" means the same as that term is defined in Section 17C-1-102.
77          (h) (i) "Locally assessed new growth" means the greater of:
78          (A) zero; or
79          (B) the amount calculated by subtracting the year end taxable value of real property the
80     county assessor assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, for the previous year,
81     adjusted for prior year end incremental value from the taxable value of real property the county
82     assessor assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, for the current year, adjusted
83     for current year incremental value.
84          (ii) "Locally assessed new growth" does not include a change in:
85          (A) value as a result of factoring in accordance with Section 59-2-704, reappraisal, or

86     another adjustment; [or]
87          (B) assessed value based on whether a property is allowed a residential exemption for a
88     primary residence under Section 59-2-103[.];
89          (C) assessed value based on whether a property is assessed under Part 5, Farmland
90     Assessment Act; or
91          (D) assessed value based on whether a property is assessed under Part 17, Urban
92     Farming Assessment Act.
93          (i) "Project area" means the same as that term is defined in Section 17C-1-102.
94          (j) "Project area new growth" means an amount equal to the incremental value that is
95     no longer provided to an agency as tax increment.
96          (2) Before June 1 of each year, the county assessor of each county shall deliver to the
97     county auditor and the commission the following statements:
98          (a) a statement containing the aggregate valuation of all taxable real property a county
99     assessor assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, for each taxing entity; and
100          (b) a statement containing the taxable value of all personal property a county assessor
101     assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment, from the prior year end values.
102          (3) The county auditor shall, on or before June 8, transmit to the governing body of
103     each taxing entity:
104          (a) the statements described in Subsections (2)(a) and (b);
105          (b) an estimate of the revenue from personal property;
106          (c) the certified tax rate; and
107          (d) all forms necessary to submit a tax levy request.
108          (4) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the certified tax rate shall be
109     calculated by dividing the ad valorem property tax revenue that a taxing entity budgeted for the
110     prior year by the amount calculated under Subsection (4)(b).
111          (b) For purposes of Subsection (4)(a), the legislative body of a taxing entity shall
112     calculate an amount as follows:
113          (i) calculate for the taxing entity the difference between:

114          (A) the aggregate taxable value of all property taxed; and
115          (B) any adjustments for current year incremental value;
116          (ii) after making the calculation required by Subsection (4)(b)(i), calculate an amount
117     determined by increasing or decreasing the amount calculated under Subsection (4)(b)(i) by the
118     average of the percentage net change in the value of taxable property for the equalization
119     period for the three calendar years immediately preceding the current calendar year;
120          (iii) after making the calculation required by Subsection (4)(b)(ii), calculate the product
121     of:
122          (A) the amount calculated under Subsection (4)(b)(ii); and
123          (B) the percentage of property taxes collected for the five calendar years immediately
124     preceding the current calendar year; and
125          (iv) after making the calculation required by Subsection (4)(b)(iii), calculate an amount
126     determined by subtracting eligible new growth from the amount calculated under Subsection
127     (4)(b)(iii).
128          (5) A certified tax rate for a taxing entity described in this Subsection (5) shall be
129     calculated as follows:
130          (a) except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), for a new taxing entity, the certified tax
131     rate is zero;
132          (b) for a municipality incorporated on or after July 1, 1996, the certified tax rate is:
133          (i) in a county of the first, second, or third class, the levy imposed for municipal-type
134     services under Sections 17-34-1 and 17-36-9; and
135          (ii) in a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class, the levy imposed for general county
136     purposes and such other levies imposed solely for the municipal-type services identified in
137     Section 17-34-1 and Subsection 17-36-3(22); and
138          (c) for debt service voted on by the public, the certified tax rate is the actual levy
139     imposed by that section, except that a certified tax rate for the following levies shall be
140     calculated in accordance with Section 59-2-913 and this section:
141          (i) a school levy provided for under Section 53A-16-113, 53A-17a-133, or

142     53A-17a-164; and
143          (ii) a levy to pay for the costs of state legislative mandates or judicial or administrative
144     orders under Section 59-2-1602.
145          (6) (a) A judgment levy imposed under Section 59-2-1328 or 59-2-1330 may be
146     imposed at a rate that is sufficient to generate only the revenue required to satisfy one or more
147     eligible judgments.
148          (b) The ad valorem property tax revenue generated by a judgment levy described in
149     Subsection (6)(a) may not be considered in establishing a taxing entity's aggregate certified tax
150     rate.
151          (7) (a) For the purpose of calculating the certified tax rate, the county auditor shall use:
152          (i) the taxable value of real property:
153          (A) the county assessor assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment; and
154          (B) contained on the assessment roll;
155          (ii) the year end taxable value of personal property:
156          (A) a county assessor assesses in accordance with Part 3, County Assessment; and
157          (B) contained on the prior year's assessment roll; and
158          (iii) the taxable value of real and personal property the commission assesses in
159     accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property.
160          (b) For purposes of Subsection (7)(a), taxable value does not include eligible new
161     growth.
162          (8) (a) On or before June 22, a taxing entity shall annually adopt a tentative budget.
163          (b) If a taxing entity intends to exceed the certified tax rate, the taxing entity shall
164     notify the county auditor of:
165          (i) the taxing entity's intent to exceed the certified tax rate; and
166          (ii) the amount by which the taxing entity proposes to exceed the certified tax rate.
167          (c) The county auditor shall notify property owners of any intent to levy a tax rate that
168     exceeds the certified tax rate in accordance with Sections 59-2-919 and 59-2-919.1.
169          (9) (a) Subject to Subsection (9)(d), the commission shall provide notice, through

170     electronic means on or before July 31, to a taxing entity and the Revenue and Taxation Interim
171     Committee if:
172          (i) the amount calculated under Subsection (9)(b) is 10% or more of the year end
173     taxable value of the real and personal property the commission assesses in accordance with
174     Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the previous year, adjusted for prior year end incremental
175     value; and
176          (ii) the amount calculated under Subsection (9)(c) is 50% or more of the total year end
177     taxable value of the real and personal property of a taxpayer the commission assesses in
178     accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the previous year.
179          (b) For purposes of Subsection (9)(a)(i), the commission shall calculate an amount by
180     subtracting the taxable value of real and personal property the commission assesses in
181     accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the current year, adjusted for current year
182     incremental value, from the year end taxable value of the real and personal property the
183     commission assesses in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the previous year,
184     adjusted for prior year end incremental value.
185          (c) For purposes of Subsection (9)(a)(ii), the commission shall calculate an amount by
186     subtracting the total taxable value of real and personal property of a taxpayer the commission
187     assesses in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the current year, from the total
188     year end taxable value of the real and personal property of a taxpayer the commission assesses
189     in accordance with Part 2, Assessment of Property, for the previous year.
190          (d) The notification under Subsection (9)(a) shall include a list of taxpayers that meet
191     the requirement under Subsection (9)(a)(ii).
192          Section 2. Retrospective operation.
193          This bill has retrospective operation to January 1, 2017.