HOUSE BILL No. 6154

 

June 7, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Dillon, Waters, Acciavatti, Hunter, Adamini, Espinoza, Mayes, Farrah, Accavitti, Miller, Condino, Polidori, Sak, Lemmons, Jr., Gonzales, Leland and Lemmons, III and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled

 

"The general property tax act,"

 

by amending sections 27a and 34d (MCL 211.27a and 211.34d), section

 

27a as amended by 2005 PA 23 and section 34d as amended by 2005 PA

 

12.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 27a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section,

 

property shall be assessed at 50% of its true cash value under

 

section 3 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), for taxes

 

levied in 1995 and for each year after 1995, the taxable value of

 

each parcel of property is the lesser of the following:

 

     (a) The property's taxable value in the immediately preceding


 

year minus any losses, multiplied by the lesser of 1.05 or the

 

inflation rate, plus all additions. For taxes levied in 1995, the

 

property's taxable value in the immediately preceding year is the

 

property's state equalized valuation in 1994.

 

     (b) The property's current state equalized valuation.

 

     (3) Upon a transfer of ownership of property after 1994, the

 

property's taxable value for the calendar year following the year

 

of the transfer is the property's state equalized valuation for the

 

calendar year following the transfer.

 

     (4) If the taxable value of property is adjusted under

 

subsection (3), a subsequent increase in the property's taxable

 

value is subject to the limitation set forth in subsection (2)

 

until a subsequent transfer of ownership occurs. If the taxable

 

value of property is adjusted under subsection (3) and the assessor

 

determines that there had not been a transfer of ownership, the

 

taxable value of the property shall be adjusted at the July or

 

December board of review. Notwithstanding the limitation provided

 

in section 53b(1) on the number of years for which a correction may

 

be made, the July or December board of review may adjust the

 

taxable value of property under this subsection for the current

 

year and for the 3 immediately preceding calendar years. A

 

corrected tax bill shall be issued for each tax year for which the

 

taxable value is adjusted by the local tax collecting unit if the

 

local tax collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or by the

 

county treasurer if the county has possession of the tax roll. For

 

purposes of section 53b, an adjustment under this subsection shall

 

be considered the correction of a clerical error.


 

     (5) Assessment of property, as required in this section and

 

section 27, is inapplicable to the assessment of property subject

 

to the levy of ad valorem taxes within voted tax limitation

 

increases to pay principal and interest on limited tax bonds issued

 

by any governmental unit, including a county, township, community

 

college district, or school district, before January 1, 1964, if

 

the assessment required to be made under this act would be less

 

than the assessment as state equalized prevailing on the property

 

at the time of the issuance of the bonds. This inapplicability

 

shall continue until levy of taxes to pay principal and interest on

 

the bonds is no longer required. The assessment of property

 

required by this act shall be applicable for all other purposes.

 

     (6) As used in this act, "transfer of ownership" means the

 

conveyance of title to or a present interest in property, including

 

the beneficial use of the property, the value of which is

 

substantially equal to the value of the fee interest. Transfer of

 

ownership of property includes, but is not limited to, the

 

following:

 

     (a) A conveyance by deed.

 

     (b) A conveyance by land contract. The taxable value of

 

property conveyed by a land contract executed after December 31,

 

1994 shall be adjusted under subsection (3) for the calendar year

 

following the year in which the contract is entered into and shall

 

not be subsequently adjusted under subsection (3) when the deed

 

conveying title to the property is recorded in the office of the

 

register of deeds in the county in which the property is located.

 

     (c) A conveyance to a trust after December 31, 1994, except if


 

the settlor or the settlor's spouse, or both, conveys the property

 

to the trust and the sole present beneficiary or beneficiaries are

 

the settlor or the settlor's spouse, or both.

 

     (d) A conveyance by distribution from a trust, except if the

 

distributee is the sole present beneficiary or the spouse of the

 

sole present beneficiary, or both.

 

     (e) A change in the sole present beneficiary or beneficiaries

 

of a trust, except a change that adds or substitutes the spouse of

 

the sole present beneficiary.

 

     (f) A conveyance by distribution under a will or by intestate

 

succession, except if the distributee is the decedent's spouse.

 

     (g) A conveyance by lease if the total duration of the lease,

 

including the initial term and all options for renewal, is more

 

than 35 years or the lease grants the lessee a bargain purchase

 

option. As used in this subdivision, "bargain purchase option"

 

means the right to purchase the property at the termination of the

 

lease for not more than 80% of the property's projected true cash

 

value at the termination of the lease. After December 31, 1994, the

 

taxable value of property conveyed by a lease with a total duration

 

of more than 35 years or with a bargain purchase option shall be

 

adjusted under subsection (3) for the calendar year following the

 

year in which the lease is entered into. This subdivision does not

 

apply to personal property except buildings described in section

 

14(6) and personal property described in section 8(h), (i), and

 

(j). This subdivision does not apply to that portion of the

 

property not subject to the leasehold interest conveyed.

 

     (h) A conveyance of an ownership interest in a corporation,


 

partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company,

 

limited liability partnership, or other legal entity if the

 

ownership interest conveyed is more than 50% of the corporation,

 

partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company,

 

limited liability partnership, or other legal entity. Unless

 

notification is provided under subsection (10), the corporation,

 

partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company,

 

limited liability partnership, or other legal entity shall notify

 

the assessing officer on a form provided by the state tax

 

commission not more than 45 days after a conveyance of an ownership

 

interest that constitutes a transfer of ownership under this

 

subdivision.

 

     (i) A transfer of property held as a tenancy in common, except

 

that portion of the property not subject to the ownership interest

 

conveyed.

 

     (j) A conveyance of an ownership interest in a cooperative

 

housing corporation, except that portion of the property not

 

subject to the ownership interest conveyed.

 

     (7) Transfer of ownership does not include the following:

 

     (a) The transfer of property from 1 spouse to the other spouse

 

or from a decedent to a surviving spouse.

 

     (b) A transfer from a husband, a wife, or a husband and wife

 

creating or disjoining a tenancy by the entireties in the grantors

 

or the grantor and his or her spouse.

 

     (c) A transfer of that portion of property subject to a life

 

estate or life lease retained by the transferor, until expiration

 

or termination of the life estate or life lease. That portion of


 

property transferred that is not subject to a life lease shall be

 

adjusted under subsection (3).

 

     (d) A transfer through foreclosure or forfeiture of a recorded

 

instrument under chapter 31, 32, or 57 of the revised judicature

 

act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3101 to 600.3280 and MCL 600.5701

 

to  600.5785  600.5759, or through deed or conveyance in lieu of a

 

foreclosure or forfeiture, until the mortgagee or land contract

 

vendor subsequently transfers the property. If a mortgagee does not

 

transfer the property within 1 year of the expiration of any

 

applicable redemption period, the property shall be adjusted under

 

subsection (3).

 

     (e) A transfer by redemption by the person to whom taxes are

 

assessed of property previously sold for delinquent taxes.

 

     (f) A conveyance to a trust if the settlor or the settlor's

 

spouse, or both, conveys the property to the trust and the sole

 

present beneficiary of the trust is the settlor or the settlor's

 

spouse, or both.

 

     (g) A transfer pursuant to a judgment or order of a court of

 

record making or ordering a transfer, unless a specific monetary

 

consideration is specified or ordered by the court for the

 

transfer.

 

     (h) A transfer creating or terminating a joint tenancy between

 

2 or more persons if at least 1 of the persons was an original

 

owner of the property before the joint tenancy was initially

 

created and, if the property is held as a joint tenancy at the time

 

of conveyance, at least 1 of the persons was a joint tenant when

 

the joint tenancy was initially created and that person has


 

remained a joint tenant since the joint tenancy was initially

 

created. A joint owner at the time of the last transfer of

 

ownership of the property is an original owner of the property. For

 

purposes of this subdivision, a person is an original owner of

 

property owned by that person's spouse.

 

     (i) A transfer for security or an assignment or discharge of a

 

security interest.

 

     (j) A transfer of real property or other ownership interests

 

among members of an affiliated group. As used in this subsection,

 

"affiliated group" means 1 or more corporations connected by stock

 

ownership to a common parent corporation. Upon request by the state

 

tax commission, a corporation shall furnish proof within 45 days

 

that a transfer meets the requirements of this subdivision. A

 

corporation that fails to comply with a request by the state tax

 

commission under this subdivision is subject to a fine of $200.00.

 

     (k) Normal public trading of shares of stock or other

 

ownership interests that, over any period of time, cumulatively

 

represent more than 50% of the total ownership interest in a

 

corporation or other legal entity and are traded in multiple

 

transactions involving unrelated individuals, institutions, or

 

other legal entities.

 

     (l) A transfer of real property or other ownership interests

 

among corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies,

 

limited liability partnerships, or other legal entities if the

 

entities involved are commonly controlled. Upon request by the

 

state tax commission, a corporation, partnership, limited liability

 

company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity shall


 

furnish proof within 45 days that a transfer meets the requirements

 

of this subdivision. A corporation, partnership, limited liability

 

company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity that

 

fails to comply with a request by the state tax commission under

 

this subdivision is subject to a fine of $200.00.

 

     (m) A direct or indirect transfer of real property or other

 

ownership interests resulting from a transaction that qualifies as

 

a tax-free reorganization under section 368 of the internal revenue

 

code,  of 1986  26 USC 368. Upon request by the state tax

 

commission, a property owner shall furnish proof within 45 days

 

that a transfer meets the requirements of this subdivision. A

 

property owner who fails to comply with a request by the state tax

 

commission under this subdivision is subject to a fine of $200.00.

 

     (n) A transfer of qualified agricultural property, if the

 

person to whom the qualified agricultural property is transferred

 

files an affidavit with the assessor of the local tax collecting

 

unit in which the qualified agricultural property is located and

 

with the register of deeds for the county in which the qualified

 

agricultural property is located attesting that the qualified

 

agricultural property shall remain qualified agricultural property.

 

The affidavit under this subdivision shall be in a form prescribed

 

by the department of treasury. An owner of qualified agricultural

 

property shall inform a prospective buyer of that qualified

 

agricultural property that the qualified agricultural property is

 

subject to the recapture tax provided in the agricultural property

 

recapture act, 2000 PA 261, MCL 211.1001 to 211.1007, if the

 

qualified agricultural property is converted by a change in use. If


 

property ceases to be qualified agricultural property at any time

 

after being transferred, all of the following shall occur:

 

     (i) The taxable value of that property shall be adjusted under

 

subsection (3) as of the December 31 in the year that the property

 

ceases to be qualified agricultural property.

 

     (ii) The property is subject to the recapture tax provided for

 

under the agricultural property recapture act, 2000 PA 261, MCL

 

211.1001 to 211.1007.

 

     (o) After April 30, 2006 and before January 1, 2008, the

 

transfer of property exempt under section 7cc as a principal

 

residence if the person to whom the property is transferred claims

 

an exemption for the property under section 7cc as a principal

 

residence.

 

     (8) If all of the following conditions are satisfied, the

 

local tax collecting unit shall revise the taxable value of

 

qualified agricultural property taxable on the tax roll in the

 

possession of that local tax collecting unit to the taxable value

 

that qualified agricultural property would have had if there had

 

been no transfer of ownership of that qualified agricultural

 

property since December 31, 1999 and there had been no adjustment

 

of that qualified agricultural property's taxable value under

 

subsection (3) since December 31, 1999:

 

     (a) The qualified agricultural property was qualified

 

agricultural property for taxes levied in 1999 and each year after

 

1999.

 

     (b) The owner of the qualified agricultural property files an

 

affidavit with the assessor of the local tax collecting unit under


 

subsection (7)(n).

 

     (9) If the taxable value of qualified agricultural property is

 

adjusted under subsection (8), the owner of that qualified

 

agricultural property shall not be entitled to a refund for any

 

property taxes collected under this act on that qualified

 

agricultural property before the adjustment under subsection (8).

 

     (10) The register of deeds of the county where deeds or other

 

title documents are recorded shall notify the assessing officer of

 

the appropriate local taxing unit not less than once each month of

 

any recorded transaction involving the ownership of property and

 

shall make any recorded deeds or other title documents available to

 

that county's tax or equalization department. Unless notification

 

is provided under subsection (6), the buyer, grantee, or other

 

transferee of the property shall notify the appropriate assessing

 

office in the local unit of government in which the property is

 

located of the transfer of ownership of the property within 45 days

 

of the transfer of ownership, on a form prescribed by the state tax

 

commission that states the parties to the transfer, the date of the

 

transfer, the actual consideration for the transfer, and the

 

property's parcel identification number or legal description. Forms

 

filed in the assessing office of a local unit of government under

 

this subsection shall be made available to the county tax or

 

equalization department for the county in which that local unit of

 

government is located. This subsection does not apply to personal

 

property except buildings described in section 14(6) and personal

 

property described in section 8(h), (i), and (j).

 

     (11) As used in this section:


 

     (a) "Additions" means that term as defined in section 34d.

 

     (b) "Beneficial use" means the right to possession, use, and

 

enjoyment of property, limited only by encumbrances, easements, and

 

restrictions of record.

 

     (c) "Converted by a change in use" means that term as defined

 

in the agricultural property recapture act, 2000 PA 261, MCL

 

211.1001 to 211.1007.

 

     (d) "Inflation rate" means that term as defined in section

 

34d.

 

     (e) "Losses" means that term as defined in section 34d.

 

     (f) "Qualified agricultural property" means that term as

 

defined in section 7dd.

 

     Sec. 34d. (1) As used in this section or section 27a, or

 

section 3 or 31 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963:

 

     (a) For taxes levied before 1995, "additions" means all

 

increases in value caused by new construction or a physical

 

addition of equipment or furnishings, and the value of property

 

that was exempt from taxes or not included on the assessment unit's

 

immediately preceding year's assessment roll.

 

     (b) For taxes levied after 1994, "additions" means, except as

 

provided in subdivision (c), all of the following:

 

     (i) Omitted real property. As used in this subparagraph,

 

"omitted real property" means previously existing tangible real

 

property not included in the assessment. Omitted real property

 

shall not increase taxable value as an addition unless the

 

assessing jurisdiction has a property record card or other

 

documentation showing that the omitted real property was not


 

previously included in the assessment. The assessing jurisdiction

 

has the burden of proof in establishing whether the omitted real

 

property is included in the assessment. Omitted real property for

 

the current and the 2 immediately preceding years, discovered after

 

the assessment roll has been completed, shall be added to the tax

 

roll pursuant to the procedures established in section 154. For

 

purposes of determining the taxable value of real property under

 

section 27a, the value of omitted real property is based on the

 

value and the ratio of taxable value to true cash value the omitted

 

real property would have had if the property had not been omitted.

 

     (ii) Omitted personal property. As used in this subparagraph,

 

"omitted personal property" means previously existing tangible

 

personal property not included in the assessment. Omitted personal

 

property shall be added to the tax roll pursuant to section 154.

 

     (iii) New construction. As used in this subparagraph, "new

 

construction" means property not in existence on the immediately

 

preceding tax day and not replacement construction. New

 

construction includes the physical addition of equipment or

 

furnishings, subject to the provisions set forth in section

 

27(2)(a) to (o). For purposes of determining the taxable value of

 

property under section 27a, the value of new construction is the

 

true cash value of the new construction multiplied by 0.50.

 

     (iv) Previously exempt property. As used in this subparagraph,

 

"previously exempt property" means property that was exempt from ad

 

valorem taxation under this act on the immediately preceding tax

 

day but is subject to ad valorem taxation on the current tax day

 

under this act. For purposes of determining the taxable value of


 

real property under section 27a:

 

     (A) The value of property previously exempt under section 7u

 

is the taxable value the entire parcel of property would have had

 

if that property had not been exempt, minus the product of the

 

entire parcel's taxable value in the immediately preceding year and

 

the lesser of 1.05 or the inflation rate.

 

     (B) The taxable value of property that is a facility as that

 

term is defined in section 2 of 1974 PA 198, MCL 207.552, that was

 

previously exempt under section 7k is the taxable value that

 

property would have had under this act if it had not been exempt.

 

     (C) The value of property previously exempt under any other

 

section of law is the true cash value of the previously exempt

 

property multiplied by 0.50.

 

     (v) Replacement construction. As used in this subparagraph,

 

"replacement construction" means construction that replaced

 

property damaged or destroyed by accident or act of God and that

 

occurred after the immediately preceding tax day to the extent the

 

construction's true cash value does not exceed the true cash value

 

of property that was damaged or destroyed by accident or act of God

 

in the immediately preceding 3 years. For purposes of determining

 

the taxable value of property under section 27a, the value of the

 

replacement construction is the true cash value of the replacement

 

construction multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the

 

taxable value of the property to which the construction was added

 

in the immediately preceding year and the denominator of which is

 

the true cash value of the property to which the construction was

 

added in the immediately preceding year, and then multiplied by the


 

lesser of 1.05 or the inflation rate.

 

     (vi) An increase in taxable value attributable to the complete

 

or partial remediation of environmental contamination existing on

 

the immediately preceding tax day. The department of environmental

 

quality shall determine the degree of remediation based on

 

information available in existing department of environmental

 

quality records or information made available to the department of

 

environmental quality if the appropriate assessing officer for a

 

local tax collecting unit requests that determination. The increase

 

in taxable value attributable to the remediation is the increase in

 

true cash value attributable to the remediation multiplied by a

 

fraction the numerator of which is the taxable value of the

 

property had it not been contaminated and the denominator of which

 

is the true cash value of the property had it not been

 

contaminated.

 

     (vii) An increase in the value attributable to the property's

 

occupancy rate if either a loss, as that term is defined in this

 

section, had been previously allowed because of a decrease in the

 

property's occupancy rate or if the value of new construction was

 

reduced because of a below-market occupancy rate. For purposes of

 

determining the taxable value of property under section 27a, the

 

value of an addition for the increased occupancy rate is the

 

product of the increase in the true cash value of the property

 

attributable to the increased occupancy rate multiplied by a

 

fraction the numerator of which is the taxable value of the

 

property in the immediately preceding year and the denominator of

 

which is the true cash value of the property in the immediately


 

preceding year, and then multiplied by the lesser of 1.05 or the

 

inflation rate.

 

     (viii) Public services. As used in this subparagraph, "public

 

services" means water service, sewer service, a primary access

 

road, natural gas service, electrical service, telephone service,

 

sidewalks, or street lighting. For purposes of determining the

 

taxable value of real property under section 27a, the value of

 

public services is the amount of increase in true cash value of the

 

property attributable to the available public services multiplied

 

by 0.50 and shall be added in the calendar year following the

 

calendar year when those public services are initially available.

 

     (c) For taxes levied after 1994, additions do not include

 

increased value attributable to any of the following:

 

     (i) Platting, splits, or combinations of property.

 

     (ii) A change in the zoning of property.

 

     (iii) For the purposes of the calculation of the millage

 

reduction fraction under subsection (7) only, increased taxable

 

value under section 27a(3) after a transfer of ownership of

 

property.

 

     (d) "Assessed valuation of property as finally equalized"

 

means taxable value under section 27a.

 

     (e) "Financial officer" means the officer responsible for

 

preparing the budget of a unit of local government.

 

     (f) "General price level" means the annual average of the 12

 

monthly values for the United States consumer price index for all

 

urban consumers as defined and officially reported by the United

 

States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics.


 

     (g) For taxes levied before 1995, "losses" means a decrease in

 

value caused by the removal or destruction of real or personal

 

property and the value of property taxed in the immediately

 

preceding year that has been exempted or removed from the

 

assessment unit's assessment roll.

 

     (h) For taxes levied after 1994, "losses" means, except as

 

provided in subdivision (i), all of the following:

 

     (i) Property that has been destroyed or removed. For purposes

 

of determining the taxable value of property under section 27a, the

 

value of property destroyed or removed is the product of the true

 

cash value of that property multiplied by a fraction the numerator

 

of which is the taxable value of that property in the immediately

 

preceding year and the denominator of which is the true cash value

 

of that property in the immediately preceding year.

 

     (ii) Property that was subject to ad valorem taxation under

 

this act in the immediately preceding year that is now exempt from

 

ad valorem taxation under this act. For purposes of determining the

 

taxable value of property under section 27a, the value of property

 

exempted from ad valorem taxation under this act is the amount

 

exempted.

 

     (iii) An adjustment in value, if any, because of a decrease in

 

the property's occupancy rate, to the extent provided by law. For

 

purposes of determining the taxable value of real property under

 

section 27a, the value of a loss for a decrease in the property's

 

occupancy rate is the product of the decrease in the true cash

 

value of the property attributable to the decreased occupancy rate

 

multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the taxable


 

value of the property in the immediately preceding year and the

 

denominator of which is the true cash value of the property in the

 

immediately preceding year.

 

     (iv) A decrease in taxable value attributable to environmental

 

contamination existing on the immediately preceding tax day. The

 

department of environmental quality shall determine the degree to

 

which environmental contamination limits the use of property based

 

on information available in existing department of environmental

 

quality records or information made available to the department of

 

environmental quality if the appropriate assessing officer for a

 

local tax collecting unit requests that determination. The

 

department of environmental quality's determination of the degree

 

to which environmental contamination limits the use of property

 

shall be based on the criteria established for the categories set

 

forth in section 20120a(1) of the natural resources and

 

environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.20120a. The

 

decrease in taxable value attributable to the contamination is the

 

decrease in true cash value attributable to the contamination

 

multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the taxable

 

value of the property had it not been contaminated and the

 

denominator of which is the true cash value of the property had it

 

not been contaminated.

 

     (i) For taxes levied after 1994, losses do not include

 

decreased value attributable to either of the following:

 

     (i) Platting, splits, or combinations of property.

 

     (ii) A change in the zoning of property.

 

     (j) "New construction and improvements" means additions less


 

losses.

 

     (k) "Current year" means the year for which the millage

 

limitation is being calculated.

 

     (l) "Inflation rate" means the ratio of the general price level

 

for the state fiscal year ending in the calendar year immediately

 

preceding the current year divided by the general price level for

 

the state fiscal year ending in the calendar year before the year

 

immediately preceding the current year.

 

     (2) On or before the first Monday in May of each year, the

 

assessing officer of each township or city shall tabulate the

 

tentative taxable value as approved by the local board of review

 

and as modified by county equalization for each classification of

 

property that is separately equalized for each unit of local

 

government and provide the tabulated tentative taxable values to

 

the county equalization director. The tabulation by the assessing

 

officer shall contain additions and losses for each classification

 

of property that is separately equalized for each unit of local

 

government or part of a unit of local government in the township or

 

city. If as a result of state equalization the taxable value of

 

property changes, the assessing officer of each township or city

 

shall revise the calculations required by this subsection on or

 

before the Friday following the fourth Monday in May. The county

 

equalization director shall compute these amounts and the current

 

and immediately preceding year's taxable values for each

 

classification of property that is separately equalized for each

 

unit of local government that levies taxes under this act within

 

the boundary of the county. The county equalization director shall


 

cooperate with equalization directors of neighboring counties, as

 

necessary, to make the computation for units of local government

 

located in more than 1 county. The county equalization director

 

shall calculate the millage reduction fraction for each unit of

 

local government in the county for the current year. The financial

 

officer for each taxing jurisdiction shall calculate the compounded

 

millage reduction fractions beginning in 1980 resulting from the

 

multiplication of successive millage reduction fractions and shall

 

recognize a local voter action to increase the compounded millage

 

reduction fraction to a maximum of 1 as a new beginning fraction.

 

Upon request of the superintendent of the intermediate school

 

district, the county equalization director shall transmit the

 

complete computations of the taxable values to the superintendent

 

of the intermediate school district within that county. At the

 

request of the presidents of community colleges, the county

 

equalization director shall transmit the complete computations of

 

the taxable values to the presidents of community colleges within

 

the county.

 

     (3) On or before the first Monday in June of each year, the

 

county equalization director shall deliver the statement of the

 

computations signed by the county equalization director to the

 

county treasurer.

 

     (4) On or before the second Monday in June of each year, the

 

treasurer of each county shall certify the immediately preceding

 

year's taxable values, the current year's taxable values, the

 

amount of additions and losses for the current year, and the

 

current year's millage reduction fraction for each unit of local


 

government that levies a property tax in the county.

 

     (5) The financial officer of each unit of local government

 

shall make the computation of the tax rate using the data certified

 

by the county treasurer and the state tax commission. At the annual

 

session in October, the county board of commissioners shall not

 

authorize the levy of a tax unless the governing body of the taxing

 

jurisdiction has certified that the requested millage has been

 

reduced, if necessary, in compliance with section 31 of article IX

 

of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (6) The number of mills permitted to be levied in a tax year

 

is limited as provided in this section pursuant to section 31 of

 

article IX of the state constitution of 1963. A unit of local

 

government shall not levy a tax rate greater than the rate

 

determined  by reducing  to be its maximum rate or rates authorized

 

by law or charter by a millage reduction fraction as provided in

 

this section without voter approval.

 

     (7) A millage reduction fraction shall be determined for each

 

year for each local unit of government. For ad valorem property

 

taxes that became a lien before January 1, 1983, the numerator of

 

the fraction shall be the total state equalized valuation for the

 

immediately preceding year multiplied by the inflation rate and the

 

denominator of the fraction shall be the total state equalized

 

valuation for the current year minus new construction and

 

improvements. For ad valorem property taxes that become a lien

 

after December 31, 1982 and through December 31, 1994, the

 

numerator of the fraction shall be the product of the difference

 

between the total state equalized valuation for the immediately


 

preceding year minus losses multiplied by the inflation rate and

 

the denominator of the fraction shall be the total state equalized

 

valuation for the current year minus additions. For ad valorem

 

property taxes that are levied after December 31, 1994, the

 

numerator of the fraction shall be the product of the difference

 

between the total taxable value for the immediately preceding year

 

minus losses multiplied by the inflation rate and the denominator

 

of the fraction shall be the total taxable value for the current

 

year minus additions. For each year after 1993 through 1996, a

 

millage reduction fraction shall not exceed 1. For each year after

 

1996, a millage reduction fraction may exceed 1.

 

     (8) The compounded millage reduction fraction for each year

 

after 1980 shall be calculated by multiplying the local unit's

 

previous year's compounded millage reduction fraction by the

 

current year's millage reduction fraction. Beginning with 1980 tax

 

levies, the compounded millage reduction fraction for the year

 

shall be multiplied by the maximum millage rate authorized by law

 

or charter for the unit of local government for the year, except as

 

provided by subsection (9).  A  For each year after 1980 through

 

1996, a compounded millage reduction fraction shall not exceed 1.

 

For each year after 1996, a compounded millage reduction fraction

 

may exceed 1.

 

     (9) The millage reduction shall be determined separately for

 

authorized millage approved by the voters. The limitation on

 

millage authorized by the voters on or before April 30 of a year

 

shall be calculated beginning with the millage reduction fraction

 

for that year. Millage authorized by the voters after April 30


 

shall not be subject to a millage reduction until the year

 

following the voter authorization which shall be calculated

 

beginning with the millage reduction fraction for the year

 

following the authorization. The first millage reduction fraction

 

used in calculating the limitation on millage approved by the

 

voters after January 1, 1979 shall not exceed 1. In 2007 and each

 

year after 2007, application of the millage reduction fraction

 

shall not increase the maximum millage rate previously approved by

 

voter authorization.

 

     (10) A millage reduction fraction shall be applied separately

 

to the aggregate maximum millage rate authorized by a charter and

 

to each maximum millage rate authorized by state law for a specific

 

purpose. In 2007 and each year after 2007, application of the

 

millage reduction fraction shall not increase the maximum millage

 

rate authorized by charter or the maximum millage rate authorized

 

by state law for a specific purpose.

 

     (11) A unit of local government may submit to the voters for

 

their approval the levy in that year of a tax rate in excess of the

 

limit set by this section. The ballot question shall ask the voters

 

to approve the levy of a specific number of mills in excess of the

 

limit. The provisions of this section do not allow the levy of a

 

millage rate in excess of the maximum rate authorized by law or

 

charter. If the authorization to levy millage expires after 1993

 

and a local governmental unit is asking voters to renew the

 

authorization to levy the millage, the ballot question shall ask

 

for renewed authorization for the number of expiring mills as

 

reduced  determined by the millage reduction required by this


 

section. If the election occurs before June 1 of a year, the

 

millage reduction is based on the immediately preceding year's

 

millage reduction applicable to that millage. If the election

 

occurs after May 31 of a year, the millage reduction shall be based

 

on that year's millage reduction applicable to that millage had it

 

not expired.

 

     (12) A reduction or limitation under this section shall not be

 

applied to taxes imposed for the payment of principal and interest

 

on bonds or other evidence of indebtedness or for the payment of

 

assessments or contract obligations in anticipation of which bonds

 

are issued that were authorized before December 23, 1978, as

 

provided by section 4 of chapter I of former 1943 PA 202, or to

 

taxes imposed for the payment of principal and interest on bonds or

 

other evidence of indebtedness or for the payment of assessments or

 

contract obligations in anticipation of which bonds are issued that

 

are approved by the voters after December 22, 1978.

 

     (13) If it is determined subsequent to the levy of a tax that

 

an incorrect millage reduction fraction has been applied, the

 

amount of additional tax revenue or the shortage of tax revenue

 

shall be deducted from or added to the next regular tax levy for

 

that unit of local government after the determination of the

 

authorized rate pursuant to this section.

 

     (14) If as a result of an appeal of county equalization or

 

state equalization the taxable value of a unit of local government

 

changes, the millage reduction fraction for the year shall be

 

recalculated. The financial officer shall effectuate an addition or

 

reduction of tax revenue in the same manner as prescribed in


 

subsection (13).

 

     (15) The fractions calculated pursuant to this section shall

 

be rounded to 4 decimal places, except that the inflation rate

 

shall be computed by the state tax commission and shall be rounded

 

to 3 decimal places. The state tax commission shall publish the

 

inflation rate before March 1 of each year.

 

     (16) Beginning with taxes levied in 1994, the millage

 

reduction required by section 31 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963 shall permanently reduce the maximum rate or

 

rates authorized by law or charter. The reduced maximum authorized

 

rate or rates for 1994 shall equal the product of the maximum rate

 

or rates authorized by law or charter before application of this

 

section multiplied by the compounded millage reduction applicable

 

to that millage in 1994 pursuant to subsections (8) to (12). The

 

reduced  maximum authorized rate or rates for 1995 and each year

 

after 1995 shall equal the product of the immediately preceding

 

year's  reduced  maximum authorized rate or rates multiplied by the

 

current year's millage reduction fraction and shall be adjusted for

 

millage for which authorization has expired and new authorized

 

millage approved by the voters pursuant to subsections (8) to (12).