AN ACT

RELATING TO TAXATION; AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY TAX CODE CONCERNING THE IMPOSITION OF PROPERTY TAXES ON CERTAIN OMITTED PROPERTY.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 7-38-24 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 258, Section 64, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-38-24. PROTESTING VALUES, CLASSIFICATION, ALLOCATION OF VALUES AND DENIAL OF EXEMPTION OR LIMITATION ON INCREASE IN VALUE DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY ASSESSOR.--

A. A property owner may protest the value or classification determined by the county assessor for his property for property taxation purposes, the assessor's allocation of value of his property to a particular governmental unit or denial of a claim for an exemption or for a limitation on increase in value by filing a petition with the assessor. Filing a petition in accordance with this section entitles the property owner to a hearing on his protest.

B. Petitions shall:

(1) be filed with the county assessor on or before:

(a) the later of April 1 of the property tax year to which the notice applies or thirty days after the mailing by the assessor of the notice of valuation if the notice was mailed with the preceding year's tax bill in accordance with Section 7-38-20 NMSA 1978;

(b) thirty days after the mailing of a property tax bill on omitted property pursuant to

Section 7-38-76 NMSA 1978; or

(c) in all other cases, thirty days after the mailing by the assessor of the notice of valuation;

(2) state the property owner's name and address and the description of the property;

(3) state why the property owner believes the value, classification, allocation of value or denial of a claim of an exemption or of a limitation on increase in value is incorrect and what he believes the correct value, classification, allocation of value or exemption to be; and

(4) state the value, classification, allocation of value or exemption that is not in controversy.

C. Upon receipt of the petition, the county assessor shall schedule a hearing before the county valuation protests board and notify the property owner by certified mail of the date, time and place that he may appear to support his petition. The notice shall be mailed at least fifteen days prior to the hearing date.

D. The county assessor may provide for an informal conference on the protest before the hearing."

Section 2. Section 7-38-42 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1979, Chapter 343, Section 1) is amended to read:

"7-38-42. COLLECTION AND RECEIPT OF AND ACCOUNTING FOR PROPERTY TAXES--APPLICATION OF RECEIPTS TO DELINQUENT

TAXES.--

A. The county treasurer has the responsibility and authority for collection of taxes and any penalties or interest due under the Property Tax Code except for the collection of delinquent taxes, penalties and interest authorized to be collected by the department under

Section 7-38-62 NMSA 1978.

B. Property taxes, penalties and interest collected shall be receipted and accounted for in accordance with law and regulations of the department of finance and administration.

C. Any payments received by the treasurer or the department as payments for property taxes, penalties or interest shall be first applied to the oldest outstanding unpaid property taxes, penalties or interest accrued in prior property tax years on the property identified and described in the property tax bill for which payment is tendered or, if the payment cannot be identified with a particular year's property tax bill, then the payment shall be applied first to the oldest liability for property taxes, penalties and interest shown in the treasurer's records under the name of the paying taxpayer. In applying the foregoing requirements for applications of payments and in the adoption of any regulations to implement those provisions, the following additional rules shall apply:

(1) applications of payments to a prior year's delinquent taxes, penalties and interest shall not be made for more than ten years prior to the year of payment unless the treasurer's records show that the property for which taxes are delinquent has been deeded to the state of New Mexico and that property has not been sold by the state pursuant to applicable law;

(2) applications of payments to a prior year's delinquent taxes, penalties and interest shall not be made if:

(a) the prior year for which the delinquent taxes, penalties or interest are due is not the immediately preceding tax year;

(b) the delinquent taxes, penalties or interest are the result of real estate improvements that were omitted from property tax schedules in the prior year and listed and billed pursuant to Section 7-38-76 NMSA 1978;

(c) the current owner was not the owner at the time the improvements were omitted and had no actual notice that the improvements were omitted; and

(d) the payments were made by or on behalf of the current owner;

(3) after application of payment received, if all or part of the payment has been applied to a prior year's delinquent taxes, penalties or interest, the receipting authority shall issue a receipt to the paying taxpayer showing the application of the payment and indicating any balance due for taxes, penalties or interest to bring the property tax payment status current; and

(4) the failure of a receipting authority to apply a payment as required under this subsection or the failure to issue a required receipt to the taxpayer of the status of his account shall not relieve the taxpayer of liability for taxes, penalties or interest he would otherwise be required to pay nor does action or inaction by the receipting authority act to estop the collecting authority from taking any action to collect or enforce the payment of taxes, penalties and interest legally due."

Section 3. Section 7-38-48 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 258, Section 88, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-38-48. PROPERTY TAXES ARE A LIEN AGAINST REAL PROPERTY FROM JANUARY 1--PRIORITIES--CONTINUANCE OF TAXING PROCESS.--

A. Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, taxes on real property are a lien against the real property from January 1 of the tax year for which the taxes are imposed. The lien runs in favor of the state and secures the payment of taxes on the real property and any penalty and interest that become due. The lien continues until the taxes and any penalty and interest are paid. The lien created by this section is a first lien and paramount to any other interest in the property, perfected or unperfected. The annual taxing process provided for in the Property Tax Code shall continue as to any particular property regardless of prior tax delinquencies or of pending protests, actions for refunds or other tax controversies involving the property, including a sale for delinquent taxes.

B. No lien is created pursuant to Subsection A of this section if:

(1) the tax otherwise creating the lien is not due for the current tax year or the immediately preceding property tax year;

(2) the tax otherwise creating the lien is the result of real estate improvements that were omitted from property tax schedules in a prior year and listed and billed pursuant to Section 7-38-76 NMSA 1978; and

(3) the current owner was not the owner at the time the improvements were omitted and had no actual notice that the improvements were omitted."

Section 4. Section 7-38-65 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 258, Section 105, as amended by Laws 2001,

Chapter 253, Section 1 and by Laws 2001, Chapter 254, Section 1) is amended to read:

"7-38-65. COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY--SALE OF REAL PROPERTY.--

A. If a lien exists by the operation of

Section 7-38-48 NMSA 1978, the department may collect delinquent taxes on real property by selling the real property on which the taxes have become delinquent. The sale of real property for delinquent taxes shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Property Tax Code. Real property may be sold for delinquent taxes at any time after the expiration of three years from the first date shown on the tax delinquency list on which the taxes became delinquent. Real property shall be offered for sale for delinquent taxes either within four years after the first date shown on the tax delinquency list on which the taxes became delinquent or, if the department is barred by operation of law or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction from offering the property for sale for delinquent taxes within four years after the first date shown on the tax delinquency list on which the taxes became delinquent, within one year from the time the department determines that it is no longer barred from selling the property, unless:

(1) all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and costs due are paid by 5:00 p.m. of the day prior to the date of the sale; or

(2) an installment agreement for payment of all delinquent taxes, penalties, interests and costs due is entered into with the department by 5:00 p.m. of the day prior to the date of the sale pursuant to Section 7-38-68 NMSA 1978.

B. Failure to offer property for sale within the time prescribed by Subsection A of this section shall not impair the validity or effect of any sale which does take place.

C. The time requirements of this section are subject to the provisions of Section 7-38-83 NMSA 1978."

Section 5. Section 7-38-76 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1973, Chapter 258, Section 116, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-38-76. PROPERTY SUBJECT TO PROPERTY TAXATION BUT OMITTED FROM PROPERTY TAX SCHEDULES IN PRIOR YEARS.--

A. Subject to the limitations contained in the Property Tax Code and except as provided in Subsection B of this section, county assessors, treasurers and the department have the authority and the duty to enter in the valuation records, list on the property tax schedules, bill for and collect the taxes for all tax years on property that was subject to property taxation but was omitted from property tax schedules and for which taxes have not been paid but would be due except for the omission. Property tax bills shall be prepared and mailed by the county treasurers within thirty days of the date the omitted property is listed on the property tax schedule, and all taxes on omitted property shall be due the date the property tax bill is mailed.

B. Except for taxes due in the current tax year and the immediately preceding tax year, the current owner of the real estate is not liable for a property tax bill mailed pursuant to Subsection A of this section if:

(1) the omitted property is improvements that were placed on the real estate; and

(2) the current owner was not the owner at the time the improvements were omitted and had no actual notice that the improvements were omitted.

C. Nothing in this section relieves the owner of the property at the time the improvements were omitted from being personally liable for the taxes due pursuant to

Section 7-38-47 NMSA 1978.

D. The department shall promulgate regulations for the procedures to be followed and the records to be maintained in the administration and collection of taxes on omitted property. The department of finance and administration shall promulgate regulations covering the receipt of, accounting for and distribution of taxes on omitted property."