HOUSE BILL No. 6275

 

September 29, 2004, Introduced by Reps. Voorhees, Hoogendyk, Vander Veen, Emmons, Taub, Amos, Pastor, Pappageorge, Steil, Middaugh and Caul and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "The general property tax act,"                                             

                                                                                

    by amending section 7cc (MCL 211.7cc), as amended by 2003 PA                

                                                                                

    247.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 7cc.  (1) A principal residence is exempt from the tax                 

                                                                                

2   levied by a local school district for school operating purposes             

                                                                                

3   to the extent provided under section 1211 of the revised school             

                                                                                

4   code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1211, if an owner of that principal              

                                                                                

5   residence claims an exemption as provided in this section.                  

                                                                                

6   Notwithstanding the tax day provided in section 2, the status of            

                                                                                

7   property as a principal residence shall be determined on the date           

                                                                                

8   an affidavit claiming an exemption is filed under subsection                

                                                                                

9   (2).                                                                        

                                                                                

10      (2) An owner of property may claim an exemption under this                  

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   section by filing an affidavit on or before May 1 with the local            

                                                                                

2   tax collecting unit in which the property is located.  The                  

                                                                                

3   affidavit shall state that the property is owned and occupied as            

                                                                                

4   a principal residence by that owner of the property on the date             

                                                                                

5   that the affidavit is signed and that if the affidavit is filed             

                                                                                

6   after May 1 the property is not eligible for the exemption under            

                                                                                

7   this section until the immediately succeeding year.  The                    

                                                                                

8   affidavit shall be on a form prescribed by the department of                

                                                                                

9   treasury.  One copy of the affidavit shall be retained by the               

                                                                                

10  owner, 1 copy shall be retained by the local tax collecting unit            

                                                                                

11  until any appeal or audit period under this act has expired, and            

                                                                                

12  1 copy shall be forwarded to the department of treasury pursuant            

                                                                                

13  to subsection (4), together with all information submitted under            

                                                                                

14  subsection (26) for a cooperative housing corporation.  The                 

                                                                                

15  affidavit shall require the owner claiming the exemption to                 

                                                                                

16  indicate if that owner or that owner's spouse has claimed another           

                                                                                

17  exemption on property in this state that is not rescinded or a              

                                                                                

18  substantially similar exemption, deduction, or credit on property           

                                                                                

19  in another state that is not rescinded.  If the affidavit                   

                                                                                

20  requires an owner to include a social security number, that                 

                                                                                

21  owner's number is subject to the disclosure restrictions in 1941            

                                                                                

22  PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31.  If an owner of property filed an              

                                                                                

23  affidavit for an exemption under this section before January 1,             

                                                                                

24  2004, that affidavit shall be considered the affidavit required             

                                                                                

25  under this subsection for a principal residence exemption and               

                                                                                

26  that exemption shall remain in effect until rescinded as provided           

                                                                                

27  in this section.                                                            


                                                                                

1       (3) A husband and wife who are required to file or who do                   

                                                                                

2   file a joint Michigan income tax return are entitled to not more            

                                                                                

3   than 1 exemption under this section.  For taxes levied after                

                                                                                

4   December 31, 2002, a person is not entitled to an exemption under           

                                                                                

5   this section if any of the following conditions occur:                      

                                                                                

6       (a) That person has claimed a substantially similar                         

                                                                                

7   exemption, deduction, or credit on property in another state that           

                                                                                

8   is not rescinded.                                                           

                                                                                

9       (b) Subject to subdivision (a), that person or his or her                   

                                                                                

10  spouse owns property in a state other than this state for which             

                                                                                

11  that person or his or her spouse claims an exemption, deduction,            

                                                                                

12  or credit substantially similar to the exemption provided under             

                                                                                

13  this section, unless that person and his or her spouse file                 

                                                                                

14  separate income tax returns.                                                

                                                                                

15      (c) That person has filed a nonresident Michigan income tax                 

                                                                                

16  return, except active duty military personnel stationed in this             

                                                                                

17  state with his or her principal residence in this state.                    

                                                                                

18      (d) That person has filed an income tax return in a state                   

                                                                                

19  other than this state as a resident, except active duty military            

                                                                                

20  personnel stationed in this state with his or her principal                 

                                                                                

21  residence in this state.                                                    

                                                                                

22      (e) That person has previously rescinded an exemption under                 

                                                                                

23  this section for the same property for which an exemption is now            

                                                                                

24  claimed and there has not been a transfer of ownership of that              

                                                                                

25  property after the previous exemption was rescinded, if either of           

                                                                                

26  the following conditions is satisfied:                                      

                                                                                

27                                                                               (i) That person has claimed an exemption under this section                         


                                                                                

1   for any other property for that tax year.                                   

                                                                                

2       (ii) That person has rescinded an exemption under this                       

                                                                                

3   section on other property, which exemption remains in effect for            

                                                                                

4   that tax year, and there has not been a transfer of ownership of            

                                                                                

5   that property.                                                              

                                                                                

6       (4) Upon receipt of an affidavit filed under subsection (2)                 

                                                                                

7   and unless the claim is denied under this section, the assessor             

                                                                                

8   shall exempt the property from the collection of the tax levied             

                                                                                

9   by a local school district for school operating purposes to the             

                                                                                

10  extent provided under section 1211 of the revised school code,              

                                                                                

11  1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1211, as provided in subsection (1) until              

                                                                                

12  December 31 of the year in which the property is transferred or             

                                                                                

13  is no longer a principal residence as defined in section 7dd.               

                                                                                

14  The local tax collecting unit shall forward copies of affidavits            

                                                                                

15  to the department of treasury according to a schedule prescribed            

                                                                                

16  by the department of treasury.                                              

                                                                                

17      (5) Not more than 90 days after exempted property is no                     

                                                                                

18  longer used as a principal residence by the owner claiming an               

                                                                                

19  exemption, that owner shall rescind the claim of exemption by               

                                                                                

20  filing with the local tax collecting unit a rescission form                 

                                                                                

21  prescribed by the department of treasury.  An owner who fails to            

                                                                                

22  file a rescission as required by this subsection is subject to a            

                                                                                

23  penalty of $5.00 per day for each separate failure beginning                

                                                                                

24  after the 90 days have elapsed, up to a maximum of $200.00.  This           

                                                                                

25  penalty shall be collected under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to                  

                                                                                

26  205.31, and shall be deposited in the state school aid fund                 

                                                                                

27  established in section 11 of article IX of the state constitution           


                                                                                

1   of 1963.  This penalty may be waived by the department of                   

                                                                                

2   treasury.                                                                   

                                                                                

3       (6) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit believes               

                                                                                

4   that the property for which an exemption is claimed is not the              

                                                                                

5   principal residence of the owner claiming the exemption, the                

                                                                                

6   assessor may deny a new or existing claim by notifying the owner            

                                                                                

7   and the department of treasury in writing of the reason for the             

                                                                                

8   denial and advising the owner that the denial may be appealed to            

                                                                                

9   the residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax               

                                                                                

10  tribunal within 35 days after the date of the notice.  The                  

                                                                                

11  assessor may deny a claim for exemption for the current year and            

                                                                                

12  for the 3 immediately preceding calendar years.  If the assessor            

                                                                                

13  denies an existing claim for exemption, the assessor shall remove           

                                                                                

14  the exemption of the property and, if the tax roll is in the                

                                                                                

15  local tax collecting unit's possession, amend the tax roll to               

                                                                                

16  reflect the denial and the local treasurer shall within 30 days             

                                                                                

17  of the date of the denial issue a corrected tax bill for any                

                                                                                

18  additional taxes with interest at the rate of 1.25% per month or            

                                                                                

19  fraction of a month and penalties computed from the date the                

                                                                                

20  taxes were last payable without interest or penalty.  If the tax            

                                                                                

21  roll is in the county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall            

                                                                                

22  be amended to reflect the denial and the county treasurer shall             

                                                                                

23  within 30 days of the date of the denial prepare and submit a               

                                                                                

24  supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with               

                                                                                

25  interest at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month              

                                                                                

26  and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last payable            

                                                                                

27  without interest or penalty.  Interest on any tax set forth in a            


                                                                                

1   corrected or supplemental tax bill shall again begin to accrue 60           

                                                                                

2   days after the date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is               

                                                                                

3   issued at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month.               

                                                                                

4   Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental tax bill shall be               

                                                                                

5   returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the year immediately               

                                                                                

6   succeeding the year in which the corrected or supplemental tax              

                                                                                

7   bill is issued.  If the assessor denies an existing claim for               

                                                                                

8   exemption, the interest due shall be distributed as provided in             

                                                                                

9   subsection (23).  However, if the property has been transferred             

                                                                                

10  to a bona fide purchaser before additional taxes were billed to             

                                                                                

11  the seller as a result of the denial of a claim for exemption,              

                                                                                

12  the taxes, interest, and penalties shall not be a lien on the               

                                                                                

13  property and shall not be billed to the bona fide purchaser, and            

                                                                                

14  the local tax collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit              

                                                                                

15  has possession of the tax roll or the county treasurer if the               

                                                                                

16  county has possession of the tax roll shall notify the department           

                                                                                

17  of treasury of the amount of tax due, interest, and penalties               

                                                                                

18  through the date of that notification.  The department of                   

                                                                                

19  treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed the exemption              

                                                                                

20  under this section for the tax, interest, and penalties accruing            

                                                                                

21  as a result of the denial of the claim for exemption, if any, as            

                                                                                

22  for unpaid taxes provided under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31,           

                                                                                

23  and shall deposit any tax or penalty collected into the state               

                                                                                

24  school aid fund and shall distribute any interest collected as              

                                                                                

25  provided in subsection (23).  The denial shall be made on a form            

                                                                                

26  prescribed by the department of treasury.  If the property for              

                                                                                

27  which the assessor has denied a claim for exemption under this              


                                                                                

1   subsection is located in a county in which the county treasurer             

                                                                                

2   or the county equalization director have elected to audit                   

                                                                                

3   exemptions under subsection (10), the assessor shall notify the             

                                                                                

4   county treasurer or the county equalization director of the                 

                                                                                

5   denial under this subsection.                                               

                                                                                

6       (7) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit believes               

                                                                                

7   that the property for which the exemption is claimed is not the             

                                                                                

8   principal residence of the owner claiming the exemption and has             

                                                                                

9   not denied the claim, the assessor shall include a recommendation           

                                                                                

10  for denial with any affidavit that is forwarded to the department           

                                                                                

11  of treasury or, for an existing claim, shall send a                         

                                                                                

12  recommendation for denial to the department of treasury, stating            

                                                                                

13  the reasons for the recommendation.                                         

                                                                                

14      (8) The department of treasury shall determine if the                       

                                                                                

15  property is the principal residence of the owner claiming the               

                                                                                

16  exemption.  The department of treasury may review the validity of           

                                                                                

17  exemptions for the current calendar year and for the 3                      

                                                                                

18  immediately preceding calendar years.  If the department of                 

                                                                                

19  treasury determines that the property is not the principal                  

                                                                                

20  residence of the owner claiming the exemption, the department               

                                                                                

21  shall send a notice of that determination to the local tax                  

                                                                                

22  collecting unit and to the owner of the property claiming the               

                                                                                

23  exemption, indicating that the claim for exemption is denied,               

                                                                                

24  stating the reason for the denial, and advising the owner                   

                                                                                

25  claiming the exemption of the right to appeal the determination             

                                                                                

26  to the department of treasury and what those rights of appeal               

                                                                                

27  are.  The department of treasury may issue a notice denying a               


                                                                                

1   claim if an owner fails to respond within 30 days of receipt of a           

                                                                                

2   request for information from that department.  An owner may                 

                                                                                

3   appeal the denial of a claim of exemption to the department of              

                                                                                

4   treasury within 35 days of receipt of the notice of denial.  An             

                                                                                

5   appeal to the department of treasury shall be conducted according           

                                                                                

6   to the provisions for an informal conference in section 21 of               

                                                                                

7   1941 PA 122, MCL 205.21.  Within 10 days after acknowledging an             

                                                                                

8   appeal of a denial of a claim of exemption, the department of               

                                                                                

9   treasury shall notify the assessor and the treasurer for the                

                                                                                

10  county in which the property is located that an appeal has been             

                                                                                

11  filed.  Upon receipt of a notice that the department of treasury            

                                                                                

12  has denied a claim for exemption, the assessor shall remove the             

                                                                                

13  exemption of the property and, if the tax roll is in the local              

                                                                                

14  tax collecting unit's possession, amend the tax roll to reflect             

                                                                                

15  the denial and the local treasurer shall within 30 days of the              

                                                                                

16  date of the denial issue a corrected tax bill for any additional            

                                                                                

17  taxes with interest at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of           

                                                                                

18  a month and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last            

                                                                                

19  payable without interest and penalty.  If the tax roll is in the            

                                                                                

20  county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be amended to             

                                                                                

21  reflect the denial and the county treasurer shall within 30 days            

                                                                                

22  of the date of the denial prepare and submit a supplemental tax             

                                                                                

23  bill for any additional taxes, together with interest at the rate           

                                                                                

24  of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month and penalties computed            

                                                                                

25  from the date the taxes were last payable without interest or               

                                                                                

26  penalty.  Interest on any tax set forth in a corrected or                   

                                                                                

27  supplemental tax bill shall again begin to accrue 60 days after             


                                                                                

1   the date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued at the            

                                                                                

2   rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month.  Taxes levied in            

                                                                                

3   a corrected or supplemental tax bill shall be returned as                   

                                                                                

4   delinquent on the March 1 in the year immediately succeeding the            

                                                                                

5   year in which the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued.             

                                                                                

6   If the department of treasury denies an existing claim for                  

                                                                                

7   exemption, the interest due shall be distributed as provided in             

                                                                                

8   subsection (23).  However, if the property has been transferred             

                                                                                

9   to a bona fide purchaser before additional taxes were billed to             

                                                                                

10  the seller as a result of the denial of a claim for exemption,              

                                                                                

11  the taxes, interest, and penalties shall not be a lien on the               

                                                                                

12  property and shall not be billed to the bona fide purchaser, and            

                                                                                

13  the local tax collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit              

                                                                                

14  has possession of the tax roll or the county treasurer if the               

                                                                                

15  county has possession of the tax roll shall notify the department           

                                                                                

16  of treasury of the amount of tax due and interest through the               

                                                                                

17  date of that notification.  The department of treasury shall then           

                                                                                

18  assess the owner who claimed the exemption under this section for           

                                                                                

19  the tax and interest plus penalty accruing as a result of the               

                                                                                

20  denial of the claim for exemption, if any, as for unpaid taxes              

                                                                                

21  provided under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall                  

                                                                                

22  deposit any tax or penalty collected into the state school aid              

                                                                                

23  fund and shall distribute any interest collected as provided in             

                                                                                

24  subsection (23).                                                            

                                                                                

25      (9) The department of treasury may enter into an agreement                  

                                                                                

26  regarding the implementation or administration of subsection (8)            

                                                                                

27  with the assessor of any local tax collecting unit in a county              


                                                                                

1   that has not elected to audit exemptions claimed under this                 

                                                                                

2   section as provided in subsection (10).  The agreement may                  

                                                                                

3   specify that for a period of time, not to exceed 120 days, the              

                                                                                

4   department of treasury will not deny an exemption identified by             

                                                                                

5   the department of treasury in the list provided under subsection            

                                                                                

6   (11).                                                                       

                                                                                

7       (10) A county may elect to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

8   this section in all local tax collecting units located in that              

                                                                                

9   county as provided in this subsection.  The election to audit               

                                                                                

10  exemptions shall be made by the county treasurer, or by the                 

                                                                                

11  county equalization director with the concurrence by resolution             

                                                                                

12  of the county board of commissioners.  The initial election to              

                                                                                

13  audit exemptions shall require an audit period of 2 years.                  

                                                                                

14  Subsequent elections to audit exemptions shall be made every 2              

                                                                                

15  years and shall require 2 annual audit periods.  An election to             

                                                                                

16  audit exemptions shall be made by submitting an election to audit           

                                                                                

17  form to the assessor of each local tax collecting unit in that              

                                                                                

18  county and to the department of treasury not later than October 1           

                                                                                

19  in the year in which an election to audit is made.  The election            

                                                                                

20  to audit form required under this subsection shall be in a form             

                                                                                

21  prescribed by the department of treasury.  If a county elects to            

                                                                                

22  audit the exemptions claimed under this section, the department             

                                                                                

23  of treasury may continue to review the validity of exemptions as            

                                                                                

24  provided in subsection (8).  If a county does not elect to audit            

                                                                                

25  the exemptions claimed under this section as provided in this               

                                                                                

26  subsection, the department of treasury shall conduct an audit of            

                                                                                

27  exemptions claimed under this section in the initial 2-year audit           


                                                                                

1   period for each local tax collecting unit in that county unless             

                                                                                

2   the department of treasury has entered into an agreement with the           

                                                                                

3   assessor for that local tax collecting unit under subsection                

                                                                                

4   (9).                                                                        

                                                                                

5       (11) If a county elects to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

6   this section as provided in subsection (10) and the county                  

                                                                                

7   treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

8   director or his or her designee believes that the property for              

                                                                                

9   which an exemption is claimed is not the principal residence of             

                                                                                

10  the owner claiming the exemption, the county treasurer or his or            

                                                                                

11  her designee or the county equalization director or his or her              

                                                                                

12  designee may deny an existing claim by notifying the owner, the             

                                                                                

13  assessor of the local tax collecting unit, and the department of            

                                                                                

14  treasury in writing of the reason for the denial and advising the           

                                                                                

15  owner that the denial may be appealed to the residential and                

                                                                                

16  small claims division of the Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days           

                                                                                

17  after the date of the notice.  The county treasurer or his or her           

                                                                                

18  designee or the county equalization director or his or her                  

                                                                                

19  designee may deny a claim for exemption for the current year and            

                                                                                

20  for the 3 immediately preceding calendar years.  If the county              

                                                                                

21  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

22  director or his or her designee denies an existing claim for                

                                                                                

23  exemption, the county treasurer or his or her designee or the               

                                                                                

24  county equalization director or his or her designee shall direct            

                                                                                

25  the assessor of the local tax collecting unit in which the                  

                                                                                

26  property is located to remove the exemption of the property from            

                                                                                

27  the assessment roll and, if the tax roll is in the local tax                


                                                                                

1   collecting unit's possession, direct the assessor of the local              

                                                                                

2   tax collecting unit to amend the tax roll to reflect the denial             

                                                                                

3   and the treasurer of the local tax collecting unit shall within             

                                                                                

4   30 days of the date of the denial issue a corrected tax bill for            

                                                                                

5   any additional taxes with interest at the rate of 1.25% per month           

                                                                                

6   or fraction of a month and penalties computed from the date the             

                                                                                

7   taxes were last payable without interest and penalty.  If the tax           

                                                                                

8   roll is in the county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall            

                                                                                

9   be amended to reflect the denial and the county treasurer shall             

                                                                                

10  within 30 days of the date of the denial prepare and submit a               

                                                                                

11  supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with               

                                                                                

12  interest at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month              

                                                                                

13  and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last payable            

                                                                                

14  without interest or penalty.  Interest on any tax set forth in a            

                                                                                

15  corrected or supplemental tax bill shall again begin to accrue 60           

                                                                                

16  days after the date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is               

                                                                                

17  issued at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month.               

                                                                                

18  Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental tax bill shall be               

                                                                                

19  returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the year immediately               

                                                                                

20  succeeding the year in which the corrected or supplemental tax              

                                                                                

21  bill is issued.  If the county treasurer or his or her designee             

                                                                                

22  or the county equalization director or his or her designee denies           

                                                                                

23  an existing claim for exemption, the interest due shall be                  

                                                                                

24  distributed as provided in subsection (23).  However, if the                

                                                                                

25  property has been transferred to a bona fide purchaser before               

                                                                                

26  additional taxes were billed to the seller as a result of the               

                                                                                

27  denial of a claim for exemption, the taxes, interest, and                   


                                                                                

1   penalties shall not be a lien on the property and shall not be              

                                                                                

2   billed to the bona fide purchaser, and the local tax collecting             

                                                                                

3   unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession of the tax             

                                                                                

4   roll or the county treasurer if the county has possession of the            

                                                                                

5   tax roll shall notify the department of treasury of the amount of           

                                                                                

6   tax due and interest through the date of that notification.  The            

                                                                                

7   department of treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed              

                                                                                

8   the exemption under this section for the tax and interest plus              

                                                                                

9   penalty accruing as a result of the denial of the claim for                 

                                                                                

10  exemption, if any, as for unpaid taxes provided under 1941 PA               

                                                                                

11  122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall deposit any tax or penalty              

                                                                                

12  collected into the state school aid fund and shall distribute any           

                                                                                

13  interest collected as provided in subsection (23).  The                     

                                                                                

14  department of treasury shall annually provide the county                    

                                                                                

15  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

16  director or his or her designee a list of parcels of property               

                                                                                

17  located in that county for which an exemption may be erroneously            

                                                                                

18  claimed.  The county treasurer or his or her designee or the                

                                                                                

19  county equalization director or his or her designee shall forward           

                                                                                

20  copies of the list provided by the department of treasury to each           

                                                                                

21  assessor in each local tax collecting unit in that county within            

                                                                                

22  10 days of receiving the list.                                              

                                                                                

23      (12) If a county elects to audit exemptions claimed under                   

                                                                                

24  this section as provided in subsection (10), the county treasurer           

                                                                                

25  or the county equalization director may enter into an agreement             

                                                                                

26  with the assessor of a local tax collecting unit in that county             

                                                                                

27  regarding the implementation or administration of this section.             


                                                                                

1   The agreement may specify that for a period of time, not to                 

                                                                                

2   exceed 120 days, the county will not deny an exemption identified           

                                                                                

3   by the department of treasury in the list provided under                    

                                                                                

4   subsection (11).                                                            

                                                                                

5       (13) An owner may appeal a denial by the assessor of the                    

                                                                                

6   local tax collecting unit under subsection (6), a final decision            

                                                                                

7   of the department of treasury under subsection (8), or a denial             

                                                                                

8   by the county treasurer or his or her designee or the county                

                                                                                

9   equalization director or his or her designee under subsection               

                                                                                

10  (11) to the residential and small claims division of the Michigan           

                                                                                

11  tax tribunal within 35 days of that decision.  An owner is not              

                                                                                

12  required to pay the amount of tax in dispute in order to appeal a           

                                                                                

13  denial of a claim of exemption to the department of treasury or             

                                                                                

14  to receive a final determination of the residential and small               

                                                                                

15  claims division of the Michigan tax tribunal.  However, interest            

                                                                                

16  at the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month and                   

                                                                                

17  penalties shall accrue and be computed from the date the taxes              

                                                                                

18  were last payable without interest and penalty.  If the                     

                                                                                

19  residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax                   

                                                                                

20  tribunal grants an owner's appeal of a denial and that owner has            

                                                                                

21  paid the interest due as a result of a denial under subsection              

                                                                                

22  (6), (8), or (11), the interest received after a distribution was           

                                                                                

23  made under subsection (23) shall be refunded.                               

                                                                                

24      (14) For taxes levied after December 31, 2005, for each                     

                                                                                

25  county in which the county treasurer or the county equalization             

                                                                                

26  director does not elect to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

27  this section as provided in subsection (10), the department of              


                                                                                

1   treasury shall conduct an annual audit of exemptions claimed                

                                                                                

2   under this section for the current calendar year.                           

                                                                                

3       (15) An affidavit filed by an owner for the exemption under                 

                                                                                

4   this section rescinds all previous exemptions filed by that owner           

                                                                                

5   for any other property.  The department of treasury shall notify            

                                                                                

6   the assessor of the local tax collecting unit in which the                  

                                                                                

7   property for which a previous exemption was claimed is located              

                                                                                

8   that the previous exemption is rescinded by the subsequent                  

                                                                                

9   affidavit.  When an exemption is rescinded, the assessor of the             

                                                                                

10  local tax collecting unit shall remove the exemption effective              

                                                                                

11  December 31 of the year in which the affidavit was filed that               

                                                                                

12  rescinded the exemption.  For any year for which the rescinded              

                                                                                

13  exemption has not been removed from the tax roll, the exemption             

                                                                                

14  shall be denied as provided in this section.  However, interest             

                                                                                

15  and penalty shall not be imposed for a year for which a                     

                                                                                

16  rescission form has been timely filed under subsection (5).                 

                                                                                

17      (16) If the principal residence is part of a unit in a                      

                                                                                

18  multiple-unit dwelling or a dwelling unit in a multiple-purpose             

                                                                                

19  structure, an owner shall claim an exemption for only that                  

                                                                                

20  portion of the total taxable value of the property used as the              

                                                                                

21  principal residence of that owner in a manner prescribed by the             

                                                                                

22  department of treasury.  If a portion of a parcel for which the             

                                                                                

23  owner claims an exemption is used for a purpose other than as a             

                                                                                

24  principal residence, the owner shall claim an exemption for only            

                                                                                

25  that portion of the taxable value of the property used as the               

                                                                                

26  principal residence of that owner in a manner prescribed by the             

                                                                                

27  department of treasury.                                                     


                                                                                

1       (17) When a county register of deeds records a transfer of                  

                                                                                

2   ownership of a property, he or she shall notify the local tax               

                                                                                

3   collecting unit in which the property is located of the                     

                                                                                

4   transfer.                                                                   

                                                                                

5       (18) The department of treasury shall make available the                    

                                                                                

6   affidavit forms and the forms to rescind an exemption, which may            

                                                                                

7   be on the same form, to all city and township assessors, county             

                                                                                

8   equalization officers, county registers of deeds, and closing               

                                                                                

9   agents.  The affidavit form shall state that if the affidavit is            

                                                                                

10  filed after May 1 the property is not eligible for the exemption            

                                                                                

11  under this section until the immediately succeeding year. A                 

                                                                                

12  person who prepares a closing statement for the sale of property            

                                                                                

13  shall provide affidavit and rescission forms to the buyer and               

                                                                                

14  seller at the closing and, if requested by the buyer or seller              

                                                                                

15  after execution by the buyer or seller, shall file the forms with           

                                                                                

16  the local tax collecting unit in which the property is located.             

                                                                                

17  A person who prepares a closing statement for the sale of                   

                                                                                

18  property shall inform the purchaser that if the affidavit form              

                                                                                

19  required under this section is filed after May 1 the property is            

                                                                                

20  not eligible for the exemption under this section until the                 

                                                                                

21  immediately succeeding year. If a closing statement preparer                

                                                                                

22  fails to provide exemption affidavit and rescission forms to the            

                                                                                

23  buyer and seller, or fails to file the affidavit and rescission             

                                                                                

24  forms with the local tax collecting unit if requested by the                

                                                                                

25  buyer or seller, the buyer may appeal to the department of                  

                                                                                

26  treasury within 30 days of notice to the buyer that an exemption            

                                                                                

27  was not recorded.  If the department of treasury determines that            


                                                                                

1   the buyer qualifies for the exemption, the department of treasury           

                                                                                

2   shall notify the assessor of the local tax collecting unit that             

                                                                                

3   the exemption is granted and the assessor of the local tax                  

                                                                                

4   collecting unit or, if the tax roll is in the possession of the             

                                                                                

5   county treasurer, the county treasurer shall correct the tax roll           

                                                                                

6   to reflect the exemption.  This subsection does not create a                

                                                                                

7   cause of action at law or in equity against a closing statement             

                                                                                

8   preparer who fails to provide exemption affidavit and rescission            

                                                                                

9   forms to a buyer and seller, who fails to inform a purchaser that if        

                                                                                

10  the affidavit form required under this section is filed after May           

                                                                                

11  1 the property is not eligible for the exemption under this                 

                                                                                

12  section until the immediately succeeding year, or who fails to              

                                                                                

13  file the affidavit and rescission forms with the local tax                  

                                                                                

14  collecting unit when requested to do so by the buyer or seller.             

                                                                                

15      (19) An owner who owned and occupied a principal residence on               

                                                                                

16  May 1 for which the exemption was not on the tax roll may file an           

                                                                                

17  appeal with the July board of review or December board of review            

                                                                                

18  in the year for which the exemption was claimed or the                      

                                                                                

19  immediately succeeding 3 years.  If an appeal of a claim for                

                                                                                

20  exemption that was not on the tax roll is received not later than           

                                                                                

21  5 days prior to the date of the December board of review, the               

                                                                                

22  local tax collecting unit shall convene a December board of                 

                                                                                

23  review and consider the appeal pursuant to this section and                 

                                                                                

24  section 53b.                                                                

                                                                                

25      (20) If the assessor or treasurer of the local tax collecting               

                                                                                

26  unit believes that the department of treasury erroneously denied            

                                                                                

27  a claim for exemption, the assessor or treasurer may submit                 


                                                                                

1   written information supporting the owner's claim for exemption to           

                                                                                

2   the department of treasury within 35 days of the owner's receipt            

                                                                                

3   of the notice denying the claim for exemption.  If, after                   

                                                                                

4   reviewing the information provided, the department of treasury              

                                                                                

5   determines that the claim for exemption was erroneously denied,             

                                                                                

6   the department of treasury shall grant the exemption and the tax            

                                                                                

7   roll shall be amended to reflect the exemption.                             

                                                                                

8       (21) If granting the exemption under this section results in                

                                                                                

9   an overpayment of the tax, a rebate, including any interest paid,           

                                                                                

10  shall be made to the taxpayer by the local tax collecting unit if           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

12  by the county treasurer if the county has possession of the tax             

                                                                                

13  roll within 30 days of the date the exemption is granted.  The              

                                                                                

14  rebate shall be without interest.                                           

                                                                                

15      (22) If an exemption under this section is erroneously                      

                                                                                

16  granted for an affidavit filed before October 1, 2003, an owner             

                                                                                

17  may request in writing that the department of treasury withdraw             

                                                                                

18  the exemption.  The request to withdraw the exemption shall be              

                                                                                

19  received not later than November 1, 2003.  If an owner requests             

                                                                                

20  that an exemption be withdrawn, the department of treasury shall            

                                                                                

21  issue an order notifying the local assessor that the exemption              

                                                                                

22  issued under this section has been denied based on the owner's              

                                                                                

23  request.  If an exemption is withdrawn, the property that had               

                                                                                

24  been subject to that exemption shall be immediately placed on the           

                                                                                

25  tax roll by the local tax collecting unit if the local tax                  

                                                                                

26  collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or by the county             

                                                                                

27  treasurer if the county has possession of the tax roll as though            


                                                                                

1   the exemption had not been granted.  A corrected tax bill shall             

                                                                                

2   be issued for the tax year being adjusted by the local tax                  

                                                                                

3   collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession             

                                                                                

4   of the tax roll or by the county treasurer if the county has                

                                                                                

5   possession of the tax roll.  Unless a denial has been issued                

                                                                                

6   prior to July 1, 2003, if an owner requests that an exemption               

                                                                                

7   under this section be withdrawn and that owner pays the corrected           

                                                                                

8   tax bill issued under this subsection within 30 days after the              

                                                                                

9   corrected tax bill is issued, that owner is not liable for any              

                                                                                

10  penalty or interest on the additional tax.  An owner who pays a             

                                                                                

11  corrected tax bill issued under this subsection more than 30 days           

                                                                                

12  after the corrected tax bill is issued is liable for the                    

                                                                                

13  penalties and interest that would have accrued if the exemption             

                                                                                

14  had not been granted from the date the taxes were originally                

                                                                                

15  levied.                                                                     

                                                                                

16      (23) Subject to subsection (24), interest at the rate of                    

                                                                                

17  1.25% per month or fraction of a month collected under subsection           

                                                                                

18  (6), (8), or (11) shall be distributed as follows:                          

                                                                                

19      (a) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit denies                 

                                                                                

20  the exemption under this section, as follows:                               

                                                                                

21                                                                               (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 70%.                                          

                                                                                

22      (ii) To the department of treasury, 10%.                                     

                                                                                

23      (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 20%.                   

                                                                                

24      (b) If the department of treasury denies the exemption under                

                                                                                

25  this section, as follows:                                                   

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 20%.                                          

                                                                                

27      (ii) To the department of treasury, 70%.                                     


                                                                                

1       (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 10%.                   

                                                                                

2       (c) If the county treasurer or his or her designee or the                   

                                                                                

3   county equalization director or his or her designee denies the              

                                                                                

4   exemption under this section, as follows:                                   

                                                                                

5                                                                                (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 20%.                                          

                                                                                

6       (ii) To the department of treasury, 10%.                                     

                                                                                

7       (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 70%.                   

                                                                                

8       (24) Interest distributed under subsection (23) is subject to               

                                                                                

9   the following conditions:                                                   

                                                                                

10      (a) Interest distributed to a county shall be deposited into                

                                                                                

11  a restricted fund to be used solely for the administration of               

                                                                                

12  exemptions under this section.  Money in that restricted fund               

                                                                                

13  shall lapse to the county general fund on the December 31 in the            

                                                                                

14  year 3 years after the first distribution of interest to the                

                                                                                

15  county under subsection (23) and on each succeeding December 31             

                                                                                

16  thereafter.                                                                 

                                                                                

17      (b) Interest distributed to the department of treasury shall                

                                                                                

18  be deposited into the principal residence property tax exemption            

                                                                                

19  audit fund, which is created within the state treasury.  The                

                                                                                

20  state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source           

                                                                                

21  for deposit into the fund.  The state treasurer shall direct the            

                                                                                

22  investment of the fund.  The state treasurer shall credit to the            

                                                                                

23  fund interest and earnings from fund investments.  Money in the             

                                                                                

24  fund shall be considered a work project account and at the close            

                                                                                

25  of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse             

                                                                                

26  to the general fund.  Money from the fund shall be expended, upon           

                                                                                

27  appropriation, only for the purpose of auditing exemption                   


                                                                                

1   affidavits.                                                                 

                                                                                

2       (25) Interest distributed under subsection (23) is in                       

                                                                                

3   addition to and shall not affect the levy or collection of the              

                                                                                

4   county property tax administration fee established under this               

                                                                                

5   act.                                                                        

                                                                                

6       (26) A cooperative housing corporation is entitled to a full                

                                                                                

7   or partial exemption under this section for the tax year in which           

                                                                                

8   the cooperative housing corporation files all of the following              

                                                                                

9   with the local tax collecting unit in which the cooperative                 

                                                                                

10  housing corporation is located if filed on or before May 1:                 

                                                                                

11      (a) An affidavit form.                                                      

                                                                                

12      (b) A statement of the total number of units owned by the                   

                                                                                

13  cooperative housing corporation and occupied as the principal               

                                                                                

14  residence of a tenant stockholder as of the date of the filing              

                                                                                

15  under this subsection.                                                      

                                                                                

16      (c) A list that includes the name, address, and social                      

                                                                                

17  security number of each tenant stockholder of the cooperative               

                                                                                

18  housing corporation occupying a unit in the cooperative housing             

                                                                                

19  corporation as his or her principal residence as of the date of             

                                                                                

20  the filing under this subsection.                                           

                                                                                

21      (d) A statement of the total number of units of the                         

                                                                                

22  cooperative housing corporation on which an exemption under this            

                                                                                

23  section was claimed and that were transferred in the tax year               

                                                                                

24  immediately preceding the tax year in which the filing under this           

                                                                                

25  section was made.                                                           

                                                                                

26      (27) Before May 1, 2004 and before May 1, 2005, the treasurer               

                                                                                

27  of each county shall forward to the department of education a               


                                                                                

1   statement of the taxable value of each school district and                  

                                                                                

2   fraction of a school district within the county for the preceding           

                                                                                

3   4 calendar years.  This requirement is in addition to the                   

                                                                                

4   requirement set forth in section 151 of the state school aid act            

                                                                                

5   of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1751.