This bill would authorize county treasurers to accept partial payments for delinquent personal property taxes so long as certain conditions are met. The owner of the delinquent personal property taxes would be required to enter into a written payment plan with the county treasurer. The terms of the plan would include the total amount due, including applicable interest, penalties, or fees; the amount of each payment; and the payment due dates. The total amount due would be paid within 24 months from the date the owner enters into the written payment plan with the county treasurer. The plan may be terminated if the owner of the personal property fails to abide by the terms and conditions of the plan. The bill also allows the county treasurer to periodically authorize an audit of the operations and accounts of the county treasurer’s office.

The bill provides flexibility to the office of the county treasurer in establishing a payment plan for delinquent personal property taxes over a 24-month period for the collection of taxes that may otherwise go unpaid and result in a tax sale of the personal property. Therefore, the bill is assessed as having local conditional fiscal impact. State revenues and expenditures would be unaffected by the bill. The bill would become effective upon signature of the Governor.

STATE FISCAL IMPACT SUMMARY	FY 1998/99	FY 1999/2000
State Revenues General Fund Other Fund
State Expenditures General Fund Other Fund
FTE Position Change	None	None
Local Government Impact — A payment plan for the collection of personal property taxes would allow for the collection of revenues that may not otherwise be collected.

The bill provides some flexibility to the office of the county treasurer in establishing a payment plan for the collection of personal property taxes over a 24 month period on delinquent accounts that may otherwise go unpaid and result in a tax sale of the personal property. It is anticipated that a payment plan will only be used in situations where the personal property taxes due would otherwise remain uncollected, and could result in the sale of the property. The sale of the property might not cover the amount of the taxes due.

Allowing the county treasurer to periodically request an audit of the operations and accounts of the county treasurer’s office would authorize an independent audit of the treasurer’s investment portfolio in circumstances where the treasurer believes that such an audit is warranted.

The fiscal note implies that no new expenditure or appropriation of state moneys will be necessary in order to implement the provisions of the bill.