September 19, 2012, Introduced by Senator BOOHER and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes.
A bill to provide for the exemption of certain property from
certain taxes; to levy and collect a specific tax upon the owners
of certain property; to provide for the disposition of the tax; to
prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local
government officials; and to provide penalties.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"qualified forest specific tax act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Commission" means the state tax commission created by
1927 PA 360, MCL 209.101 to 209.107.
(b) "Qualified forest property" means that term as defined in
section 7jj of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL
211.7jj[1].
(c) "Taxable value" means the taxable value as determined
under section 27a of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL
211.27a.
Sec. 3. Qualified forest property is exempt from ad valorem
property taxes collected under the general property tax act, 1893
PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.155, as provided under section 7jj of the
general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.7jj[1].
Sec. 4. The assessor of each local tax collecting unit in
which there is qualified forest property shall determine annually
as of December 31 the value and taxable value of each parcel of
qualified forest property located in that local tax collecting
unit.
Sec. 5. (1) There is levied upon the owner of every qualified
forest property a specific tax to be known as the qualified forest
property specific tax.
(2) The amount of the qualified forest property specific tax
in each year shall be determined by the sum of both of the
following:
(a) Multiplying the number of mills that would be assessed in
the local tax collecting unit excluding the number of mills levied
under the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852,
if the property were subject to the collection of taxes under the
general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.155, by the
qualified forest property's taxable value.
(b) Multiplying 2 mills by the qualified forest property's
taxable value.
(3) The qualified forest property specific tax is an annual
tax, payable at the same times, in the same installments, and to
the same collecting officer or officers as taxes collected under
the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.155.
(4) The collecting officer or officers shall disburse that
portion of the qualified forest property specific tax described in
subsection (2)(a) to and among this state and cities, townships,
villages, counties, or other taxing units, at the same times and in
the same proportions as required by law for the disbursement of
taxes collected under the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206,
MCL 211.1 to 211.155, excluding disbursements for amounts levied
under the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852.
(5) The collecting officer or officers shall disburse that
portion of the qualified forest property specific tax described in
subsection (2)(b) to the department of treasury for deposit in the
private forestland enhancement fund created in section 51305 of the
natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451,
MCL 324.51305.
(6) The collecting officer or officers shall send a copy of
the amount of disbursement made to each taxing unit and to the
department of agriculture and rural development under this section
to the commission on a form provided by the commission.
(7) Qualified forest property located in a renaissance zone
under the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA 376, MCL 125.2681
to 125.2696, is exempt from the qualified forest property specific
tax levied under this act to the extent and for the duration
provided pursuant to the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA
376, MCL 125.2681 to 125.2696, except for that portion of the
qualified forest property specific tax attributable to a tax
described in section 7ff(2) of the general property tax act, 1893
PA 206, MCL 211.7ff. The qualified forest property specific tax
calculated under this subsection shall be disbursed proportionately
to the taxing unit or units that levied the tax described in
section 7ff(2) of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL
211.7ff.
Sec. 6. Unpaid qualified forest property specific taxes are
subject to forfeiture, foreclosure, and sale in the same manner and
at the same time as taxes returned as delinquent under the general
property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.155.