HOUSE BILL No. 6328

 

November 9, 2004, Introduced by Rep. Acciavatti 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.                       

                                                                                

3       (3) An owner of property who is absent from his or her                      

                                                                                

4   principal residence while on active duty in the armed forces of             

                                                                                

5   the United States may claim an exemption under this section for             

                                                                                

6   his or her principal residence if that owner does not claim an              

                                                                                

7   exemption for other property under this section and files the               

                                                                                

8   affidavit required under this section.  An owner of property is             

                                                                                

9   eligible for an exemption under this section if that owner leases           

                                                                                

10  all or a portion of his or her principal residence while absent             

                                                                                

11  from his or her principal residence because he or she is on                 

                                                                                

12  active duty in the armed forces of the United States.                       

                                                                                

13      (4) The affidavit required under this section shall state                   

                                                                                

14  that the property is owned and occupied as a principal residence            

                                                                                

15  by that owner of the property on the date that the affidavit is             

                                                                                

16  signed.  The affidavit shall be on a form prescribed by the                 

                                                                                

17  department of treasury.  One copy of the affidavit shall be                 

                                                                                

18  retained by the owner, 1 copy shall be retained by the local tax            

                                                                                

19  collecting unit until any appeal or audit period under this act             

                                                                                

20  has expired, and 1 copy shall be forwarded to the department of             

                                                                                

21  treasury pursuant to subsection  (4)  (6), together with all                

                                                                                

22  information submitted under subsection  (26)  (28) for a                    

                                                                                

23  cooperative housing corporation.  The affidavit shall require the           

                                                                                

24  owner claiming the exemption to indicate if that owner or that              

                                                                                

25  owner's spouse has claimed another exemption on property in this            

                                                                                

26  state that is not rescinded or a substantially similar exemption,           

                                                                                

27  deduction, or credit on property in another state that is not               


                                                                                

1   rescinded.  If the affidavit requires an owner to include a                 

                                                                                

2   social security number, that owner's number is subject to the               

                                                                                

3   disclosure restrictions in 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31.  If            

                                                                                

4   an owner of property filed an affidavit for an exemption under              

                                                                                

5   this section before January 1, 2004, that affidavit shall be                

                                                                                

6   considered the affidavit required under this subsection for a               

                                                                                

7   principal residence exemption and that exemption shall remain in            

                                                                                

8   effect until rescinded as provided in this section.                         

                                                                                

9       (5)  (3)  A husband and wife who are required to file or who                

                                                                                

10  do file a joint Michigan income tax return are entitled to not              

                                                                                

11  more than 1 exemption under this section.  For taxes levied after           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

13  this section if any of the following conditions occur:                      

                                                                                

14      (a) That person has claimed a substantially similar                         

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

16  is not rescinded.                                                           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

20  or credit substantially similar to the exemption provided under             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

22  separate income tax returns.                                                

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

24  return, except active duty military personnel stationed in this             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

1   personnel stationed in this state with his or her principal                 

                                                                                

2   residence in this state.                                                    

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

7   the following conditions is satisfied:                                      

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

9   for any other property for that tax year.                                   

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

13  that property.                                                              

                                                                                

14      (6)  (4)  Upon receipt of an affidavit filed under subsection               

                                                                                

15  (2) and unless the claim is denied under this section, the                  

                                                                                

16  assessor shall exempt the property from the collection of the tax           

                                                                                

17  levied by a local school district for school operating purposes             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

19  code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1211, as provided in subsection (1)              

                                                                                

20  until December 31 of the year in which the property is                      

                                                                                

21  transferred or is no longer a principal residence as defined in             

                                                                                

22  section 7dd.  The local tax collecting unit shall forward copies            

                                                                                

23  of affidavits to the department of treasury according to a                  

                                                                                

24  schedule prescribed by the department of treasury.                          

                                                                                

25      (7)  (5)  Not more than 90 days after exempted property is no               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

1   filing with the local tax collecting unit a rescission form                 

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

7   205.31, and shall be deposited in the state school aid fund                 

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

10  treasury.                                                                   

                                                                                

11      (8)  (6)  If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit                  

                                                                                

12  believes that the property for which an exemption is claimed is             

                                                                                

13  not the principal residence of the owner claiming the exemption,            

                                                                                

14  the assessor may deny a new or existing claim by notifying the              

                                                                                

15  owner and the department of treasury in writing of the reason for           

                                                                                

16  the denial and advising the owner that the denial may be appealed           

                                                                                

17  to the residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax            

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

5   supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

14  succeeding the year in which the corrected or supplemental tax              

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  subsection  (23)  (25).  However, if the property has been                  

                                                                                

18  transferred to a bona fide purchaser before additional taxes were           

                                                                                

19  billed to the seller as a result of the denial of a claim for               

                                                                                

20  exemption, the taxes, interest, and penalties shall not be a lien           

                                                                                

21  on the property and shall not be billed to the bona fide                    

                                                                                

22  purchaser, and the local tax collecting unit if the local tax               

                                                                                

23  collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or the county                

                                                                                

24  treasurer if the county has possession of the tax roll shall                

                                                                                

25  notify the department of treasury of the amount of tax due,                 

                                                                                

26  interest, and penalties through the date of that notification.              

                                                                                

27  The department of treasury shall then assess the owner who                  


                                                                                

1   claimed the exemption under this section for the tax, interest,             

                                                                                

2   and penalties accruing as a result of the denial of the claim for           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

4   122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall deposit any tax or penalty              

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

6   interest collected as provided in subsection  (23)  (25).  The              

                                                                                

7   denial shall be made on a form prescribed by the department of              

                                                                                

8   treasury.  If the property for which the assessor has denied a              

                                                                                

9   claim for exemption under this subsection is located in a county            

                                                                                

10  in which the county treasurer or the county equalization director           

                                                                                

11  have elected to audit exemptions under subsection  (10)  (12),              

                                                                                

12  the assessor shall notify the county treasurer or the county                

                                                                                

13  equalization director of the denial under this subsection.                  

                                                                                

14      (9)  (7)  If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit                  

                                                                                

15  believes that the property for which the exemption is claimed is            

                                                                                

16  not the principal residence of the owner claiming the exemption             

                                                                                

17  and has not denied the claim, the assessor shall include a                  

                                                                                

18  recommendation for denial with any affidavit that is forwarded to           

                                                                                

19  the department of treasury or, for an existing claim, shall send            

                                                                                

20  a recommendation for denial to the department of treasury,                  

                                                                                

21  stating the reasons for the recommendation.                                 

                                                                                

22      (10)  (8)  The department of treasury shall determine if the                

                                                                                

23  property is the principal residence of the owner claiming the               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

25  exemptions for the current calendar year and for the 3                      

                                                                                

26  immediately preceding calendar years.  If the department of                 

                                                                                

27  treasury determines that the property is not the principal                  


                                                                                

1   residence of the owner claiming the exemption, the department               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

6   claiming the exemption of the right to appeal the determination             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

10  request for information from that department.  An owner may                 

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

13  appeal to the department of treasury shall be conducted according           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

15  1941 PA 122, MCL 205.21.  Within 10 days after acknowledging an             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  treasury shall notify the assessor and the treasurer for the                

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

11  a corrected or supplemental tax bill shall be returned as                   

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

14  If the department of treasury denies an existing claim for                  

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

16  subsection  (23)  (25).  However, if the property has been                  

                                                                                

17  transferred to a bona fide purchaser before additional taxes were           

                                                                                

18  billed to the seller as a result of the denial of a claim for               

                                                                                

19  exemption, the taxes, interest, and penalties shall not be a lien           

                                                                                

20  on the property and shall not be billed to the bona fide                    

                                                                                

21  purchaser, and the local tax collecting unit if the local tax               

                                                                                

22  collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or the county                

                                                                                

23  treasurer if the county has possession of the tax roll shall                

                                                                                

24  notify the department of treasury of the amount of tax due and              

                                                                                

25  interest through the date of that notification.  The department             

                                                                                

26  of treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed the exemption           

                                                                                

27  under this section for the tax and interest plus penalty accruing           


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

4   school aid fund and shall distribute any interest collected as              

                                                                                

5   provided in subsection  (23)  (25).                                         

                                                                                

6       (11)  (9)  The department of treasury may enter into an                     

                                                                                

7   agreement regarding the implementation or administration of                 

                                                                                

8   subsection  (8)  (10) with the assessor of any local tax                    

                                                                                

9   collecting unit in a county that has not elected to audit                   

                                                                                

10  exemptions claimed under this section as provided in subsection             

                                                                                

11  (10)  (12).  The agreement may specify that for a period of                

                                                                                

12  time, not to exceed 120 days, the department of treasury will not           

                                                                                

13  deny an exemption identified by the department of treasury in the           

                                                                                

14  list provided under subsection  (11)  (13).                                 

                                                                                

15      (12)  (10)  A county may elect to audit the exemptions                      

                                                                                

16  claimed under this section in all local tax collecting units                

                                                                                

17  located in that county as provided in this subsection.  The                 

                                                                                

18  election to audit exemptions shall be made by the county                    

                                                                                

19  treasurer, or by the county equalization director with the                  

                                                                                

20  concurrence by resolution of the county board of commissioners.             

                                                                                

21  The initial election to audit exemptions shall require an audit             

                                                                                

22  period of 2 years.  Subsequent elections to audit exemptions                

                                                                                

23  shall be made every 2 years and shall require 2 annual audit                

                                                                                

24  periods.  An election to audit exemptions shall be made by                  

                                                                                

25  submitting an election to audit form to the assessor of each                

                                                                                

26  local tax collecting unit in that county and to the department of           

                                                                                

27  treasury not later than October 1 in the year in which an                   


                                                                                

1   election to audit is made.  The election to audit form required             

                                                                                

2   under this subsection shall be in a form prescribed by the                  

                                                                                

3   department of treasury.  If a county elects to audit the                    

                                                                                

4   exemptions claimed under this section, the department of treasury           

                                                                                

5   may continue to review the validity of exemptions as provided in            

                                                                                

6   subsection  (8)  (10).  If a county does not elect to audit the             

                                                                                

7   exemptions claimed under this section as provided in this                   

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

12  assessor for that local tax collecting unit under subsection                

                                                                                

13  (9)  (11).                                                                 

                                                                                

14      (13)  (11)  If a county elects to audit the exemptions                      

                                                                                

15  claimed under this section as provided in subsection  (10)  (12)            

                                                                                

16  and the county treasurer or his or her designee or the county               

                                                                                

17  equalization director or his or her designee believes that the              

                                                                                

18  property for which an exemption is claimed is not the principal             

                                                                                

19  residence of the owner claiming the exemption, the county                   

                                                                                

20  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

21  director or his or her designee may deny an existing claim by               

                                                                                

22  notifying the owner, the assessor of the local tax collecting               

                                                                                

23  unit, and the department of treasury in writing of the reason for           

                                                                                

24  the denial and advising the owner that the denial may be appealed           

                                                                                

25  to the residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax            

                                                                                

26  tribunal within 35 days after the date of the notice.  The county           

                                                                                

27  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 


                                                                                

1   director or his or her designee may deny a claim for exemption              

                                                                                

2   for the current year and for the 3 immediately preceding calendar           

                                                                                

3   years.  If the county treasurer or his or her designee or the               

                                                                                

4   county equalization director or his or her designee denies an               

                                                                                

5   existing claim for exemption, the county treasurer or his or her            

                                                                                

6   designee or the county equalization director or his or her                  

                                                                                

7   designee shall direct the assessor of the local tax collecting              

                                                                                

8   unit in which the property is located to remove the exemption of            

                                                                                

9   the property from the assessment roll and, if the tax roll is in            

                                                                                

10  the local tax collecting unit's possession, direct the assessor             

                                                                                

11  of the local tax collecting unit to amend the tax roll to reflect           

                                                                                

12  the denial and the treasurer of the local tax collecting unit               

                                                                                

13  shall within 30 days of the date of the denial issue a corrected            

                                                                                

14  tax bill for any additional taxes with interest at the rate of              

                                                                                

15  1.25% per month or fraction of a month and penalties computed               

                                                                                

16  from the date the taxes were last payable without interest and              

                                                                                

17  penalty.  If the tax roll is in the county treasurer's                      

                                                                                

18  possession, the tax roll shall be amended to reflect the denial             

                                                                                

19  and the county treasurer shall within 30 days of the date of the            

                                                                                

20  denial prepare and submit a supplemental tax bill for any                   

                                                                                

21  additional taxes, together with interest at the rate of 1.25% per           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

23  the taxes were last payable without interest or penalty.                    

                                                                                

24  Interest on any tax set forth in a corrected or supplemental tax            

                                                                                

25  bill shall again begin to accrue 60 days after the date the                 

                                                                                

26  corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued at the rate of 1.25%           

                                                                                

27  per month or fraction of a month.  Taxes levied in a corrected or           


                                                                                

1   supplemental tax bill shall be returned as delinquent on the                

                                                                                

2   March 1 in the year immediately succeeding the year in which the            

                                                                                

3   corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued.  If the county                

                                                                                

4   treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

7   subsection  (23)  (25).  However, if the property has been                  

                                                                                

8   transferred to a bona fide purchaser before additional taxes were           

                                                                                

9   billed to the seller as a result of the denial of a claim for               

                                                                                

10  exemption, the taxes, interest, and penalties shall not be a lien           

                                                                                

11  on the property and shall not be billed to the bona fide                    

                                                                                

12  purchaser, and the local tax collecting unit if the local tax               

                                                                                

13  collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or the county                

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

15  notify the department of treasury of the amount of tax due and              

                                                                                

16  interest through the date of that notification.  The department             

                                                                                

17  of treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed the exemption           

                                                                                

18  under this section for the tax and interest plus penalty accruing           

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

22  school aid fund and shall distribute any interest collected as              

                                                                                

23  provided in subsection  (23)  (25).  The department of treasury             

                                                                                

24  shall annually provide the county treasurer or his or her                   

                                                                                

25  designee or the county equalization director or his or her                  

                                                                                

26  designee a list of parcels of property located in that county for           

                                                                                

27  which an exemption may be erroneously claimed.  The county                  


                                                                                

1   treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

2   director or his or her designee shall forward copies of the list            

                                                                                

3   provided by the department of treasury to each assessor in each             

                                                                                

4   local tax collecting unit in that county within 10 days of                  

                                                                                

5   receiving the list.                                                         

                                                                                

6       (14)  (12)  If a county elects to audit exemptions claimed                  

                                                                                

7   under this section as provided in subsection  (10)  (12), the               

                                                                                

8   county treasurer or the county equalization director may enter              

                                                                                

9   into an agreement with the assessor of a local tax collecting               

                                                                                

10  unit in that county regarding the implementation or                         

                                                                                

11  administration of this section.  The agreement may specify that             

                                                                                

12  for a period of time, not to exceed 120 days, the county will not           

                                                                                

13  deny an exemption identified by the department of treasury in the           

                                                                                

14  list provided under subsection  (11)  (13).                                 

                                                                                

15      (15)  (13)  An owner may appeal a denial by the assessor of                 

                                                                                

16  the local tax collecting unit under subsection  (6)  (8), a final           

                                                                                

17  decision of the department of treasury under subsection  (8)                

                                                                                

18  (10), or a denial by the county treasurer or his or her designee            

                                                                                

19  or the county equalization director or his or her designee under            

                                                                                

20  subsection  (11)  (13) to the residential and small claims                  

                                                                                

21  division of the Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days of that                

                                                                                

22  decision.  An owner is not required to pay the amount of tax in             

                                                                                

23  dispute in order to appeal a denial of a claim of exemption to              

                                                                                

24  the department of treasury or to receive a final determination of           

                                                                                

25  the residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax               

                                                                                

26  tribunal.  However, interest at the rate of 1.25% per month or              

                                                                                

27  fraction of a month and penalties shall accrue and be computed              


                                                                                

1   from the date the taxes were last payable without interest and              

                                                                                

2   penalty.  If the residential and small claims division of the               

                                                                                

3   Michigan tax tribunal grants an owner's appeal of a denial and              

                                                                                

4   that owner has paid the interest due as a result of a denial                

                                                                                

5   under subsection  (6), (8), or (11)  (8), (10), or (13), the                

                                                                                

6   interest received after a distribution was made under subsection            

                                                                                

7   (23)  (25) shall be refunded.                                              

                                                                                

8       (16)  (14)  For taxes levied after December 31, 2005, for                   

                                                                                

9   each county in which the county treasurer or the county                     

                                                                                

10  equalization director does not elect to audit the exemptions                

                                                                                

11  claimed under this section as provided in subsection  (10)  (12),           

                                                                                

12  the department of treasury shall conduct an annual audit of                 

                                                                                

13  exemptions claimed under this section for the current calendar              

                                                                                

14  year.                                                                       

                                                                                

15      (17)  (15)  An affidavit filed by an owner for the exemption                

                                                                                

16  under this section rescinds all previous exemptions filed by that           

                                                                                

17  owner for any other property.  The department of treasury shall             

                                                                                

18  notify the assessor of the local tax collecting unit in which the           

                                                                                

19  property for which a previous exemption was claimed is located              

                                                                                

20  that the previous exemption is rescinded by the subsequent                  

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

22  local tax collecting unit shall remove the exemption effective              

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

1   rescission form has been timely filed under subsection  (5)                 

                                                                                

2   (7).                                                                        

                                                                                

3       (18)  (16)  If the principal residence is part of a unit in a               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

13  department of treasury.                                                     

                                                                                

14      (19)  (17)  When a county register of deeds records a                       

                                                                                

15  transfer of ownership of a property, he or she shall notify the             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  transfer.                                                                   

                                                                                

18      (20)  (18)  The department of treasury shall make available                 

                                                                                

19  the affidavit forms and the forms to rescind an exemption, which            

                                                                                

20  may be on the same form, to all city and township assessors,                

                                                                                

21  county equalization officers, county registers of deeds, and                

                                                                                

22  closing agents.  A person who prepares a closing statement for              

                                                                                

23  the sale of property shall provide affidavit and rescission forms           

                                                                                

24  to the buyer and seller at the closing and, if requested by the             

                                                                                

25  buyer or seller after execution by the buyer or seller, shall               

                                                                                

26  file the forms with the local tax collecting unit in which the              

                                                                                

27  property is located.  If a closing statement preparer fails to              


                                                                                

1   provide exemption affidavit and rescission forms to the buyer and           

                                                                                

2   seller, or fails to file the affidavit and rescission forms with            

                                                                                

3   the local tax collecting unit if requested by the buyer or                  

                                                                                

4   seller, the buyer may appeal to the department of treasury within           

                                                                                

5   30 days of notice to the buyer that an exemption was not                    

                                                                                

6   recorded.  If the department of treasury determines that the                

                                                                                

7   buyer qualifies for the exemption, the department of treasury               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

14  preparer who fails to provide exemption affidavit and rescission            

                                                                                

15  forms to a buyer and seller or who fails to file the affidavit              

                                                                                

16  and rescission forms with the local tax collecting unit when                

                                                                                

17  requested to do so by the buyer or seller.                                  

                                                                                

18      (21)  (19)  An owner who owned and occupied a principal                     

                                                                                

19  residence on May 1 for which the exemption was not on the tax               

                                                                                

20  roll may file an appeal with the July board of review or December           

                                                                                

21  board of review in the year for which the exemption was claimed             

                                                                                

22  or the immediately succeeding 3 years.  If an appeal of a claim             

                                                                                

23  for exemption that was not on the tax roll is received not later            

                                                                                

24  than 5 days prior to the date of the December board of review,              

                                                                                

25  the local tax collecting unit shall convene a December board of             

                                                                                

26  review and consider the appeal pursuant to this section and                 

                                                                                

27  section 53b.                                                                


                                                                                

1       (22)  (20)  If the assessor or treasurer of the local tax                   

                                                                                

2   collecting unit believes that the department of treasury                    

                                                                                

3   erroneously denied a claim for exemption, the assessor or                   

                                                                                

4   treasurer may submit written information supporting the owner's             

                                                                                

5   claim for exemption to the department of treasury within 35 days            

                                                                                

6   of the owner's receipt of the notice denying the claim for                  

                                                                                

7   exemption.  If, after reviewing the information provided, the               

                                                                                

8   department of treasury determines that the claim for exemption              

                                                                                

9   was erroneously denied, the department of treasury shall grant              

                                                                                

10  the exemption and the tax roll shall be amended to reflect the              

                                                                                

11  exemption.                                                                  

                                                                                

12      (23)  (21)  If granting the exemption under this section                    

                                                                                

13  results in an overpayment of the tax, a rebate, including any               

                                                                                

14  interest paid, shall be made to the taxpayer by the local tax               

                                                                                

15  collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  possession of the tax roll within 30 days of the date the                   

                                                                                

18  exemption is granted.  The rebate shall be without interest.                

                                                                                

19      (24)  (22)  If an exemption under this section is erroneously               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

21  may request in writing that the department of treasury withdraw             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

25  issue an order notifying the local assessor that the exemption              

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

7   collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  penalties and interest that would have accrued if the exemption             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

19  levied.                                                                     

                                                                                

20      (25)  (23)  Subject to subsection  (24)  (26), interest at                  

                                                                                

21  the rate of 1.25% per month or fraction of a month collected                

                                                                                

22  under subsection  (6), (8), or (11)  (8), (10), or (13) shall be            

                                                                                

23  distributed as follows:                                                     

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

25  the exemption under this section, as follows:                               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

3   this section, as follows:                                                   

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

8   county equalization director or his or her designee denies the              

                                                                                

9   exemption under this section, as follows:                                   

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

13      (26)  (24)  Interest distributed under subsection  (23)  (25)               

                                                                                

14  is subject to the following conditions:                                     

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

17  exemptions under this section.  Money in that restricted fund               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

20  county under subsection  (23)  (25) and on each succeeding                  

                                                                                

21  December 31 thereafter.                                                     

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

23  be deposited into the principal residence property tax exemption            

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

5   appropriation, only for the purpose of auditing exemption                   

                                                                                

6   affidavits.                                                                 

                                                                                

7       (27)  (25)  Interest distributed under subsection  (23)  (25)               

                                                                                

8   is in addition to and shall not affect the levy or collection of            

                                                                                

9   the county property tax administration fee established under this           

                                                                                

10  act.                                                                        

                                                                                

11      (28)  (26)  A cooperative housing corporation is entitled to                

                                                                                

12  a full or partial exemption under this section for the tax year             

                                                                                

13  in which the cooperative housing corporation files all of the               

                                                                                

14  following with the local tax collecting unit in which the                   

                                                                                

15  cooperative housing corporation is located if filed on or before            

                                                                                

16  May 1:                                                                      

                                                                                

17      (a) An affidavit form.                                                      

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

19  cooperative housing corporation and occupied as the principal               

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

21  under this subsection.                                                      

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

23  security number of each tenant stockholder of the cooperative               

                                                                                

24  housing corporation occupying a unit in the cooperative housing             

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

26  the filing under this subsection.                                           

                                                                                

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


                                                                                

1   cooperative housing corporation on which an exemption under this            

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

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

                                                                                

4   section was made.                                                           

                                                                                

5       (29)  (27)  Before May 1, 2004 and before May 1, 2005, the                  

                                                                                

6   treasurer of each county shall forward to the department of                 

                                                                                

7   education a statement of the taxable value of each school                   

                                                                                

8   district and fraction of a school district within the county for            

                                                                                

9   the preceding 4 calendar years.  This requirement is in addition            

                                                                                

10  to the requirement set forth in section 151 of the state school             

                                                                                

11  aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1751.