Property taxation: transfer of base year value: disaster relief.

Existing property tax law provides, pursuant to a requirement of the California Constitution, that the property tax base year value of real property that is substantially damaged or destroyed by a disaster, as declared by the Governor, may be transferred to a comparable property located within the same county that is acquired or newly constructed within 5 years after the disaster as a replacement property. This bill would extend the 5-year time period described above by 2 years if the last day to transfer the base year value of the substantially damaged or destroyed property was on or after March 4, 2020, but on or before the COVID-19 emergency termination date, as defined, or March 4, 2022, whichever occurs sooner. The bill would also extend the 5-year time period described above by 2 years if the property was substantially damaged or destroyed on or after March 4, 2020, but on or before the COVID-19 emergency termination date or March 4, 2022, whichever occurs sooner. The bill would make these provisions applicable to the determination of base year values for the 2015–16 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter. By adding to the duties of local tax officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the public purpose served by these provisions. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.