Property taxation: manufactured homes: tax collection.

(1) Existing law, the Manufactured Home Property Tax Law, establishes a process governing the taxation of manufactured homes, including mobilehomes, as defined. Existing law requires the county tax collector, upon application, to issue a tax clearance certificate or a conditional tax clearance certificate if specified requirements are met. Existing law requires a tax clearance certificate issued to be used to permit registration of used manufactured homes and for other purposes prescribed by the Controller. The tax clearance certificate may indicate that the county tax collector finds that no local property tax is due or is likely to become due or that any applicable local property taxes have been paid or are to be paid in a manner not requiring the withholding of registration or the transfer of registration. Existing law requires a conditional tax clearance certificate issued to indicate that the county tax collector finds that a tax liability exists, the amount due, and the final date that amount may be paid before a further tax liability is incurred. This bill would revise the above-described procedures for issuing a tax clearance certificate or a conditional tax clearance certificate and for the collection of unpaid, estimated taxes. With respect to the collection of taxes that are not yet payable, the bill would require those taxes to be computed by a certificate or statement prepared by the tax collector, upon request by an escrow officer, as provided, giving their estimate of those taxes or assessments for the current fiscal year and one succeeding fiscal year. The bill would require the tax collector to issue a tax clearance certificate or a conditional tax clearance certificate upon payment of the estimate of taxes or assessments, as provided. The bill would make conforming changes with respect to the provision governing conditional tax clearance certificates issued, requiring the certificate to indicate the final date for payment of a tax liability. The bill would also make conforming changes with respect to the procedure for an escrow agent to receive and satisfy an estimate of those taxes or assessments for the current fiscal year and the first succeeding fiscal year. By placing new duties on local government officials with respect to these property tax collection procedures, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes the conditional tax clearance to be in any form as prescribed by the Controller. Existing law also makes the issuance, alteration, forgery, or use of any tax clearance certificate or conditional certificate in a manner contrary to the requirements of the Controller a misdemeanor. By changing the procedures for issuing tax clearance certificates, the bill would expand the scope of an existing crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. (3) 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.