Finance Highlights 2011 1202 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Levy and Collection. Property taxes are levied for each fiscal year on taxable real and personal property as of the preceding January 1. For assessment and collection purposes, property is classified either as "secured" or "unsecured" and is listed accordingly on separate parts of the assessment roll. The "secured roll" is that part of the assessment roll containing State - assessed public utilities property and real property the taxes on which are a lien sufficient, in the opinion of the County Assessor, to secure payment of the taxes. Other property is assessed on the "unsecured roll." Property taxes on the secured roll are due in two installments, on November 1 and February 1 of each fiscal year, and become delinquent on December 10 and April 10, respectively. A penalty of 10% attaches immediately to all delinquent payments. Property on the secured roll with respect to which taxes are delinquent become tax defaulted on or about June 30 of the fiscal year. Such property may thereafter be redeemed by payment of a penalty of 1 % per month to the time of redemption, plus costs and a redemption fee. If taxes are unpaid for a period of five years or more, the property is deeded to the State of California and may be sold at public auction. Property taxes on the unsecured roll are due as of the January 1 lien dates and become delinquent on August 31. A 10% penalty attaches to delinquent unsecured taxes. If unsecured taxes are unpaid at 5:00 p.m. on October 31, an additional penalty of 1% attaches to them on the first day of each month until paid. The County has four ways of collecting delinquent unsecured personal property taxes: (1) a civil action against the taxpayer; (2) filing a judgment in the office of the County Clerk specifying certain facts in order to obtain a lien on certain property of the taxpayer; (3) filing a certificate of delinquency for record in the County Recorder's office in order to obtain a lien on certain property of the taxpayer; and (4) seizure and sale of personal property, improvements or possessory interests belonging or assessed to the assessee. Beginning in 1978 -79, Proposition 13 and its implementing legislation shifted the function of property tax allocation to the counties, except for levies to support prior voted debt, and prescribed how levies on county -wide property values are to be shared with local taxing entities within each county. A -15