Section 7-38-41 - Protested property taxes; suspense fund; refunds; interest. - New Mexico Statutes

7-38-41. Protested property taxes; suspense fund; refunds; interest.

A.     Each county treasurer shall establish a fund to be known as the "property tax suspense fund." The portion of any property taxes paid to the county treasurer that is not admitted to be due and is the subject of a claim for refund shall be deposited in this fund.   

B.     The fund shall be invested in interest-earning securities, accounts or deposits that are legal investments for county funds under the law and regulations of the department of finance and administration. The county treasurer shall keep records of interest earned by the investment of the fund.   

C.     If a property owner's property taxes are reduced as a result of a decrease in value of the property taxed, a change in the classification, a change in the allocation of the value of the property to a particular governmental unit or granting of a claim for an exemption ordered by a court after a claim for refund, the portion of the property taxes in controversy found to be in excess of the amount legally due and paid shall be refunded by the county treasurer to the property owner. The refund shall be made within fifteen days after the county treasurer receives a copy of the final order relating to the protest. The amount of property taxes in controversy found to be legally due and paid shall be distributed to the appropriate governmental units in accordance with the distribution regulations of the department of finance and administration. All payments authorized under this section shall be made from the property tax suspense fund.   

D.     In addition to the payments authorized under Subsection C of this section, the county treasurer shall pay to the property owner and the governmental units their pro rata share of interest earned by the protested taxes computed by applying the earned interest rate of the fund to the principal amounts of refund and distribution for the period of time from the date of payment into the fund until a date not more than thirty days prior to the date the actual refund payment and distribution payment are made. Payments are considered made on the date a refund payment is mailed or delivered to the property owner and on the date a transfer occurs on the county treasurer's books showing a distribution payment.   

E.     The department of finance and administration may authorize the transfer of any surplus interest accruing in the property tax suspense fund to the county general fund at the close of the fiscal year.