48-242. Voluntary contributions of district revenues; method of determining valuations; properties included; credits against gross payment; time of payment

A. In the exercise of the powers granted them by law, districts, acting through their respective boards of directors, shall have the additional power to make voluntary contributions of money to the state of Arizona and to any county, city, town, school district or other political subdivision for which property taxes are levied and in which district properties or facilities are located in accordance with the provisions of this section.

B. Each district electing to make voluntary contributions shall, on or before the first day of April of each year, notify the county assessor of the county in which such properties are located of its election to make a contribution under this article. The department of revenue shall determine the full cash value of all of the properties related to the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy of such district within the state utilizing as nearly as practicable the same procedures and methods of determining the full cash value as are applied to properties of like character and devoted to the same use. The department of revenue shall, on or before the third Monday in June, transmit to the several boards of supervisors such determination. The county assessor of each county where district electric facilities are located, with such assistance as may be required from the department of revenue and the district, shall on or before the third Monday in August of each year compute the gross contribution to be made, based upon the valuation determined by the department of revenue and the method of assessment applied in assessing ad valorem taxes of properties of like character and devoted to the same use in such county for the current taxable year.

C. There shall be deducted from the statewide gross contribution of the district the following:

1. That portion of the contribution related to plant for pumping.

2. Ten thousand dollars.

3. Any tax or assessment paid to the state of Arizona or any political subdivision thereof during the preceding calendar year other than transaction privilege taxes, highway taxes, unemployment taxes, equipment weight fees, improvement district assessments and any other taxes paid by the district.

4. The annual average of the total water costs devoted to municipal use during the latest three calendar years.

The district shall submit to the county assessor of each county where district electric facilities are located on or before May 1 of every year factors necessary to compute each county's proportion of the total deductions provided for herein. The district shall also submit to the department of revenue on or before May 1 of every year such information as may be necessary to enable the department of revenue to verify the factors necessary to compute the total deductions provided for herein. On or before July 15 the department of revenue shall submit to the county assessors its calculation of such factors, with the methods of computing such factors, and such factors shall be utilized by the county assessors.

D. The county assessor shall, at the time he submits to the board of supervisors the assessment roll, and with such assistance as may be required from the department of revenue, the district, the county superintendent of schools and other political subdivisions, also submit to such board his estimate of the net contributions which will be received by the county treasurer during the ensuing fiscal year. The county assessor shall supply to the county superintendent of schools and other political subdivisions information concerning such estimate of net contributions needed in the preparation of county school district and other political subdivisions' budgets. The values used to determine net contributions shall not be included in the publication of net assessed values pursuant to sections 42-17052 and 42-17151.

E. One-half of such contribution shall be paid to the county treasurer of the county in which such property is located, on the first Monday in November of each year, and one-half thereof on the first Monday of May of the succeeding year.