48-254. Truth in taxation notice and hearing; roll call vote on tax increase; definition

A. On or before February 10 of the tax year, the county assessor shall transmit and certify to the property tax oversight commission and to the governing body of each county flood control district, county free library district, county jail district and public health services district the total net assessed values that are required to compute the levy prescribed by sections 48-3620, 48-3903, 48-4023, 48-4023.01 and 48-5805. If the proposed secondary property tax levy of the special taxing district, excluding amounts attributable to new construction, is greater than the amount levied by the special taxing district in the preceding tax year:

1. The governing body shall publish a notice that meets the following requirements:

(a) The notice shall be published twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. The first publication shall be at least fourteen but not more than twenty days before the date of the hearing. The second publication shall be at least seven but not more than ten days before the date of the hearing.

(b) The notice shall be published in a location other than the classified or legal advertising section of the newspaper in which it is published.

(c) The notice shall be at least one-fourth page in size and shall be surrounded by a solid black border at least one-eighth inch in width.

(d) The notice shall be in the following form, with the " truth in taxation hearing-notice of tax increase" headline in at least eighteen-point type:

Truth in Taxation Hearing

Notice of Tax Increase

In compliance with section 48-254, Arizona Revised Statutes, (name of special taxing district) is notifying its property taxpayers of (name of special taxing district)'s intention to raise its secondary property taxes over last year's level. (name of special taxing district) is proposing an increase in secondary property taxes of $__________ or _____%.

For example, the proposed tax increase will cause (name of special taxing district)'s secondary property taxes on a $100, 000 home to be $_____ (total proposed taxes including the tax increase). Without the proposed tax increase, the total taxes that would be owed on a $100, 000 home would have been $_______.

This proposed increase is exclusive of increased secondary property taxes received from new construction. The increase is also exclusive of any changes that may occur from property tax levies for voter-approved bonded indebtedness.

All interested citizens are invited to attend the public hearing on the tax increase that is scheduled to be held (date and time) at (location).

2. Instead of publishing the truth in taxation notice, the governing body may mail the truth in taxation notice prescribed by paragraph 1, subdivision (d) of this subsection to all registered voters in the special taxing district at least ten but not more than twenty days before the date of the hearing on the estimates pursuant to section 42-17104.

3. In addition to publishing the truth in taxation notice under paragraph 1 of this subsection or mailing the notice under paragraph 2 of this subsection, the governing body shall issue a press release containing the truth in taxation notice.

4. The governing body may only consider a motion to levy the increased property taxes by roll call vote.

5. Within three days after the hearing, the governing body shall mail a copy of the truth in taxation notice, as a statement of its publication or mailing and the result of the governing body's vote under paragraph 4 of this subsection to the property tax oversight commission.

6. The governing body shall hold the truth in taxation hearing concurrently with the adoption of the county budget under section 42-17105.

B. If the governing body fails to comply with the requirements of this section, the governing body may not fix, levy or assess an amount of secondary property taxes that exceeds the preceding year's amount, except for amounts attributable to new construction.

C. For the purposes of this section, " amounts attributable to new construction" means the net assessed valuation of property added to the tax roll since the previous year multiplied by a property tax rate computed by dividing the secondary property tax levy of the special taxing district in the preceding year by the estimate of the total net assessed valuation of the special taxing district for the current year, excluding the net assessed valuation attributable to new construction.