Sec. 9o.

(1) Beginning December 31, 2013, eligible personal property for which an exemption has been properly claimed under this section is exempt from the collection of taxes under this act.

(2) An owner of eligible personal property shall claim the exemption under this section by filing a statement with the local tax collecting unit in which the eligible personal property is located not later than February 20 of the first year the exemption is claimed or, if February 20 of the first year the exemption is claimed is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, not later than the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. For purposes of a statement delivered by the United States Postal Service, the filing is timely if the postmark date is on or before the filing deadline prescribed in this subsection. If the statement is not timely filed with the local tax collecting unit, a late submission may be filed directly with the March board of review before its final adjournment by submitting the statement prescribed in this subsection. The board of review shall not accept a filing after adjournment of its March meeting. An appeal of a denial by the March board of review may be made by filing a petition with the Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days of the denial notice. A statement filed under this subsection shall be in a form prescribed by the state tax commission and shall include any address where any property owned by, leased to, or in the possession of that owner or a related entity is located within that local tax collecting unit. The statement shall require the owner to attest that the combined true cash value of all industrial personal property and commercial personal property in that local tax collecting unit owned by, leased to, or in the possession of that owner or a related entity on December 31 of the immediately preceding year is less than $80,000.00.

(3) If a statement claiming the exemption under this section is filed as provided in subsection (2), the owner of that eligible personal property is not required to file a statement under section 19.

(4) A person who claims an exemption for eligible personal property under this section shall maintain books and records and shall provide access to those books and records as provided in section 22. A local unit of government may develop and implement an audit program that includes, but is not limited to, the audit of all information submitted under subsection (2) for the current calendar year and the 3 calendar years immediately preceding the commencement of an audit. Any assessment as a result of an audit must be paid in full within 35 days of issuance and must include interest as described in subsection (5).

(5) An exemption granted under this section remains in effect until the personal property is no longer eligible personal property. An owner whose personal property is no longer eligible personal property shall file by February 20 of the year that the property is no longer eligible a rescission and the statement required under section 19. The rescission shall be filed on a form prescribed by the department of treasury. Upon receipt of a rescission form, the local assessor shall immediately remove the exemption. An owner who fails to file a rescission and whose property is later determined to be ineligible for the exemption will be subject to repayment of any additional taxes with interest as described in this subsection. Upon discovery that the property is no longer eligible personal property, the assessor shall remove the exemption of that personal property and, if the tax roll is in the local tax collecting unit's possession, amend the tax roll to reflect the removal of the exemption, and the local treasurer shall within 30 days of the date of the discovery issue a corrected tax bill for any additional taxes with interest at the rate of 1% per month or fraction of a month and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last payable without interest or penalty. If the tax roll is in the county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be amended to reflect the removal of the exemption and the county treasurer shall within 30 days of the date of the removal prepare and submit a supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with interest at the rate of 1% per month or fraction of a month and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last payable without interest or penalty. Interest on any tax set forth in a corrected or supplemental tax bill again begins to accrue 60 days after the date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued at the rate of 1% per month or fraction of a month. Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental tax bill shall be returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the year immediately succeeding the year in which the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued.

(6) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit believes that personal property for which a statement claiming an exemption is timely and properly filed under subsection (2) is not eligible personal property, the assessor may deny that claim for exemption by notifying the person that filed the statement in writing of the reason for the denial and advising the person that the denial may be appealed to the board of review under section 30 during that tax year.

(7) If a person fraudulently claims an exemption for personal property under this section, that person is subject to the penalties provided for in section 21(2).

(8) As used in this section:

(a) "Commercial personal property" means personal property that is classified as commercial personal property under section 34c or would be classified as commercial personal property under section 34c if not exempt from the collection of taxes under this act under this section or section 9m or 9n.

(b) "Control", "controlled by", and "under common control with" mean the possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a related entity, directly or indirectly, whether derived from a management position, official office, or corporate office held by an individual; by an ownership interest, beneficial interest, or equitable interest; or by contractual agreement or other similar arrangement. There is a rebuttable presumption that control exists if any person, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, or holds the power to vote, directly or by proxy, 10% or more of the ownership interest of any other person or has contributed more than 10% of the capital of the other person. Indirect ownership includes ownership through attribution or through 1 or more intermediary entities.

(c) "Eligible personal property" means property that meets all of the following conditions:

(i) Is industrial personal property or commercial personal property.

(ii) The combined true cash value of all industrial personal property and commercial personal property in that local tax collecting unit owned by, leased to, or in the possession of the person claiming an exemption under this section or a related entity on December 31 of the immediately preceding year is less than $80,000.00.

(iii) Is not leased to or used by a person that previously owned the property or a person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the person that previously owned the property.

(d) "Industrial personal property" means personal property that is classified as industrial personal property under section 34c or would be classified as industrial personal property under section 34c if not exempt from the collection of taxes under this act under this section or section 9m or 9n.

(e) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, limited liability company, or any other legal entity.

(f) "Related entity" means a person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the person claiming an exemption under this section.

History: Add. 2012, Act 402, Eff. Mar. 28, 2013 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 153, Imd. Eff. Nov. 5, 2013 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 261, Eff. Dec. 31, 2017 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 132, Imd. Eff. May 3, 2018 Compiler's Notes: Enacting section 1 of Act 402 of 2012 provides:"Enacting section 1. Section 9o of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.9o, as added by this amendatory act, is repealed if House Bill No. 6026 of the 96th Legislature is not approved by a majority of the qualified electors of this state voting on the question at an election to be held on the August regular election date in 2014."Enacting section 1 of Act 90 of 2014 provides:"Enacting section 1. Section 9o of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.9o, as added by this amendatory act, is repealed if either House Bill No. 6026 of the 96th Legislature, 2012 PA 408, or Senate Bill No. 822 of the 97th Legislature is presented to the qualified electors of this state at an election to be held on the August regular election date in 2014 and the bill presented is not approved by a majority of the qualified electors of this state voting on the question."Compiler's Notes: Pursuant to section 34 of article IV of the state constitution of 1963, a legislative referendum on Act 80 of 2014 was presented to the electors as Proposal 14-1 at the August 5, 2014 primary election. The proposal read as follows:“APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF AMENDATORY ACT TO REDUCE STATE USE TAX AND REPLACE WITH A LOCAL COMMUNITY STABILIZATION SHARE TO MODERNIZE THE TAX SYSTEM TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GROW AND CREATE JOBS The amendatory act adopted by the Legislature would: 1. Reduce the state use tax and replace with a local community stabilization share of the tax for the purpose of modernizing the tax system to help small businesses grow and create jobs in Michigan. 2. Require Local Community Stabilization Authority to provide revenue to local governments dedicated for local purposes, including police safety, fire protection, and ambulance emergency services. 3. Increase portion of state use tax dedicated for aid to local school districts. 4. Prohibit Authority from increasing taxes. 5. Prohibit total use tax rate from exceeding existing constitutional 6% limitation. Should this law be approved? YES [ ] NO [ ]”.Act 80 of 2014 was approved by a majority of the voters at the August 5, 2014 primary election. The election results were certified by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers on August 22, 2014.Popular Name: Act 206