Sec. 51105.

(1) Commercial forests are not subject to the ad valorem general property tax after the date the township supervisor is notified by the department that the land is a commercial forest, except taxes as previously levied. Except as otherwise provided in part 512 and as provided in subsection (5), commercial forests are subject to an annual specific tax as follows:

(a) Until December 31, 2006, $1.10 per acre.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2011, $1.20 per acre.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2012 and every 5 years after that date, the amount of the annual specific tax under this section shall be increased by 5 cents per acre.

(2) The supervisor of the township shall remove from the list of land descriptions assessed and taxed under the ad valorem general property tax the land descriptions certified to him or her by the department as being commercial forests and shall enter those land descriptions on a roll separate from lands assessed and taxed by the ad valorem general property tax and shall spread against these commercial forests the specific tax provided by this section.

(3) The township treasurer shall collect the specific tax at the same time and in the same manner as ad valorem general property taxes are collected and this tax is subject to the same collection charges levied for the collection of ad valorem property taxes. Commercial forests are subject to return and sale for nonpayment of taxes in the same manner, at the same time, and under the same penalties as lands returned and sold for nonpayment of taxes levied under the ad valorem general property tax laws. A valuation shall not be determined for descriptions listed as commercial forests and these lands shall not be considered by the county board of commissioners or by the state board of equalization in connection with county or state equalization for ad valorem property taxation purposes.

(4) Except as provided in section 51109(2), all sums collected pursuant to this section shall be distributed by the township treasurer in the same proportions to the various funds as the ad valorem general property tax is allocated in the township.

(5) Commercial forestland located in a renaissance zone under the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA 376, MCL 125.2681 to 125.2696, is exempt from the annual specific tax levied under this section to the extent and for the duration provided pursuant to that act.

History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 451, Imd. Eff. Dec. 19, 1996 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 382, Imd. Eff. Sept. 27, 2006 Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: NREPA