54:30-3. Deduction of expenses from gross amount of tax; apportionment of expenses

Before making the apportionment of the taxes on utilities using public highways, known as the franchise tax, provided for in chapter 31 of this title (s. 54:31-1 et seq.), and of the taxes in lieu of personal property tax imposed on certain utilities known as the gross receipts tax, provided for in chapter 32 of this title (s. 54:32-1 et seq.), the state tax commissioner shall:

a. Deduct from the gross amount of the several taxes the expenses of auditing and verifying the reports of the corporation or utility subject to such tax, and the expenses of making the apportionment between the municipalities entitled thereto, including the expenses of determining the respective values of utility property in each of the several districts, as such expenses may have been authorized in any appropriation bill or any other appropriate law, or are authorized in this section;

b. Apportion the expenses mentioned in paragraph "a" of this section among the several corporations in proportion to the relative expenses incurred in connection with the tax imposed on each of such corporations or utilities, and apportion any general expenses, which cannot be so allocated, in proportion to the amounts of the several taxes payable by the respective corporations or utilities, in order that the final apportionment of such taxes to the municipalities may be subject to, and less by, an equitable share of such expenses; and

c. Certify such expenses to the respective taxpayers, who shall then make payment thereof to the state tax commissioner on the same day as they are required by law to pay the shares apportioned to the municipalities.