54:4-66.4. Estimated reconciled tax bills for municipality operating on State fiscal year

5. a. Whenever, pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1994, c.72 (C.54:4-66.2), a governing body of a municipality operating on the State fiscal year determines that the tax collector will be unable to complete the mailing or delivery of tax bills by June 14 or December 1, as appropriate, the estimated and reconciled tax bills shall be mailed, prepared and calculated in accordance with the following procedures:

(1) An estimated tax bill for the first installment of taxes on or before December 31 and a reconciled tax bill for the second installment of taxes on or before March 31;

(2) An estimated tax bill for the third installment of taxes on or before June 30 and a reconciled tax bill for the fourth installment of taxes on or before September 30;

b. For estimated first and reconciled second installments:

(1) The resolution shall contain authorization of an estimated annual tax levy for the municipality.

(2) An estimated bill for the first installment of taxes shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection e. of section 2 of P.L.1994, c.72 (C.54:4-66.1), except that the estimated municipal fiscal year tax levy determined in paragraph (1) of this section shall be used in completing the municipal fiscal year levy section of the certification of billing levies; and only one installment shall be billed.

(3) A reconciled bill for the second installment of taxes shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection e. of section 2 of P.L.1994, c.72 (C.54:4-66.1), except that the billing amount shall be the true amount calculated pursuant to law, less the amount billed in the estimated first installment.

(4) The first installment of taxes shall not be subject to interest until the later of February 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the first installment was mailed or otherwise delivered. Any payment received after the later of February 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the first installment was mailed or otherwise delivered may be charged interest back to February 1. The estimated tax bill shall contain a notice specifying the date on which interest may begin to accrue.

(5) The second installment of taxes shall not be subject to interest until the later of May 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or reconciled tax bill for the second installment was mailed or otherwise delivered. Any payment received after the later of May 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the second installment was mailed or otherwise delivered may be charged interest back to May 1. The reconciled tax bill shall contain a notice specifying the date on which interest may begin to accrue.

c. For estimated third and reconciled fourth installments:

(1) The tax collector in consultation with the chief financial officer shall compute an estimated annual tax levy range for the county and each taxing district whose levy has not yet been certified by the county board of taxation. The range shall be within the lower and upper amounts calculated by multiplying the levy of the county and each such taxing district for the previous fiscal year by .95 and 1.05.

(2) The municipal governing body may authorize, by resolution, an estimated annual tax levy for the county and each such taxing district by setting an amount within the range computed by the tax collector in consultation with the chief financial officer. The municipal levy shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection e. of section 2 of P.L.1994, c.72 (C.54:4-66.1).

(3) The tax rate for the county and each taxing district shall be calculated by dividing each estimated tax levy by the current year total net valuation taxable. Each such tax rate shall be multiplied by the net valuation taxable for each property to arrive at the estimated annual property tax due for each property assessed.

(4) The amount charged in the first and second installments of the current year shall be subtracted from the estimated annual property tax due for each property assessed. That amount shall then be divided in half and after being so divided shall be the amount of the estimated tax bill for the third installment of taxes.

(5) For the fourth installment of taxes, the tax rate for the county and each non-municipal taxing district shall be calculated by dividing the actual tax levies certified by the county board of taxation by the current year total net valuation taxable. The municipal tax rate shall be that used in paragraph (3) of this subsection. Each such tax rate shall be multiplied by the net valuation taxable for each property to arrive at the actual annual property tax due for each property assessed. The amount charged in the first, second and third installments of the current year for each taxing district shall be subtracted from the actual annual property tax due for the county and each taxing district for each property assessed. The difference of those amounts shall constitute the amount of the reconciled tax bill for the fourth installment of property tax.

(6) The third installment of taxes shall not be subject to interest until the later of August 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the third installment was mailed or otherwise delivered. Any payment received after the later of August 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the third installment was mailed or otherwise delivered may be charged interest back to August 1. The estimated tax bill shall contain a notice specifying the date on which interest may begin to accrue.

(7) The fourth installment of taxes shall not be subject to interest until the later of November 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or reconciled tax bill for the fourth installment was mailed or otherwise delivered. Any payment received after the later of November 1, the additional interest-free period authorized pursuant to R.S.54:4-67, or the twenty-fifth calendar day after the date that the tax bill or estimated tax bill for the fourth installment was mailed or otherwise delivered may be charged interest back to November 1. The reconciled tax bill shall contain a notice specifying the date on which interest may begin to accrue.

d. If the tax collector in consultation with the chief financial officer determines that the municipality is unable to calculate the tax bills utilizing the formulas set forth in this section, the collector in consultation with the chief financial officer may request the Director of the Division of Local Government Services to authorize an alternate method that will result in the most accurate bills possible utilizing the mechanisms available to the municipality. The director shall certify in writing the method approved for billings.

L.1994,c.72,s.5.