Substitute Senate Bill No. 1265
Substitute Senate Bill No. 1265
SPECIAL ACT NO. 97-14
AN ACT AMENDING THE TASK FORCE ON MUNICIPAL
PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10 of public act 95-228,
as amended by section 2 of public act 96-217, is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof:
(a) There is established a task force to
study technical issues related to municipal
property tax collection functions, administrative
functions related to municipal property tax
collection and alternative methods of property tax
collection functions. The task force shall be
composed of: The Secretary of the Office of Policy
and Management, or his designee, who shall serve
as a chairman of the task force; the Attorney
General, or his designee; the Commissioner of
Revenue Services, or his designee; one tax
collector certified in accordance with section
12-130a of the general statutes who is currently
employed as a municipal tax or revenue collector
to be appointed by the minority leader of the
House of Representatives; one member of the
Connecticut chapter of the Government Finance
Officers Association to be appointed by the
speaker of the House of Representatives; one
member of The University of Connecticut, Institute
of Public Service to be appointed by the president
pro tempore of the Senate; and one member of the
Municipal Finance Advisory Commission to be
appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
One representative from each town conducting pilot
programs pursuant to sections 11 and 12 of public
act 95-228 and one representative from each town
or town and borough conducting pilot programs
pursuant to section 4 of [this act] PUBLIC ACT
96-217 AND SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT shall serve as
nonvoting members of the task force. The task
force shall convene its initial meeting no later
than August 6, 1995.
(b) The study of the task force shall include
an evaluation of the legal, financial reporting,
accountability and other technical and practical
issues related to the charge of the task force.
(c) The task force may submit findings and
recommendations and legislative proposals
necessary to implement its recommendations to the
General Assembly and the joint standing committees
of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding
and planning and development, in accordance with
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general
statutes on or before February 1, 1996, January 1,
1997, and February 1, 1998. The task force shall
submit its final recommendations not later than
January 1, [1999] 2001, and any legislative
proposals necessary to implement its
recommendations. The Office of Policy and
Management shall be the staff agency to assist the
task force in implementing the provisions of this
section.
Sec. 2. Section 13 of public act 95-228, as
amended by section 3 of public act 96-217, is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof:
Nothing contained in section 11 or 12 of
public act 95-228, [or in] section 4 of [this act]
PUBLIC ACT 96-217 OR SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT shall
be construed to authorize any other town to
implement a program as described in said sections.
The pilot programs established in sections 11 and
12 of public act 95-228, [and in] section 4 of
[this act] PUBLIC ACT 96-217 AND SECTION 3 OF THIS
ACT shall not be renewed or otherwise extended. No
participant in the pilot program established under
section 11 or 12 of public act 95-228, [or]
section 4 of [this act] PUBLIC ACT 96-217 OR
SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT shall be permitted to extend
any provisions for tax collections authorized
under said pilot programs beyond the time period
provided in said pilot programs.
Sec. 3. The Secretary of the Office of Policy
and Management shall establish a pilot program for
the fiscal years commencing July 1, 1997, July 1,
1998, and July 1, 1999, in no more than the five
towns approved by the Office of Policy and
Management. The purpose of said pilot program
shall be to improve the tax collection
capabilities of each such town. Notwithstanding
any provision of the general statutes or
regulations adopted thereunder, the approved towns
are authorized, for the period of the pilot
program only, to employ a third-party agent,
acting under the direction of the town tax
collection official to collect current and
delinquent property taxes, interest and fees,
provided such collection shall not extend beyond
June 30, 2000. All procurement processes and
contracts entered into pursuant to this section
shall be approved by the Office of Policy and
Management prior to their execution. Said towns
shall submit a final report no later than
September 15, 2000, to the task force established
pursuant to section 10 of public act 95-228, as
amended by sections 1 and 2 of this act, comparing
tax collections under the pilot program to
previous years, any administrative savings
realized by participation in the pilot program and
any additional information the task force
requests.
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect from its
passage.
Approved June 13, 1997