Arizona § 42-16252 - Notice of proposed correction; response; petition for review; appeal

§ 42-16252. Notice of proposed correction; response; petition for review; appeal

A. Subject to the limitations and conditions prescribed by this article, if a tax officer determines that any real or personal property has been assessed improperly as a result of a property tax error, the tax officer shall send the taxpayer a notice of proposed correction at the taxpayer's last known address by:

1. Certified mail, return receipt requested, if correction of the error results in an increase in the full cash value or change in legal classification of the property.

2. First class mail or, at the taxpayer's written request, delivery by common carrier or electronic transmittal, if correction of the error does not result in an increase in the valuation of the property.

B. The notice shall:

1. Be in a form prescribed by the department.

2. Clearly identify the subject property by tax parcel number or tax roll number and the year or years for which the correction is proposed.

3. Explain the error, the reasons for the error and the proposed correction of the error.

4. Inform the taxpayer of the procedure and deadlines for appealing all or part of the proposed determination before the tax roll is corrected.

C. Within thirty days after receiving a notice of proposed correction, the taxpayer may file a written response to the tax officer that sent the notice to either consent to or dispute the proposed correction of the error and to state the grounds for disputing the correction. A failure to file a written response within thirty days constitutes consent to the proposed correction.  A taxpayer may file a request for an extension of time within thirty days after receiving the notice of proposed correction. The extension of time may not exceed thirty days. If an extension is granted, any response that is not filed within the extended due date constitutes consent to the proposed correction.

D. The taxpayer may appeal any valuation or legal classification issue that arises from the proposed correction as provided in this section.

E. If the taxpayer consents to the proposed correction, or consents to the proposed correction but disputes the proposed valuation or legal classification as provided on the form prescribed by the department, the tax roll shall be promptly corrected to allow property taxes to be levied and collected in all subsequent tax years, but no additional tax, interest or penalty may be imposed for the current tax year or any tax year preceding the date of the notice of proposed correction.

F. If the taxpayer disputes the proposed correction or the proposed valuation or legal classification, the tax officer shall meet with the taxpayer or the taxpayer's representative in any case in which the taxpayer has timely filed a written response to discuss the proposed correction. If after the meeting the tax officer and the taxpayer reach an agreement on all or part of the proposed correction, the tax officer and the taxpayer shall each sign an agreement and the tax roll must be promptly corrected to the extent agreed on.

G. If after the meeting the parties fail to agree on all or part of the proposed correction, the tax officer shall serve a notice on the taxpayer by certified mail within thirty days after the meeting date advising the taxpayer that the tax roll will be corrected to the extent agreed on.  The taxpayer may file a petition on a form prescribed by the department with the board of equalization within thirty days after the date of the notice or it is barred. On receiving the petition, the board shall hold a hearing on the disputed issues in the proposed correction within thirty days and shall issue a written decision pursuant to the board's rules.

H. A party that is dissatisfied with the decision of the board may appeal the decision to court within sixty days after the date the board's decision is mailed, but any additional taxes that are determined to be due must be timely paid before delinquency for the court to retain jurisdiction of the matter.