Nebraska § 77-202.11 - Leased public property; taxation status; lessee; lien; procedure.

§ 77-202.11. Leased public property; taxation status; lessee; lien; procedure.

(1) Leased public property, other than property leased for a public purpose as set forth in subdivision (1)(a) of section 77-202, shall be taxed or exempted from taxation as if the property was owned by the leaseholder. The value of the property shall be determined as provided under section 77-201.

(2) On or before January 31 each year, the state and each governmental subdivision shall provide to the appropriate county assessor each new lease or preexisting lease which has been materially changed which went into effect during the previous year and a listing of previously reported leases that are still in effect.

(3) Taxes on property assessed to the lessee shall be due and payable in the same manner as other property taxes and shall be a first lien upon the personal property of the person to whom assessed until paid and shall be collected in the same manner as personal property taxes as provided in sections 77-1711 to 77-1724. The state or its governmental subdivisions shall not be obligated to pay the taxes upon failure of the lessee to pay. Notice of delinquent taxes shall be timely sent to the lessee and to the state or the governmental subdivision. No lien or attachment shall be attached to the property of the state or the governmental subdivisions for failure of the lessee to pay the taxes due.

(4) The state or any governmental subdivision may, if it chooses to do so in its discretion, provide the appropriate county assessor a description of the property rather than a copy of the lease; request that the assessor notify it of the amount of tax which would be assessed to the leaseholder; voluntarily pay that tax; and collect that tax from the leaseholder as part of the rent.

(5) Except as provided in Article VIII, section 11, of the Constitution of Nebraska, no in lieu of tax payments provided for in any other section of law shall be made with respect to any leased public property to which this section applies.

In relation to public property owned by a political subdivision governed by article VIII, section 11 of the Constitution of Nebraska, property taxes (assessed against the lessee) and a payment in lieu of tax may both be collected. Conroy v. Keith Cty. Bd. of Equal., 288 Neb. 196, 846 N.W.2d 634 (2014).

Lessees of the property of a political subdivision organized primarily to provide electricity or irrigation and electricity may be subject to taxation under this section. Conroy v. Keith Cty. Bd. of Equal., 288 Neb. 196, 846 N.W.2d 634 (2014).

Where the lessees of public property were not sent notice pursuant to this section or section 77-202.12 and were not parties to the proceedings before the board of equalization or the Tax Equalization and Review Commission, the Tax Equalization and Review Commission lacked jurisdiction to decide whether property taxes could be assessed against the lessees. Conroy v. Keith Cty. Bd. of Equal., 288 Neb. 196, 846 N.W.2d 634 (2014).