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2002 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Conference Report)

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Move PPTRA Administration to Tax

Item 285 #8c

Item 285 #8c

First Year - FY2003 Second Year - FY2004
Finance
Taxation, Department of FY2003 $400,000 FY2004 $991,308 GF

Language
Page 214, line 1, strike "$44,878,284" and insert "$45,278,284".
Page 214, line 1, strike "$44,878,284" and insert "$45,869,592".
Page 215, after line 51 insert:
"H.1.  Notwithstanding Chapter 35.1, Title 58.1, Code of Virginia, and in accordance with §58.1-202, Code of Virginia, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the administration and execution of the Personal Property Tax Relief Act shall be conducted by the Department of Taxation beginning no later than January 1, 2004.  The Department of Taxation and the Department of Motor Vehicles shall begin to develop a migration plan that will transfer the administration of the Act, including any changes necessary in the Code of Virginia to facilitate the transfer.  The Director of the Department of Planning and Budget shall transfer the required positions and funding to effectuate this purpose.
2.  Further, the Department shall first develop and administer an audit program to measure compliance with the provisions of the Personal Property Tax Relief Act, beginning no later than January 1, 2003.  The Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Accounts and all local Treasurers, Commissioners of the Revenue and Directors of Finance, or officials acting in that capacity, shall cooperate with the Department and shall provide all information and assistance necessary, upon request, to fulfill this responsibility.  The Commissioner shall also consider the work of the Personal Property Tax Relief Act Compliance Task Force.
3.  The Department shall develop a Uniform Personal Property Tax Relief Qualification Certificate and a process for use by the Department of Motor Vehicles and local assessment officials who shall incorporate such certification process in every return of vehicle registrations and tangible personal property tax due to be filed on or after January 1, 2003.  Such certificate shall be designed to allow a taxpayer to attest to the qualification for reduced assessment of each motor vehicle owned by such taxpayer for the current tangible personal property assessment year.  For personal property returns due to be filed on or after January 1, 2004, such certification shall be designed to allow a taxpayer to attest to the qualification for reduced assessment of each motor vehicle owned by such taxpayer for the current personal property assessment year, and for the immediately prior year. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 35.1, Title 58.1, Code of Virginia, no local assessment official shall extend personal property tax relief on any motor vehicle for any assessment period beginning on or after January 1, 2003, unless the taxpayer filing a return for such vehicle has executed and returned a certification to the Department of Motor Vehicles or the local assessment official attesting that the subject vehicle qualifies for personal property tax relief for the assessment period for which relief is sought. The motor vehicle registration records and personal property tax records of localities shall periodically be audited by the Department for the purpose of ascertaining the level of compliance with this provision.  Local Treasurers, Commissioners of the Revenue and Directors of Finance also shall include with personal property tax bills a prominent and clear notice of  the limitation in the personal property tax relief program on the use of personal vehicles for business purposes.  The Department of Motor Vehicles shall also include such notices with all motor vehicle registrations and renewals.
4.  Local Treasurers, Commissioners of the Revenue and Directors of Finance shall not bill the state for personal property tax on any vehicle that lacks the duly executed certificate filed with the return of tangible personal property.  Personal property tax records of localities shall be audited periodically by the Department for the purpose of ascertaining the level of compliance with this provision and the provisions of Chapter 35.1, Title 58.1, Code of Virginia.  The Department shall estimate the amount of personal property tax relief paid for nonqualifying vehicles to each audited locality and report such estimates to the State Comptroller.  Local Treasurers, Commissioners of the Revenue and Directors of Finance shall notify the State Comptroller of the dollar amount that the state paid in the immediately prior year for any vehicle that is not certified for tax relief, said amount representing an overpayment by the state.  
The State Comptroller shall withhold from subsequent payments to the local treasurer for personal property tax relief any overpayments reported by Local Treasurers, Commissioners of Revenue, and Directors of Finance and any estimated overpayments by the Department.  Localities may re-bill responsible taxpayers for the amounts of overpayment that have been withheld by the state.
5.  In addition, the Department shall assist local assessment officials with the implementation of data-matching programs designed to aid in the identification of individuals who improperly receive the benefit of reduced assessments of motor vehicles.
6.  Each Treasurer, Commissioner of the Revenue, Director of Finance, or officials acting in that capacity, shall cooperate in the implementation of the audit program established by this paragraph.  The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Accounts shall also cooperate with the Department and shall provide all information and assistance, upon request, to fulfill the Department's audit responsibility.
7.  The Department shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by November 1st of each year on total overpayments by the state that have been identified for the prior calendar year.
8.  The Tax Commissioner is authorized to promulgate administrative guidelines designed to achieve the purpose of this program.  The adoption of such rules shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Process Act."


Explanation
(This amendment transfers the responsibility of the PPTRA to the Department of Taxation and creates an audit program and process. Section 58.1-202, Code of Virginia, outlines the duties and powers of the Tax Commissioner, including the "supervision of all tax laws of the Commonwealth." )