As an additional or alternate remedy, the director may issue a warrant, directed to the sheriff of any county commanding him to levy upon and sell the real and personal property of any person liable for any State tax, which may be found within his county, for the payment of the amount thereof, with any penalties, interest, fees imposed for the cost of collection as may be provided by law and the cost of executing the warrant, and to return such warrant to the director and to pay to him the money collected by virtue thereof within 60 days after the receipt of such warrant. The sheriff shall within five days after the receipt of the warrant file with the county clerk a copy thereof, and thereupon such clerk shall enter in the judgment docket the name of the person mentioned in the warrant and the amount of the tax, penalties, interest and any fees imposed for the cost of collection for which the warrant is issued and the date when such copy is filed. Thereupon the amount of such warrant so docketed shall become a lien upon the title to and interest in real and personal property of the person against whom the warrant is issued. The sheriff shall then proceed upon the warrant, in the same manner, and with like effect, as that provided by law in respect to executions issued against property upon judgments of a court of record and for services in executing the warrant he shall be entitled to the same fees, which he may collect in the same manner. In the discretion of the Director of the Division of Taxation, Department of the Treasury, a warrant of like terms, force and effect may be issued and directed to any officer or employee of the Division of Taxation, and in the execution thereof such officer or employee shall have all the powers conferred by law upon sheriffs, but shall be entitled to no fee or compensation in excess of the actual expenses paid in the performance of such duty. Except in the case of an arbitrary assessment, any warrant issued and directed to any officer or employee of the Division of Taxation prior to the time for filing an appeal to the tax court has expired, or after an appeal has been filed, shall not be executed upon unless a notice of intention to proceed upon the warrant shall have been directed to the person named in the warrant, which notice shall state the amount of taxes, penalties, interest and any fees imposed for the cost of collection as may be provided by law claimed to be owing, and shall specify the right of the taxpayer to contest the execution upon the warrant in the tax court or in the Superior Court, within three days following receipt by the taxpayer of that notice. The court shall restrain the execution upon the warrant upon a showing that the State’s taxes, penalties, interest and any fees imposed for the cost of collection claimed to be owing will be adequately protected by bond or other security. If the warrant is returned not satisfied in full, the director may from time to time issue new warrants and shall also have the same remedies to enforce the amount due thereunder as if the State had recovered judgment therefor and execution thereon had been returned unsatisfied.

L. 1981, c. 392, s. 1; amended by L. 1987, c. 76, s. 9.