(a) For the purposes of the computations required by this chapter:

(1) In the case of a jurisdictional change, other than a city incorporation, city disincorporation, or a formation of a district as defined in Section 2215, the auditor shall adjust the allocation of property tax revenue determined pursuant to Section 96 or 96.1, or the annual tax increment determined pursuant to Section 96.5, for local agencies whose service area or service responsibility would be altered by the jurisdictional change, as determined pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c).

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In California Revenue and Taxation Code 99

  • board: means the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 20
  • City: includes incorporated city, city and county, municipal corporation, municipality, town, and incorporated town. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 14
  • County: includes city and county. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 15
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.

(2) In the case of a city incorporation or disincorporation, the auditor shall assign the allocation of property tax revenues determined pursuant to § 56810 of the Government Code and the adjustments in tax revenues that may occur pursuant to § 56815 of the Government Code to the newly formed city or district and shall make the adjustment as determined by Section 56810 or 56813 in the allocation of property tax revenue determined pursuant to Section 96 or 96.1 for each local agency whose service area or service responsibilities would be altered by the incorporation.

(3) In the case of a formation of a district as defined in Section 2215, the auditor shall assign the allocation of property tax revenues determined pursuant to § 56810 of the Government Code to the district and shall make the adjustment as determined by Section 56810, or for the disincorporated city or dissolved district as determined by Section 56813, in the allocation of property tax revenue determined pursuant to Section 96 or 96.1 for each local agency whose service area or service responsibilities would be altered by the change of organization.

(b) Upon the filing of an application or a resolution pursuant to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code), but prior to the issuance of a certificate of filing, the executive officer shall give notice of the filing to the assessor and auditor of each county within which the territory subject to the jurisdictional change is located. This notice shall specify each local agency whose service area or responsibility will be altered by the jurisdictional change.

(1) (A) The county assessor shall provide to the county auditor, within 30 days of the notice of filing, a report which identifies the assessed valuations for the territory subject to the jurisdictional change and the tax rate area or areas in which the territory exists.

(B) The auditor shall estimate the amount of property tax revenue generated within the territory that is the subject of the jurisdictional change during the current fiscal year.

(2) The auditor shall estimate what proportion of the property tax revenue determined pursuant to paragraph (1) is attributable to each local agency pursuant to Sections 96.1 and 96.5.

(3) Within 45 days of notice of the filing of an application or resolution, the auditor shall notify the governing body of each local agency whose service area or service responsibility will be altered by the jurisdictional change of the amount of, and allocation factors with respect to, property tax revenue estimated pursuant to paragraph (2) that is subject to a negotiated exchange.

(4) Upon receipt of the estimates pursuant to paragraph (3), the local agencies shall commence negotiations to determine the amount of property tax revenues to be exchanged between and among the local agencies. Except as otherwise provided, this negotiation period shall not exceed 60 days. If a local agency involved in these negotiations notifies the other local agencies, the county auditor, and the local agency formation commission in writing of its desire to extend the negotiating period, the negotiating period shall be 90 days.

The exchange may be limited to an exchange of property tax revenues from the annual tax increment generated in the area subject to the jurisdictional change and attributable to the local agencies whose service area or service responsibilities will be altered by the proposed jurisdictional change. The final exchange resolution shall specify how the annual tax increment shall be allocated in future years.

(5) In the event that a jurisdictional change would affect the service area or service responsibility of one or more special districts, the board of supervisors of the county or counties in which the districts are located shall, on behalf of the district or districts, negotiate any exchange of property tax revenues. Prior to entering into negotiation on behalf of a district for the exchange of property tax revenue, the board shall consult with the affected district. The consultation shall include, at a minimum, notification to each member and executive officer of the district board of the pending consultation and provision of adequate opportunity to comment on the negotiation.

(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the executive officer shall not issue a certificate of filing pursuant to § 56658 of the Government Code until the local agencies included in the property tax revenue exchange negotiation, within the negotiation period, present resolutions adopted by each such county and city whereby each county and city agrees to accept the exchange of property tax revenues.

(7) In the event that the commission modifies the proposal or its resolution of determination, any local agency whose service area or service responsibility would be altered by the proposed jurisdictional change may request, and the executive officer shall grant, 30 days for the affected agencies, pursuant to paragraph (4), to renegotiate an exchange of property tax revenues. Notwithstanding the time period specified in paragraph (4), if the resolutions required pursuant to paragraph (6) are not presented to the executive officer within the 30-day period, all proceedings of the jurisdictional change shall automatically be terminated.

(8) In the case of a jurisdictional change that consists of a city’s qualified annexation of unincorporated territory, an exchange of property tax revenues between the city and the county shall be determined in accordance with subdivision (e) if that exchange of revenues is not otherwise determined pursuant to either of the following:

(A) Negotiations completed within the applicable period or periods as prescribed by this subdivision.

(B) A master property tax exchange agreement among those local agencies, as described in subdivision (d).

For purposes of this paragraph, a qualified annexation of unincorporated territory means an annexation, as so described, for which an application or a resolution was filed on or after January 1, 1998, and on or before January 1, 2028.

(9) No later than the date on which the certificate of completion of the jurisdictional change is recorded with the county recorder, the executive officer shall notify the auditor or auditors of the exchange of property tax revenues and the auditor or auditors shall make the appropriate adjustments as provided in subdivision (a).

(c) Whenever a jurisdictional change is not required to be reviewed and approved by a local agency formation commission, the local agencies whose service area or service responsibilities would be altered by the proposed change, shall give notice to the State Board of Equalization and the assessor and auditor of each county within which the territory subject to the jurisdictional change is located. This notice shall specify each local agency whose service area or responsibility will be altered by the jurisdictional change and request the auditor and assessor to make the determinations required pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b). Upon notification by the auditor of the amount of, and allocation factors with respect to, property tax subject to exchange, the local agencies, pursuant to the provisions of paragraphs (4) and (6) of subdivision (b), shall determine the amount of property tax revenues to be exchanged between and among the local agencies. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no such jurisdictional change shall become effective until each county and city included in these negotiations agrees, by resolution, to accept the negotiated exchange of property tax revenues. The exchange may be limited to an exchange of property tax revenue from the annual tax increment generated in the area subject to the jurisdictional change and attributable to the local agencies whose service area or service responsibilities will be altered by the proposed jurisdictional change. The final exchange resolution shall specify how the annual tax increment shall be allocated in future years. Upon the adoption of the resolutions required pursuant to this section, the adopting agencies shall notify the auditor who shall make the appropriate adjustments as provided in subdivision (a). Adjustments in property tax allocations made as the result of a city or library district withdrawing from a county free library system pursuant to § 19116 of the Education Code shall be made pursuant to § 19116 of the Education Code, and this subdivision shall not apply.

(d) With respect to adjustments in the allocation of property taxes pursuant to this section, a county and any local agency or agencies within the county may develop and adopt a master property tax transfer agreement. The agreement may be revised from time to time by the parties subject to the agreement.

(e) (1) An exchange of property tax revenues that is required by paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) to be determined pursuant to this subdivision shall be determined in accordance with all of the following:

(A) The city and the county shall mutually select a third-party consultant to perform a comprehensive, independent fiscal analysis, funded in equal portions by the city and the county, that specifies estimates of all tax revenues that will be derived from the annexed territory and the costs of city and county services with respect to the annexed territory. The analysis shall be completed within a period not to exceed 30 days, and shall be based upon the general plan or adopted plans and policies of the annexing city and the intended uses for the annexed territory. If, upon the completion of the analysis period, no exchange of property tax revenues is agreed upon by the city and the county, subparagraph (B) shall apply.

(B) The city and the county shall mutually select a mediator, funded in equal portions by those agencies, to perform mediation for a period not to exceed 30 days. If, upon the completion of the mediation period, no exchange of property tax revenues is agreed upon by the city and the county, subparagraph (C) shall apply.

(C) The city and the county shall mutually select an arbitrator, funded in equal portions by those agencies, to conduct an advisory arbitration with the city and the county for a period not to exceed 30 days. At the conclusion of this arbitration period, the city and the county shall each present to the arbitrator its last and best offer with respect to the exchange of property tax revenues. The arbitrator shall select one of the offers and recommend that offer to the governing bodies of the city and the county. If the governing body of the city or the county rejects the recommended offer, it shall do so during a public hearing, and shall, at the conclusion of that hearing, make written findings of fact as to why the recommended offer was not accepted.

(2) Proceedings under this subdivision shall be concluded no more than 150 days after the auditor provides the notification pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), unless one of the periods specified in this subdivision is extended by the mutual agreement of the city and the county. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except for those conditions that are necessary to implement an exchange of property tax revenues determined pursuant to this subdivision, the local agency formation commission shall not impose any fiscal conditions upon a city’s qualified annexation of unincorporated territory that is subject to this subdivision.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (g), for the purpose of determining the amount of property tax to be allocated in the 1979-80 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter for those local agencies that were affected by a jurisdictional change which was filed with the State Board of Equalization after January 1, 1978, but on or before January 1, 1979. The local agencies shall determine by resolution the amount of property tax revenues to be exchanged between and among the affected agencies and notify the auditor of the determination.

(g) For the purpose of determining the amount of property tax to be allocated in the 1979-80 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, for a city incorporation that was filed pursuant to Sections 54900 to 54904, inclusive, of the Government Code after January 1, 1978, but on or before January 1, 1979, the amount of property tax revenue considered to have been received by the jurisdiction for the 1978-79 fiscal year shall be equal to two-thirds of the amount of property tax revenue projected in the final local agency formation commission staff report pertaining to the incorporation multiplied by the proportion that the total amount of property tax revenue received by all jurisdictions within the county for the 1978-79 fiscal year bears to the total amount of property tax revenue received by all jurisdictions within the county for the 1977-78 fiscal year. Except, however, in the event that the final commission report did not specify the amount of property tax revenue projected for that incorporation, the commission shall by October 10 determine pursuant to § 54790.3 of the Government Code the amount of property tax to be transferred to the city.

The provisions of this subdivision shall also apply to the allocation of property taxes for the 1980-81 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter for incorporations approved by the voters in June 1979.

(h) For the purpose of the computations made pursuant to this section, in the case of a district formation that was filed pursuant to Sections 54900 to 54904, inclusive, of the Government Code after January 1, 1978, but before January 1, 1979, the amount of property tax to be allocated to the district for the 1979-80 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter shall be determined pursuant to § 54790.3 of the Government Code.

(i) For the purposes of the computations required by this chapter, in the case of a jurisdictional change, other than a change requiring an adjustment by the auditor pursuant to subdivision (a), the auditor shall adjust the allocation of property tax revenue determined pursuant to Section 96 or 96.1 or its predecessor section, or the annual tax increment determined pursuant to Section 96.5 or its predecessor section, for each local school district, community college district, or county superintendent of schools whose service area or service responsibility would be altered by the jurisdictional change, as determined as follows:

(1) The governing body of each district, county superintendent of schools, or county whose service areas or service responsibilities would be altered by the change shall determine the amount of property tax revenues to be exchanged between and among the affected jurisdictions. This determination shall be adopted by each affected jurisdiction by resolution. For the purpose of negotiation, the county auditor shall furnish the parties and the county board of education with an estimate of the property tax revenue subject to negotiation.

(2) In the event that the affected jurisdictions are unable to agree, within 60 days after the effective date of the jurisdictional change, and if all the jurisdictions are wholly within one county, the county board of education shall, by resolution, determine the amount of property tax revenue to be exchanged. If the jurisdictions are in more than one county, the State Board of Education shall, by resolution, within 60 days after the effective date of the jurisdictional change, determine the amount of property tax to be exchanged.

(3) Upon adoption of any resolution pursuant to this subdivision, the adopting jurisdictions or State Board of Education shall notify the county auditor who shall make the appropriate adjustments as provided in subdivision (a).

(j) For purposes of subdivision (i), the annexation by a community college district of territory within a county not previously served by a community college district is an alteration of service area. The community college district and the county shall negotiate the amount, if any, of property tax revenues to be exchanged. In these negotiations, there shall be taken into consideration the amount of revenue received from the timber yield tax and forest reserve receipts by the community college district in the area not previously served. In no event shall the property tax revenue to be exchanged exceed the amount of property tax revenue collected prior to the annexation for the purposes of paying tuition expenses of residents enrolled in the community college district, adjusted each year by the percentage change in population and the percentage change in the cost of living, or per capita personal income, whichever is lower, less the amount of revenue received by the community college district in the annexed area from the timber yield tax and forest reserve receipts.

(k) At any time after a jurisdictional change is effective, any of the local agencies party to the agreement to exchange property tax revenue may renegotiate the agreement with respect to the current fiscal year or subsequent fiscal years, subject to approval by all local agencies affected by the renegotiation.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 37, Sec. 8. (AB 2957) Effective January 1, 2023.)