Every real estate developer-builder who has paid a use tax or reimbursed a retailer for any Illinois, municipal, county, or Regional Transportation Authority retailers’ occupation tax, or who, under a contract with a contractor or subcontractor, has directly or indirectly borne the burden of a use tax or any reimbursement for any Illinois, municipal, county or Regional Transportation Authority retailers’ occupation tax paid by that contractor or subcontractor to a retailer, on tangible personal property purchased on or after July 1, 1977, and prior to July 1, 1980, that is to be physically incorporated into public improvements (such as public roads and streets, public sewers or other public utility service), the title to which was required by ordinance of a unit of local government to be conveyed to that unit of local government or was so conveyed by operation of law, may, prior to July 1, 1982, file a claim for credit or refund directly with the Department of Revenue to recover the amount of such use tax payment or reimbursement for any Illinois, municipal, county or Regional Transportation Authority retailers’ occupation tax. Such claim shall be accompanied by a notarized affidavit from the retailer and subcontractor, if applicable, from whom such tangible personal property was purchased stating that the retailer collected the use tax or was reimbursed for Illinois, municipal, county, or Regional Transportation Authority retailers’ occupation tax, that an amount equal to all such taxes was properly remitted to the Department and that the retailer has not filed a claim for credit or refund based upon the transaction which is the subject of the claim and will not thereafter file any claim based upon that same transaction.
     This refund or credit shall be made only to the real estate developer-builder or assignee that has been required to physically incorporate the public improvements by a unit of local government. Proof of such requirement shall be a certified letter from the unit of local government stating that the improvements were required by that unit of local government.
     The Department shall prescribe the forms for the claim and certification and shall establish the necessary procedures for processing such claims.