When a county or municipality has or shall have acquired a lien or other interests by judgment, mortgage, tax, assessment, sale for taxes or assessments, or otherwise, against any real property, the county or municipality may purchase or otherwise acquire said real property or any interest therein, or any lien thereon, without the necessity of taking or completing the necessary proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce its lien or to obtain satisfaction for its interest in said real property.

The consideration to be paid by such acquisition shall not exceed in any one case the approximate amount of the cost of the proceedings ordinarily incidental to the enforcement of the lien, or to obtain satisfaction for its interest in said real property, to be determined by resolution of the governing body of said county or municipality, except that in the case of the purchase or release of any tax lien of the State of New Jersey on real property, or of any right, title, interest or estate of the State in real property, arising out of any tax lien created or existing under Title 54 of the Revised Statutes, the consideration to be paid for the purchase or release of said lien or the assignment or the conveyance of the right, title, interest or estate of the State shall be such amount as may be agreed upon between the governing body of the county or municipality and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, not exceeding the total amount of the tax assessed, with interest and costs, and the director is hereby authorized when in his judgment such action will better serve the interests of the State and the county or municipality (a) to propose a settlement and receive payment in satisfaction thereof, in an amount less than the tax assessed with interest and costs, and (b) to apportion said taxes, interest and costs in those cases where more than one parcel of property is involved.

L.1971, c. 199, s. 8, eff. July 1, 1971.