Section 445.6. Application to waive tax statement requirements.

  For the fiscal years beginning July 1, 1998, and July 1, 1999, a county may apply to the director of the department of management for a deferral in implementing the property tax statement format requirements of section 445.5, subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “h”. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998, the application for deferral must be received by the department within thirty days of May 14, 1998. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, the application for deferral must be received by the department on or before January 1, 1999.

  An application for deferral must outline in detail the reason why the county is requesting the deferral and why the county is unable to substantially comply with the tax statement format requirements of section 445.5, subsection 1. When reviewing a county’s application, the director shall, among other factors, consider whether or not the county contracts with, or otherwise uses the services of, accounting vendors or computer software vendors who have software that will facilitate the timely implementation of the tax statement format requirements of section 445.5, subsection 1. A presumption arises that these counties are capable of complying with the property tax statement format requirements of section 445.5, subsection 1. The director shall notify the county treasurer of the director’s decision within thirty days of receipt of a deferral application from the county. If the director grants a deferral to a county, application of the property tax statement format requirements of section 445.5, subsection 1, is waived for that county.

  A county granted a deferral pursuant to this section shall, for the fiscal year for which the deferral is granted, provide with the tax statement an enclosure detailing comparative property tax data for each taxing authority in the county. The comparative data shall include the total amount of taxes levied by each taxing authority in the previous fiscal year and the current fiscal year, the dollar amount difference between the two amounts, and that same difference expressed as a percentage increase or decrease. The comparative data enclosure shall also contain a statement that the county received from the state a deferral from the timely implementation of the tax statement format requirements.

  For the purposes of this section and section 445.5, “taxing authority” means a public body which has the authority to certify a tax to be levied.

98 Acts, ch 1186, §4, 5