An act relating to temporary municipal tax rate provisions in response to COVID-19.
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAX; TEMPORARY PROVISIONS AUTHORIZING DEADLINE EXTENSION, WAIVER OF PENALTIES AND FEES, AND ADJUSTMENT OF MUNICIPAL TAX RATE
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, during a declared state of emergency under 20 V.S.A. chapter 1 due to COVID-19, the legislative body of a municipality is authorized to:
(1) extend or establish a new time and method of payment for the municipal property tax and statewide education property tax collected by the municipality from taxpayers;
(2) establish a grace period for, decrease, or waive any penalty, interest, or fee imposed on taxpayers for the late payment of the municipal property tax or statewide education property tax collected by the municipality; and
(3) reduce the municipal property tax rate.
(b) The acts permitted by subsection (a) of this section may be adopted by majority vote of the legislative body of a municipality and shall expire on January 1, 2021.
(c) This section shall apply only to property taxes collected by a municipality from the taxpayers. This section shall not apply to any deadlines, penalties, or interest imposed on a municipality with respect to payment of the statewide education property tax due to the State or a school district.
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
This act shall take effect on passage.
Date Governor signed bill: May 14, 2020