15-17-911. Sale of personal property for delinquent taxes -- fee -- disposition of proceeds -- unsold property. (1) The tax on personal property may be collected and payment enforced by the seizure and sale of any personal property in the possession of the person assessed. Seizure and sale are authorized at any time after the date the taxes become delinquent or by the institution of a civil action for its collection in any court of competent jurisdiction. A resort to one method does not bar the right to resort to any other method. Any of the methods provided may be used until the full amount of the tax is collected.
     (2) The provisions of 15-16-119 and this section apply to a seizure and sale under subsection (1).
     (3) A sale under subsection (1) must be at public auction.
     (4) For seizing and selling personal property, the county treasurer shall charge $25, plus the mileage allowance provided by law to the sheriff, plus reasonable expenses for seizing, handling, keeping, or caring for any property seized. The charge and other costs may be charged only when property is actually seized and offered for sale or sold.
     (5) On payment of the price bid for any property sold as provided in this section, delivery of the property, with a bill of sale, vests the title of the property in the purchaser.
     (6) (a) After sale of the property, the proceeds of the sale must be used first to reimburse the county for all costs and charges incurred in seizing the property and conducting the sale. Any excess, up to the total amount of the taxes owed, must be distributed proportionally to the funds that would have received the taxes if they had been paid before becoming delinquent. Any remaining excess, up to the amount of the penalty and interest owed, must then be distributed proportionally to the fund that would have received the penalty and interest if they had been paid in full.
     (b) Any money collected in excess of the delinquent tax, penalties, interest, costs, and charges must be returned to the person owning the property prior to the sale, if known. If the person does not claim the excess immediately following the sale, the treasurer shall deposit the money in the county treasury for a period of 1 year from the date of sale. If the person has not claimed the excess within 1 year from the date of sale, the county treasurer shall deposit the amount in the county general fund and the person has no claim to it.
     (7) Any property seized for the purpose of liquidating a delinquency by a tax sale that remains unsold following a sale may be left at the place of sale at the risk of the owner.
     (8) The provisions of this section do not apply to property for which delinquent property taxes have been suspended or canceled under the provisions of Title 15, chapter 24, part 17.
     (9) The county commission, in its discretion, may cancel any personal property taxes, including penalty, interest, costs, and charges that remain unsatisfied after the property upon which the taxes were assessed had been seized and sold. If the taxes are canceled, one copy of the order of cancellation must be filed with the county clerk and recorder and one copy with the county treasurer.

     History: En. Sec. 15, Ch. 587, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 631, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 36, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 92, Ch. 27, Sp. L. November 1993.