§1502.12. Tangipahoa Parish Rural Fire Protection District No. 2; assessment and collection

A.(1) The governing authority of Tangipahoa Parish Rural Fire Protection District No. 2, hereinafter referred to as the "district", may establish, by majority vote of the members of the authority, a fire protection tax for each residential or commercial structure for a term not to exceed ten years to be assessed persons owning each such structure, whether occupied or unoccupied, located wholly or partly within the boundaries of the district, subject to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section.

(2) For purposes of this Section, each residential or commercial unit in a structure shall be considered a separate structure, and a mobile home, as defined in R.S. 9:1149.2(3), shall be considered a structure. Such fire protection tax shall be equal for all structures of a given class and shall be framed so as to cover and shall be used for the costs of any or all fire protection services or emergency services.

B. Fire protection taxes or the various rates thereof so established shall be assessed by resolution of the governing authority of the district. However, the resolution assessing said tax shall be adopted by the governing authority only after the question of the levy, its duration, and the amount of the taxes established have been submitted to and approved by a majority of electors of the district voting at an election held for that purpose. Such election shall be conducted in accordance with the election laws of the state and shall be held at the same time that an election authorized by the provisions of R.S. 18:402 is held.

C.(1) In levying a fire protection tax as provided in this Section, the governing authority of the district may use any reasonable means to collect and enforce the collection of such tax, including any means authorized by law for collection of other taxes.

(2)(a) The governing authority of the district may place liens for fire protection taxes upon the structure subject to the charge, upon the building, if any, in which the structure is located if it is owned by the owner of the structure, and upon the lot of ground not exceeding one acre on which the structure is situated if such lot of ground belongs to the person who owns such structure; however, if such structure or building is owned by a lessee of the lot of ground, the lien shall exist only against the lease and shall not affect the owner of the lot. Such lien shall be placed upon property only in the event of the refusal of the owner of a structure to pay said service charges when requested to do so by said governing authority within thirty days of receipt by the owner of such a request by registered or certified letter.

(b) The governing authority may file a statement reflecting the amount of the unpaid taxes in the mortgage office of Tangipahoa Parish, which, when so filed and recorded, shall operate as a lien and privilege in favor of the district against property as provided herein.

(c) In addition, the governing authority of the district shall be entitled to recover the amount of said taxes, together with all costs of court and attorney fees, by ordinary process in any court having proper jurisdiction.

(d) The governing authority may also provide, by resolution, for interest on the amount of said taxes, which shall be paid prior to cancellation of the lien. The rate of interest charged shall not exceed the rate of legal interest, as provided in R.S. 9:3500, and such interest shall be computed from the date of recordation of the lien until paid.

Acts 1994, No. 3, §1, eff. June 1, 1994; Acts 2004, No. 743, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 2005.