Subdivision 1. Township or municipality divided. Whenever the chief administrative law judge divides an existing governmental unit, the chief administrative law judge, or other qualified person designated by the chief administrative law judge with the concurrence of the parties, may apportion the property and obligations between the governmental unit adding territory and the governmental unit from which the territory was obtained. The apportionment shall be made in a just and equitable manner having in view the value of the existing township or municipal property located in the area to be added; the assets, value, and location of all the taxable property in the existing township or municipality; the indebtedness, the taxes due and delinquent, other revenue accrued but not paid to the existing township or municipality; and the ability of any remainder of the township or municipality to function as an effective governmental unit. The order shall not relieve any property from any tax liability for payment for any bonded obligation, but the taxable property in the new municipality may be made primarily liable thereon.

Subd. 2. Entire town or consolidated cities. When an entire township is annexed by an existing municipality, or an entire township is incorporated into a new municipality, or a municipality is consolidated into a new municipality, all money, claims, or properties, including real estate owned, held, or possessed by the annexed, incorporated township or municipality, and any proceeds or taxes levied by such town or municipality, collected or uncollected, shall become and be the property of the new or annexing municipality with full power and authority to use and dispose of the same for public purposes as the council or new annexing municipality may deem best, subject to the rights of creditors. Any taxes levied to pay bonded indebtedness of a town or former municipality annexed to an existing municipality or incorporated or consolidated into a new municipality shall be borne only by that taxable property within the boundaries of the former town or municipality, provided, however, the units of government concerned may by resolution of their governing bodies agree that taxes levied to pay the indebtedness must be levied upon all taxable property within the boundaries of the new municipality. Notwithstanding that the bonded indebtedness may be payable from taxes levied on only a portion of the taxable property in the new or surviving municipality, the full faith and credit of the new or surviving municipality must secure any outstanding bonded indebtedness to which the full faith and credit of the annexed or consolidated township or municipality was pledged. If any general funds of the new or surviving municipality are used to pay debt service on the bonded indebtedness, the general funds must be reimbursed, with or without interest, from taxes levied on taxable property in the former township or municipality.

Subd. 3. Revision of tax records; redistribution of levies. In an apportionment made under this section, the chief administrative law judge may order the county auditor to revise tax records and respread levies at any time prior to December 15 or order the county treasurer to redistribute taxes levied and receivable.

History: 1969 c 1146 s 17; 1971 c 62 s 1; 1973 c 621 s 7; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1978 c 705 s 30; 1997 c 219 s 4; 2002 c 223 s 21,22; 2008 c 196 art 1 s 15; art 2 s 15