If any distributor, storer, or retail dealer in gasoline or motor fuel shall fail to make monthly reports or shall fail to pay the tax imposed under this part, the tax shall be deemed delinquent within the meaning of this part and there shall be added to the amount of his or her tax a penalty of 25 percent; provided, if in the opinion of the county commission a good and sufficient cause or reason is shown for such delinquency, the penalty may be excused. The county commission shall be authorized and empowered to make returns for delinquent taxpayers upon such information as it may reasonably obtain and add to that the penalty as prescribed by this part. If any person shall be delinquent in the payment of any tax imposed pursuant to this part, the county commission shall issue execution for the collection of same, directed to the county sheriff, who shall proceed to collect the same in the manner now provided by law for the collection of delinquent taxes by the county tax collector and make return of such execution to the county commission. The tax herein authorized to be levied and the penalties herein provided for shall be held as a debt payable to the county by the person against whom the same shall have been imposed or against whom the penalties shall have accrued, and all such taxes and penalties shall be a lien upon the property in the county and elsewhere in this state of the person against whom the tax shall have been imposed and the penalties shall have accrued.
Ala. Code § 45-32-244.07 (1975)