Section 211.7a - Definitions; exemption affidavit; mailing; return; notice of availability; failure to send or receive exemption affidavit; payment to local unit required to mail exemption affidavits; reimbursement claim for expenses(1) As used in this section: (a) "Exemption affidavit" means the form prescribed by the department of treasury upon which the owner certifies that the property is the homestead of the owner. The information which shall be required on an exemption affidavit shall include the name and address of the owner of the property, an identification of whether the property is an integral part of a larger assessment unit or of a multipurpose or multidwelling building, the social security numbers of the owner signing the exemption affidavit and each resident in the homestead with an ownership interest, an identification by address or legal description of the property for which the exemption affidavit is filed, and the parcel identification number.(b) "Domicile" means a place where an individual has his or her true, fixed, and permanent home, to which, whenever absent therefrom, the individual intends to return.(c) "Homestead" means a dwelling or a unit in a multipurpose or multidwelling building which is subject to ad valorem taxes and which is owned and occupied as the principal domicile by the owner thereof. When a homestead is an integral part of a larger unit of assessment such as commercial, industrial, developmental, residential, timber cutover, or a multipurpose or multidwelling building, the tax on the homestead shall be the same proportion of the total property tax as the proportion of the value of the homestead is to the total value of the assessed property.
(d) "Owner" means the holder of legal title if a land contract does not exist, or the most recent land contract vendee.(2) Each city and township shall cause to be mailed, on or before May 1, 1981, an exemption affidavit to the occupant of each piece of property within the city or township which is classified as residential or agricultural property and which contains a dwelling suitable for occupancy. Exemption affidavits shall be returned on or before May 22, 1981 to the local official of the city or township who shall be designated on the exemption affidavit. Exemption affidavits shall also be made available at each local unit of government after April 30, 1981. Each city and township may publish individually or jointly on or before May 10, 1981, in a newspaper of general circulation, notice of the availability of the exemption affidavit, that these exemption affidavits must be returned by May 22, 1981 in order to be eligible for the reduction of a 1981 property tax bill if Proposal A at the May 19, 1981 special election is approved, and that, if Proposal A at the May 19, 1981 special election is approved, an eligible owner of a homestead who fails to file an exemption affidavit by May 22, 1981 may submit a claim for a refund of taxes paid that were eligible to be exempted with the state department of treasury. The failure to send or receive the exemption affidavit shall not invalidate an ad valorem property tax levy on the property.(3) The state treasurer shall cause to be paid on June 1, 1981 to each local unit required to make a mailing of exemption affidavits pursuant to subsection (2) the sum of 1 of the following: (a) Thirty cents per exemption affidavit required to be mailed pursuant to subsection (2) if the local unit uses a state supplied exemption affidavit.(b) Thirty-five cents per exemption affidavit required to be mailed pursuant to subsection (2) if the local unit does not use a state supplied exemption affidavit.(4) Each local unit required to make a mailing of exemption affidavits pursuant to subsection (2) shall submit a reimbursement claim to the state treasurer by May 15, 1981 for the expenses described in subsection (3) related to this required mailing.(5) On or before June 8, 1981, each local property tax collecting unit that is required to mail exemption affidavits shall submit a reimbursement claim of $1.00 for each homestead on which ad valorem property taxes will be exempt from collection under the exemption provided by section 3 of article 9 of the state constitution of 1963, as amended by the voters on May 19, 1981. If more than 1 local treasurer collects ad valorem property taxes in the same calendar year on a homestead for which a claim is submitted under this subsection, each local property tax collecting unit which does not receive the $1.00 per homestead reimbursement under this subsection, shall submit, on or before June 8, 1981 for each of these local property tax collecting units that collect a summer tax levy and on or before November 1, 1981 for each of these local property tax collecting units that collect a winter tax levy, a reimbursement claim of 10 cents for each homestead on which ad valorem property taxes will be exempt from collection under the exemption provided by section 3 of article 9 of the state constitution of 1963, as amended by the voters on May 19, 1981. The state treasurer shall require disbursements to be made by June 20, 1981 if the claim is required on or before June 8, 1981 or by November 20, 1981 if the claim is required on or before November 1, 1981, for the amount of the qualified claims submitted under this subsection, which amount shall be for the necessary costs of implementation of the exemptions provided by the exemption provided by section 3 of article 9 of the state constitution of 1963, as amended by the voters on May 19, 1981.(6) If, in 1981 only, a local property tax collecting units seeks reimbursement for any additional necessary administrative costs in excess of the amounts provided in subsections (3) and (5), the local property tax collecting unit shall file a claim pursuant to Act No. 101 of the Public Acts of 1979, being sections 21.231 to 21.244 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.Add. 1981, Act 6, Imd. Eff. 4/16/1981.