Section 48-5-29. Acquisition of jurisdiction by superior court in ad valorem property tax litigation; payment and distribution of property taxes; excess payments; underpayments

   (a) Before the superior court has jurisdiction to entertain any civil action, appeal, or affidavit of illegality filed under this title by any aggrieved taxpayer concerning liability for ad valorem property taxes, taxability of property for ad valorem property taxes, valuation of property for ad valorem taxes, or uniformity of assessments for ad valorem property taxes, the taxpayer shall pay the amount of ad valorem property taxes assessed against the property at issue for the last year for which taxes were finally determined to be due on the property.

(b) Ad valorem taxes due under this Code section shall be paid to the tax collector or tax commissioner of the county where the property is located. If the property is located within any municipality, the portion of the payment due the municipality shall be paid to the officer designated by the municipality to collect ad valorem taxes.

(c) All taxes paid to the county tax collector or tax commissioner under this Code section shall be distributed to the state, county, county schools, and any other applicable taxing districts in the same proportion as the millage rate for each bears to the total millage rate applicable to the property for the current year. If the total millage rate has not been determined for the current year, the distribution shall be made on the basis of the millage rates established for the immediately preceding year.

(d) Any payment made by the taxpayer in accordance with this Code section which is in excess of his finally determined tax liability shall be refunded to the taxpayer. If the amount finally determined to be the tax liability of the taxpayer exceeds the amount paid under this Code section, the taxpayer shall be liable for the amount of the difference between the amount of tax paid and the amount of tax owed. The amount of difference shall be subject to the same penalty and interest as any other unpaid ad valorem tax.

Ga. L. 1976, p. 1154, §§ 1-4; Code 1933, § 91A-1029, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1857, § 12.