Section 48-5-359.1. Contract with county tax commissioner to assess and collect municipal taxes and prepare tax digest

   (a) (1) (A) This paragraph shall apply to a county which has fewer than 50,000 tax parcels within such county.

      (B) Any county and any municipality wholly or partially located within such county may contract, subject to approval by the tax commissioner of the county, for the tax commissioner to prepare the tax digest for such municipality; to assess and collect municipal taxes in the same manner as county taxes; and, for the purpose of collecting such municipal taxes, to invoke any remedy permitted for collection of municipal taxes. Any contract authorized by this subsection between the county governing authority and a municipality shall specify an amount to be paid by the municipality to the county which amount will substantially approximate the cost to the county of providing the service to the municipality. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the tax commissioner is authorized to contract for and to accept, receive, and retain compensation from the municipality for such additional duties and responsibilities in addition to that compensation provided by law to be paid to the tax commissioner by the county.

   (2) (A) This paragraph shall apply to any county which has 50,000 or more tax parcels within such county.

      (B) Any county and any municipality wholly or partially located within such county may contract for the tax commissioner to prepare the tax digest for such municipality; to assess and collect municipal taxes in the same manner as county taxes; and, for the purpose of collecting such municipal taxes, to invoke any remedy permitted for collection of municipal taxes. Any contract authorized by this subsection between the county governing authority and a municipality shall specify an amount to be paid by the municipality to the county which amount will substantially approximate the cost to the county of providing the service to the municipality. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the tax commissioner is authorized to accept, receive, and retain compensation from the county for such additional duties and responsibilities in addition to that compensation provided by law to be paid to the tax commissioner by the county.

(b) With respect to any county for which the office of tax commissioner has not been created, any reference in subsection (a) of this Code section to the tax commissioner shall be deemed to refer to the tax receiver and the tax collector.

Code 1981, § 48-5-359.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 368, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 557, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 365, § 1/HB 486.