PART V.  FINANCING OF FUND

§1481.  Financing of fund; deductions; deficiencies and surpluses; remedies

The fund shall be financed as set forth hereunder:

(1)(a)(i)  Each sheriff and ex officio tax collector of the state of Louisiana, or other official responsible for such tax collection, is hereby authorized and required to deduct one-fourth of one percent of taxes shown to be collectible by the tax rolls, including that shown on the tax rolls to be exempted by virtue of the homestead exemptions of each respective parish, and the city tax collector for the city of New Orleans, or other official responsible for such tax collection, is hereby authorized and required to deduct one-fourth of one percent of taxes shown to be collectible by the tax rolls, including that shown on the tax roll to be exempted by virtue of homestead exemptions, for the city of New Orleans and the parish of Orleans which money each respective sheriff, tax collector, or any other person performing said duties shall remit to the Assessors' Retirement Fund in a lump sum from first tax collections each year or periodically at the same time said sheriff and tax collector shall disburse funds to the tax recipient bodies of his respective parish.  The amount remitted to the Assessors' Retirement Fund shall be based on the total amount of taxes shown to be collectible on the roll, including that shown on the tax roll to be exempted by virtue of homestead exemption, on the date the tax roll is filed for collection.

(ii)(aa)  All tax recipient agencies of ad valorem taxes of each and every parish and municipality of the state of Louisiana, including the police jury, council, commission, school board, levee district, special districts, municipalities and all tax recipients of any nature whatsoever of ad valorem taxes are hereby required to furnish the legislative auditor the authorizing ordinances or resolutions, the tax rolls, and the tax rate to be applied to the assessed values for ad valorem tax purposes no later than June first of every year.

(bb)  The board shall certify to each sheriff and ex officio tax collector for the state of Louisiana, other official responsible for such tax collection, or any other person performing such duties for any person, parish, city, or governmental entity that all amounts due the fund have been received.  For each payment received, the certification shall include the date the fund received the payment, the amount of the payment, and the jurisdiction remitting the payment.

(cc)  The board shall calculate any shortfall in the fund and shall take reasonable steps to ascertain its cause.  The board shall certify to the legislative auditor the amount of the shortfall and its cause.  In the event the shortfall is due to the failure of any person, parish, city, or other governmental entity to remit all funds required by this Section or any predecessor law, the certification shall so indicate.

(dd)  The amounts due to the Assessors' Retirement Fund pursuant to this Paragraph shall be certified as correct by the legislative auditor.

(iii)(aa)  In addition to the payment required pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph, each sheriff and ex officio tax collector for the state of Louisiana, other official responsible for tax collection, or any other person performing such duties for any person, parish, city, or governmental entity certified by the board as having failed to remit all monies required by this Section, shall remit to the Assessors' Retirement Fund an amount, to be determined by the board, of revenue sharing monies otherwise due to the delinquent person, parish, city, or other governmental entity.  The remittance pursuant to this Item shall be paid until the amount of the certified shortfall, including interest and any professional fees incurred through attempts at collection, has been satisfied; however, the board has the authority to negotiate a lesser amount to be paid in satisfaction of this debt.  The board shall notify the sheriff and ex officio tax collector for the state of Louisiana, other official responsible for tax collection, or any other person performing such duties by November first that said remittance shall be due for the upcoming year.

(bb)  Should the sheriff and ex officio tax collector for the state of Louisiana, other official responsible for such tax collection, or any other person performing such duties for any person, parish, city, or other governmental entity fail to comply with Subitem (aa) of this Item, the board of trustees of the Assessors' Retirement Fund is hereby empowered to make demand upon the state treasurer for the monies due to the fund.  The treasurer shall pay such demand before distribution of any revenue sharing dollars to the person, parish, city, or other governmental entity.  The board shall submit to the treasurer a resolution certifying the name of the governmental entity, its failure to pay, and the amount owed, and authorizing a designee or designees to act on its behalf.

(cc)  The remedies provided in this Item are remedial and curative and may be exercised by the board at any time for any identifiable shortfall in the fund, regardless of when the shortfall initially arose.

(b)  Each assessor shall contribute three and one-half percent of the salaries of the assessor and the assessor's employees who are eligible for membership in the fund.  The board of trustees of the fund shall contribute three and one-half percent of the salaries of the secretary and regular employees of the Assessors' Retirement Fund to the fund.  For purposes of this Section, the term "salaries" shall include expense allowances provided by law in addition to regular salary to be paid from the assessors' general fund.  For purposes of this Section, in no event shall the expense allowance exceed ten percent of the salary of the assessor.  On and after October 1, 1989, each assessor and the board of trustees of the fund shall contribute the employer contributions required by R.S. 11:103.

(2)(a)  Each assessor in the state of Louisiana shall deduct eight percent from the salaries of the assessor and the assessor's employees who are eligible for membership in this fund, and the board of trustees of the Assessors' Retirement Fund shall deduct eight percent from the salaries of the secretary and regular employees of the Assessors' Retirement Fund who are eligible for membership in this fund; said eight percent shall be deducted from the respective salaries each regular payroll period, and paid into the fund monthly; said amount to be paid by said assessor and board of trustees within ten days after the close of each month that said salaries were paid.

(b)(i)  Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph and in addition to the amounts required to be paid by the employer, upon providing written notice to the Assessors' Retirement Fund at least fifteen days prior to the beginning of a calendar year, each assessor may elect to pay all or any portion of the contributions required in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph of the assessor and the assessor's employees who are eligible for membership in the fund.

(ii)  The board of trustees of the Assessors' Retirement Fund may elect to pay all or any portion of the contributions required in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph of the secretary and regular employees of the fund who are eligible for membership in the fund.

(iii)  Except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph, if the assessor or board of trustees chooses to pay a portion of the contributions required in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, then the portion that is paid shall be the same proportion of the salary of each employee in the office of the assessor or board of trustees and no employee shall be able to choose the amount of such payment.

(iv)  If the assessor or board of trustees elects to pay a portion of the contributions required in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, then the election shall remain in effect for one year and shall be rescinded only upon providing written notice to the Assessors' Retirement Fund at least fifteen days prior to the beginning of a calendar year.  The contributions shall be paid into the fund within ten days after the close of each month.

(c)(i)  The assessor for the parish of Orleans may pay all or any portion of the contributions required in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph on his behalf, provided the respective assessor has elected and is paying the same portion of employee contributions for his employees who are eligible for membership in the fund that he directs the president to pay on his behalf.

(ii)  If the assessor for the parish of Orleans pays all or a portion of his employee contribution, then he shall pay from his district allotment the exact amount of any employee contributions paid on his behalf to the assessor within at least ten days after the close of each month.

(d)(i)  The failure of any assessor or the Louisiana Assessors' Association to remit all required contributions to the fund within thirty days of becoming due shall render any such applicable assessor or Louisiana Assessor's Association liable to suspension of membership and participation in the fund at the discretion of the board.

(ii)  If the board suspends any assessor pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph, then it shall notify the assessor of his suspension by registered mail sent to him at his address as it appears upon the records of the system and it shall prescribe the conditions and terms pursuant to which he may be reinstated.

(iii)  If any assessor continues to be delinquent in the payment of the required contributions for a period exceeding ninety days, then he shall be personally liable to the fund in his individual capacity for the delinquent contributions and for a penalty equal to twenty-five percent of all delinquent contributions.  If and when the delinquent contributions and penalty are collected, both shall be paid into and constitute a part of the fund.

Acts 1989, No. 545, §1, eff. July 5, 1989; Redesignated from R.S. 47:8073 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 871, §1, eff. July 1, 1995; Acts 1999, No. 818, §1, eff. July 2, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 434, §1; Acts 2001, No. 703, §3, eff. July 1, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 1276, §1, eff. July 11, 2003; Acts 2004, No. 860, §1, eff. August 1, 2004; Acts 2006, No. 622, §1, eff. Dec. 11, 2006; Acts 2009, No. 504, §1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 861, §4.

NOTE:  See Acts 2001, No. 703, §§5 & 6, relative to effectiveness and applicability of Act.

NOTE:  Acts 2001, No. 434, §2, relative to applicability of the Act.