§ 14-92-228 — Levy of tax

(a) (1) The board of commissioners of a suburban improvement district shall, at the same time that the assessment of benefits is equalized or at any time thereafter, enter upon its records an order, which shall have all the force of a judgment, providing that there shall be assessed upon the real property of the district a tax sufficient to pay the estimated cost of the improvement, with ten percent (10%) added for unforeseen contingencies. (2) The tax is to be paid by the real property in the district in proportion to the amount of the assessment of benefits thereon and is to be paid in annual installments, not to exceed ten percent (10%) for any one (1) year, as provided in the order. (b) The tax so levied shall be a lien upon all the real property in the district from the time it is levied and shall be entitled to preference over all demands, executions, encumbrances, or liens, whensoever created, and shall continue until the assessment, with any penalty costs that may accrue thereon, shall have been paid. (c) (1) The remedy against the levy of taxes shall be by suit in chancery. (2) The suit must be brought within thirty (30) days from the time of notice that the levy was made, and on the appeal, the presumption shall be in favor of the legality of the tax. (d) (1) The commissioners shall, promptly after entry of an order levying the tax, publish once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in some newspaper having general circulation in the district, a notice setting forth the order of levy and warning all persons affected by it that it shall become final unless suit is brought to contest it within thirty (30) days of the date of first publication of the notice. (2) No property owner shall be barred from contest of the levy within the thirty-day publication period.

Legislative History

Acts 1941, No. 41, § 8; 1961, No. 154, § 1; 1970 (Ex. Sess.), No. 16, § 2; A.S.A. 1947, § 20-708; Acts 1989, No. 548, § 1.