Payment of taxes due by municipality, county; borrowing permitted, interest; waiver

54:4-76. a. The governing body of the municipality or the county shall cause the county tax due, as calculated pursuant to R.S.54:4-74, and other county taxes levied, school tax due, as calculated pursuant to R.S.54:4-75, taxes due to other taxing districts, and State taxes to be paid as and when due for payment. If there shall not be sufficient funds in the treasury available for such payments, the governing body shall immediately borrow sufficient money and pay such taxes due. The board of chosen freeholders of each county may by resolution fix the rate of discount to be allowed for the payment to the county treasurer of county taxes previous to the date on which they will become due for payment. The rate so fixed shall not exceed six percent per year, and shall be allowed only in case of payment on or before the thirtieth day previous to the date on which said taxes will become due for payment to the county treasurer. On any part of the taxes payable to the county treasurer and on any part of the taxes payable to the State by the county treasurer, which shall remain unpaid after the time within which they are required to be paid by this chapter, the taxing district or county in arrears shall pay to the county or State, as the case may be, interest at the rate of six percent per year upon the delayed payment.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, the board of chosen freeholders of a county may, by resolution, waive the interest that a municipality is required to pay to the county pursuant to that subsection on any unpaid property taxes due and owing to the county by a municipality if the municipality adopted an extended interest-free period pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2020, c.34 (C.52:27D-18.4), and a public health emergency, pursuant to the "Emergency Health Powers Act," P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.), or a state of emergency, pursuant to P.L.1942, c.251 (C.App.A.9-33 et seq.), or both, has been declared by the Governor and is in effect. A waiver adopted by a county pursuant to this subsection shall expire 30 days after the end of the municipality's extended interest-free period.

amended 1940, c.21; 2013, c.261, s.5; 2020, c.34, s.11.