State to purchase in fee subject to redemption; over 15% of tax revenue of municipality owed by delinquent taxpayer; repurchase by municipality

Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 54:5-34, whenever in any municipality real property taxes due by a taxpayer are in default to the municipality, and the taxes owed by the taxpayer and so delinquent and uncollectible equaled, in the last local fiscal year in which the taxes were fully collectible, not less than 15% of the total revenue from real property taxes realizable by the municipality in that year, the State shall, at any tax sale conducted for the real property pursuant to the "tax sale law" (R.S. 54:5-1 et seq.), purchase in fee subject to redemption the property, if there be no other purchaser for the property, and the State shall have the same remedies and rights as other purchasers, including the right to bar or foreclose the right of redemption. If the tax sale certificate is not redeemed within the period of 2 years from the State's purchase of it, the municipality shall pay the State within a period of 3 years the full amount due the State on the certificate including interest pursuant to a payment schedule fixed by the State Treasurer after consultation with the municipal officials and the Director of Local Government Services. Once the State has received the total amount which it paid for the tax sale certificate plus interest due thereon, then ownership of the tax sale certificate, if still unredeemed, shall be transferred to the municipality. The State shall not be required to purchase any property at tax sale pursuant to this section, unless written notification of the proposed tax sale was furnished pursuant to section 2 of this act.

The State may foreclose the right of redemption of the property and if it does, it shall proceed under and in the manner provided in the "In Rem Tax Foreclosure Act (1948)," P.L.1948, c. 96 (C. 54:5-104.29 et seq.). The exercise of this right may continue during any period the certificate is unredeemed.

L.1981, c. 194, s. 1, eff. July 2, 1981.