Chapter 1. General Provisions of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 1. >> Part 9. >> Chapter 1.

As used in this part, "taxes" includes assessments collected at the same time and in the same manner as county taxes.

As used in this part, "district attorney" means the civil legal adviser of the board of supervisors.

The board of supervisors of any county may, by resolution, authorize the county administrative officer, or the county legal advisor, or the county auditor, or any other county officer, or a specified group of any county officers acting as a committee, to perform in its behalf any act required or authorized to be performed by the board of supervisors under this part, if such act is not imposed upon the board of supervisors by the Constitution. The resolution may, at the request of the county legal advisor, provide for a waiver of the requirement for the written consent of the county legal advisor in any act performed under the provisions of this section. The resolution shall enumerate those sections or subdivisions, or those portions of sections or subdivisions, to which the authorization is to apply, and shall specify administrative rules and procedures concerning any act performed under the authorization. The resolution shall require that the county auditor record each act performed under the authorization. The resolution may provide for review by the board of supervisors of any act performed under the authorization, or for periodic reports to the board of supervisors of any or all acts performed under the authorization, or both.

No refund shall be made under Chapter 5 of this part, nor shall any action be hereafter commenced nor shall any action heretofore commenced be further prosecuted for the recovery, of any tax voluntarily paid which was levied prior to January 1, 1939, claimed to be erroneous or illegal, by reason of errors, omissions or illegalities in preparing, transmitting, computing, determining or fixing the budget or the tax rate or rates of any county, city and county, school district, municipal corporation or other public corporation, or political subdivision, in any case in which the taxes collected from such erroneous or illegal levy have been applied in the next or any succeeding fiscal year to reduce the tax levy for such year, or have been expended, appropriated, or applied for a public purpose. For the purposes of this section, the mere payment of a tax under protest shall not be deemed to constitute such payment an involuntary payment.

No injunction or writ of mandate or other legal or equitable process shall issue in any suit, action, or proceeding in any court against any county, municipality, or district, or any officer thereof, to prevent or enjoin the collection of property taxes sought to be collected. In the case of a collection of taxes pursuant to a bankruptcy proceeding, the county may request a reasonable amount of attorney's fees.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any taxpayer may, no later than 30 days after the delinquency date of a property tax bill or any installment thereof, seek declaratory relief in the superior court in the county in which the property is located alleging that the locally assessed property taxes have been illegally or unconstitutionally assessed or collected or are to be so assessed or collected. Any action alleging an illegal or unconstitutional method of valuation or similar matter shall name as respondent the assessor of the county in which the property is located. An action alleging an unconstitutional or illegal tax rate shall name as respondent the auditor-controller of such county. In the event the action involves the validity of a rule or regulation adopted by the State Board of Equalization, the board shall be named as a respondent. The relief granted pursuant to this section shall be limited to a declaration that the taxes assessed or collected or to be assessed or collected are unconstitutional or otherwise legally invalid. This section shall not be interpreted to allow a taxpayer to postpone payment of property taxes pending the decision of the court. All assessment and collection provisions of this division shall continue to apply to properties affected by this section. This section shall be applicable only in instances where the alleged illegal or unconstitutional assessment or collection occurs as the direct result of a change in administrative regulations or statutory or constitutional law that became effective not more than 12 months prior to the date the action is initiated by the taxpayer. The procedure for obtaining a declaratory relief judgment under this section shall be the same as that used to obtain a writ of mandate.