Section 620 Of Article 6. Assessment Roll From California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 6.
620
. If the assessor does not send a notice pursuant to Section 619
or 621 to an assessee whose property was not on the prior year's
secured roll, or to an assessee of real property on the local secured
roll whose property's full value has increased, then the assessee
may pay taxes under protest. If payments are made in installments,
the protest need not be repeated with the second installment.
Protests shall be made by filing with the clerk of the county board,
a petition for assessment reduction on the form prescribed by the
county board. The county board may, after receipt of the petition for
assessment reduction, hold a public hearing at the next regular
board meeting, notice of time and place of which shall be sent to the
person paying the tax under protest at the address stated in the
protest or if no such address is stated, then to the address of the
assessee according to the last equalized assessment roll. If the
taxes are so paid and the assessee has not previously applied for a
reduction of the assessment, the county board, at its next annual
meeting as an equalization board, shall equalize the assessment in
the manner prescribed by Article 1 (commencing with Section 1601) of
Chapter 1 of Part 3 of this division.
The tax rate fixed for property on the roll on which the property
so equalized appears at the time of its original assessment shall be
applied to the amount of the equalized assessment, determined in
accordance with the preceding paragraph. In the event that the
resulting figure is less than the tax computed, the taxpayer shall be
liable for tax only for the lesser amount, and the difference shall
be canceled. If the taxpayer has already paid the tax previously
computed, the difference shall be refunded to him or her pursuant to
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 5096) of Part 9 of this division,
as an erroneously collected tax.
If any taxes are paid under protest pursuant to this section, the
taxing agency to which the taxes are paid may, in accordance with
Section 26906.1 of the Government Code, impound those taxes until the
final disposition of the claim or action respecting the protest. No
impounding of taxes is required.