TITLE 48 REVENUE AND TAXATION

Section 5. Ad Valorem Taxation of Property, 48-5-1 through 48-5-607.

ARTICLE 5 UNIFORM PROPERTY TAX ADMINISTRATION AND EQUALIZATION

48-5-265. Formation of joint county property appraisal staffs.

1. 1. The governing authorities of any two or more counties may join together and by intergovernmental agreement create a joint county property appraisal staff following consultation with the county boards of tax assessors of such counties. Under any such intergovernmental agreement, the parcels of real property within the counties subject to the intergovernmental agreement shall be totaled, and the counties shall be deemed one county for purposes of determining the class of the counties, the resulting minimum staff requirements, and the amount of money to be received from the department. The costs of the joint county property appraisal staff shall be determined in the intergovernmental agreement.
   2. The governing authorities of any two or more counties may execute an intergovernmental agreement to provide for the sharing of one or more designated members of property appraisal staff following consultation with the county boards of tax assessors of such counties. The costs of such shared staff members shall be determined in the intergovernmental agreement.
2. The governing authorities of any two or more counties may join together and by intergovernmental agreement carry out this part following consultation with the county boards of tax assessors of such counties. All counties subject to an intergovernmental agreement under this subsection shall retain their separate character for the purpose of determining the class and minimum staff requirements for each county.
3. 1. Any county, at its discretion, may enter into contracts with persons to render advice or assistance to the county board of tax assessors in the assessment and equalization of taxes, the establishment of property valuations, or the defense of such valuations. Such advice and assistance shall be in compliance with the laws of this state and the rules and regulations of the commissioner. Individuals performing services under such contracts shall complete satisfactorily such training courses as directed by the commissioner. The function of any person contracting to render such services shall be advisory or ministerial, and the final decision as to the amount of assessments and the equalization of assessments shall be made by the county board of tax assessors and shall be set forth in the minutes of the county board of tax assessors.
   2. No contract entered into pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall contain any provision authorizing payment to any person contracted with, or to any person employed by any person contracted with, upon a percentage basis or upon any basis under which compensation is dependent or conditioned in any way upon increasing or decreasing the aggregate assessment of property in the county. Any contract or provision of a contract which is in violation of this paragraph shall be void and unenforceable.

(Ga. L. 1972, p. 1104, § 7; Code 1933, § 91A-1407, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 2015, p. 1219, § 10/HB 202.)

The 2015 amendment, effective January 1, 2016, substituted the present provisions of this Code section for the former provisions, which read: "(a) Contiguous Class I counties may join together and contract to create a joint county property appraisal staff. Under any such contract, the parcels of real property within the contracting counties shall be totaled and the counties shall be deemed one county for purposes of determining the class of the counties, the resulting minimum staff requirements, and the amount of money to be received from the department. The costs of the joint county property appraisal staff shall be shared, each county's share to be based upon the ratio which the number of parcels of real property in each contracting county bears to the total number of parcels of real property in all the contracting counties. Any number of Class I counties may join together to create a joint county property appraisal staff.

"(b) Each Class I county may contract with a contiguous county which has a minimum county property appraisal staff to carry out this part. Counties contracting in this manner shall retain their separate character for the purpose of determining the class and minimum staff requirements for each contracting county.

"(c)(1) Each Class I county, at its discretion, may enter into contracts with persons to render advice or assistance to the county board of tax assessors and to the county board of equalization in the assessment and equalization of taxes and to perform such other ministerial duties as are necessary and appropriate to carry out this part. The function of any person contracting to render such services shall be advisory or ministerial only and the final decision as to the amount of assessments and the equalization of assessments shall be made by the county board of tax assessors and the county board of equalization.

"(c)(2) No contract entered into pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall contain any provision authorizing payment to any person contracted with, or to any person employed by any person contracted with, upon a percentage basis or upon any basis under which compensation is dependent or conditioned in any way upon increasing or decreasing the aggregate assessment of property in the county. Any contract or provision of a contract which is in violation of this paragraph is void and unenforceable."