Any refund of taxes or assessments authorized pursuant to this article as a result of a reduction in the value of taxable property or as the result of corrections to the roll or cancellations after taxes or assessments were paid, may be paid to the latest recorded owner of that property as shown on the tax roll, rather than to the individual or entity who paid the amount of tax or assessment to be refunded, if both of the following conditions are met:
(a) There has been no transfer of the property during or since the fiscal year for which the taxes subject to refund were levied.
(b) The amount of the refund is less than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 199, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2004.)