(1) (a) Subject to the provisions of this article, a person who is sixty-five years of age or older or who is a person called into military service on January 1 of the year in which the person files a claim under this section may elect to defer the payment of real property taxes. To exercise this option, the taxpayer shall file a claim for deferral with the treasurer of the county in which the taxpayer's homestead is located. The claim shall be filed after January 1 and on or before April 1 of each year in which the taxpayer claims the deferral.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), a person called into military service at any time between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2003, may defer the payment of real property taxes for the property tax year 2002 by filing a claim pursuant to this section on or before June 30, 2003.
(2) When a taxpayer who is sixty-five years of age or older or who is a person called into military service files a valid claim for deferral under subsection (1) of this section, it shall have the effect of:
Deferring the payment of his real property taxes for the calendar year previous to theyear in which the claim is filed;
Continuing the deferral of taxes which have been deferred under this article for previous years which have not become delinquent pursuant to section 39-3.5-111;
Terminating and releasing the lien for the general taxes so deferred created by section39-1-107 and substituting therefor the lien for said deferred taxes created by section 39-3.5-105.
(2.5) A person called into military service may defer only the real property taxes payable in a year in which the person is a person called into military service. A person who is no longer a person called into military service may file a valid claim in a subsequent year to continue the deferral of taxes payable in a year in which the person was a person called into military service.
(3) If a guardian, conservator, or attorney-in-fact has been appointed for a taxpayer otherwise qualified to claim deferral of taxes under this article, the guardian, conservator, or attorney-in-fact may act for such taxpayer in claiming the deferral.
Source: L. 78: Entire article added, p. 472, § 1, effective February 28, 1979. L. 2003: (1) and IP(2) amended and (2.5) added, p. 2112, § 2, effective May 22.