(a) If any person fails to pay any tax, or fails to pay any water or sanitation charges within thirty days after the due date, the collector or the collector's duly appointed agent shall make personal demand of such person therefor or leave written demand at such person's usual place of abode or deposit in some post office a written demand for such tax or such water or sanitation charges, postage prepaid, addressed to such person at such person's last-known place of residence unless, after making reasonable efforts, the assessor is unable to identify the owner or persons responsible. If such person is a corporation, limited partnership or other legal entity, such written demand may be sent to any person upon whom process may be served to initiate a civil action against such corporation, limited partnership or entity.
(b) After demand has been made in the manner provided in subsection (a) of this section, the collector for the municipality, alone or jointly with the collector of any other municipality owed taxes by such person, may (1) levy for any unpaid tax or any unpaid water or sanitation charges on any goods and chattels of such person and post and sell such goods and chattels in the manner provided in case of executions, or (2) enforce by levy and sale any lien or warrant upon real estate for any unpaid tax or levy upon and sell such interest of such person in any real estate as exists at the date of the levy for such tax.
(c) For the purposes of this section, “water or sanitation charges” means (1) any rates or charges established pursuant to section 7-239, or (2) any charges imposed by a municipality for the collection and disposal of garbage, trash, rubbish, waste material and ashes.
(1949 Rev., S. 1836; 1967, P.A. 123, S. 1; P.A. 95-228, S. 2, 15; P.A. 07-95, S. 3; P.A. 13-276, S. 29; P.A. 15-156, S. 4.)
History: 1967 act deleted provision which had allowed imprisonment of tax offenders; P.A. 95-228 added provision authorizing notice to be sent to any person upon whom process may be served in the case of a corporation, limited partnership or other legal entity, effective July 6, 1995, and applicable to tax sale notices posted, filed or published on and after said date; P.A. 07-95 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (a) and (b), added provisions re collection of water or sanitation charges and made technical changes therein and added Subsec. (c) defining “water or sanitation charges”, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 13-276 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re demand for payment of unpaid taxes unless, after making reasonable efforts, the assessor is unable to identify owner or responsible persons, and amended Subsec. (b) by permitting specified actions re unpaid taxes to be made by collector of municipality alone or jointly with collectors of other municipalities owed taxes; P.A. 15-156 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by adding “or warrant”.
Demand necessary before levy, but not to make the tax due. 30 C. 395. Injunction will be granted against collection of taxes for imperative reasons only. 39 C. 401; 42 C. 30; 46 C. 243; 106 C. 227. One whose duty it is to pay a tax cannot purchase property on sale for the tax. 46 C. 513; 48 C. 395. Officer liable for imprisoning one to compel payment of an amount which includes illegal fees. 50 C. 78. Though action to foreclose lien is barred, warrant may be levied. 68 C. 293. Levy cannot be made on property in receiver's hands. 72 C. 63. Applies to poll taxes. 81 C. 369. Recovery of tax paid to avoid levy of warrant. 82 C. 266; 103 C. 263. Nature of proceedings under warrant. 86 C. 196. Under levy for one tax, property cannot be sold for other. 87 C. 142. Injunction to restrain sale under levy. Id., 229. Lien for other taxes than those levied on specific property does not arise till warrant is levied. 91 C. 336. Three statutory methods of collecting taxes are distinct, concomitant and cumulative. 106 C. 547. Tax collector not an insurer of collection of all taxes on list and surety not liable for uncollected taxes in absence of proof of negligence. 112 C. 318. Personal property assessed is not subject to lien prior to institution of proceedings to enforce collection. 121 C. 250.
Cited. 46 CA 721.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 204 - Local Levy and Collection of Taxes
Section 12-122. - Selectmen to estimate town's expenses; tax levy to pay current expenses.
Section 12-122a. - Uniform city-wide mill rate for taxation of motor vehicles.
Section 12-123. - Selectmen to make rate bill when town fails to lay sufficient tax.
Section 12-124. - Abatement of taxes and interest.
Section 12-125. - Abatement of taxes of corporations.
Section 12-125a. - Waiver of taxes on certain property held by suppliers of water.
Section 12-127. - Abatement or refund on proof of exempt status.
Section 12-127a. - Abatement of taxes on structures of historical or architectural merit.
Section 12-128. - Refund of tax erroneously collected from veterans and relatives.
Section 12-129. - Refund of excess payments.
Section 12-129a. - Moratorium on tax payment for persons over sixty-five.
Section 12-129d. - State payment in lieu of tax revenue.
Section 12-129e and 12-129f. - Failure to reapply for benefits. Grants to municipalities.
Section 12-129g. - Appropriation.
Section 12-129h and 12-129i. - Tax relief for special tax. State reimbursement in lieu of tax.
Section 12-129p. - Maximum benefits for homeowner receiving tax relief under section 12-129b.
Section 12-129q. - Grants to property owners in special services districts.
Section 12-129t. - Municipal option to abate taxes on visitable housing.
Section 12-129u. - Municipal option to abate taxes on historic agricultural structures.
Section 12-130. - Collectors; rate bills and warrants. Statements of state aid.
Section 12-130a. - Training, examination and certification of municipal tax collectors.
Section 12-131. - Special forms for assessment lists, abstract books and rate bills.
Section 12-132. - Form and tax warrant.
Section 12-133. - Taxes of subdivisions of towns.
Section 12-134. - Tax account and receipt to bear same number.
Section 12-135. - Execution of tax warrant. Collection by successor of collector.
Section 12-136. - Bonds of tax collectors. Appointment of new collector.
Section 12-137. - Appointment of acting tax collectors.
Section 12-138. - Collector to report to town clerk and assessor mistakes in assessments.
Section 12-139. - Collector's books open to public inspection.
Section 12-140. - Fees, costs and expenses of tax collectors and tax sales.
Section 12-141. - Collection of taxes: Definitions.
Section 12-141a. - Payment of municipal taxes by credit card.
Section 12-142. - Installments; due date.
Section 12-143. - Installment payments; priority of personal property taxes.
Section 12-144. - Payment of taxes of not more than one hundred dollars.
Section 12-144a. - Payment of tax on motor vehicles.
Section 12-144b. - Application of tax payments.
Section 12-144c. - Optional waiver of property tax under one hundred dollars.
Section 12-144d. - Motor vehicle property tax due July first.
Section 12-145. - Notice to pay taxes. Rate of interest when delinquent. Waiver.
Section 12-146. - Delinquent tax or installment. Interest. Waiver of interest.
Section 12-146b. - Withholding of municipal payments for failure to pay property taxes.
Section 12-147. - Payment and deposit of moneys collected by collector. Treasurer to examine books.
Section 12-148. - Identification of taxpayers.
Section 12-149. - Lists of taxpayers to be preserved until settlement with collector.
Section 12-151. - Record-receipt books.
Section 12-152. - Tax on portion of property assessed as a whole.
Section 12-153. - Receipts for partial payments in cases of transfer.
Section 12-155. - Demand and levy for the collection of taxes and water or sanitation charges.
Section 12-156. - Sale of equity or particular estate under tax levy.
Section 12-157. - Method of selling real estate for taxes.
Section 12-158. - Form of collector's deed. Liability of municipalities for breach of warranty.
Section 12-159. - Collector's deed as evidence. Irregularities.
Section 12-159b. - Time for action contesting validity of collector's deed.
Section 12-160. - Poor debtor's oath.
Section 12-161. - Collection by suit.
Section 12-163. - Jeopardy collection of taxes. Written notice.
Section 12-163a. - Receivership of rents for the collection of delinquent taxes.
Section 12-164. - Tax uncollectible after fifteen years. Interest on improvement liens.
Section 12-165. - Municipal suspense tax book.
Section 12-166. - Powers and duties of collector.
Section 12-167. - Reports of tax collectors.
Section 12-169. - Payment of taxes due on Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
Section 12-169a. - Motor vehicle property tax check-off for local scholarship fund.