Mississippi Code
General Provisions
§ 27-1-7. Assessor to be tax collector; bond; duties; effect of failure to qualify as tax collector

The assessor of each county, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall be the tax collector therein; and he shall give one (1) bond for the combined office of assessor and tax collector, with sufficient surety, to be payable, conditioned and approved as provided by law, in a penalty equal to five percent (5%) of the sum of all the state and county taxes shown by the assessment rolls and the levies to have been collectible in the county for the year immediately preceding the commencement of the term of office for such collector; however, such bond shall not exceed the amount of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00). He shall also take and file the oath of office as tax collector. Such assessors and tax collectors shall collect all taxes heretofore collected by the sheriffs in said counties, including, but not limited to, ad valorem and privilege taxes, charges and fees of every kind and nature heretofore comprising a portion of the tax collecting duties of the sheriffs of said counties and shall, by the twentieth day of the month following collection, pay same to the collecting political subdivision without retaining any portion thereof for his services. Provided, however, regardless of the political subdivision or fund for which the tax was collected, the assessor and tax collector shall pay at least the percentage of such tax heretofore retained by the sheriff as his fee directly into the general fund of the concerned county, and said payment shall be made by the twentieth day of the month following collection. In case of the failure of the assessor to qualify as tax collector within the same time allowed for taking the oath of office and giving bond as assessor, he shall thereby vacate the office of assessor and the vacancy, as assessor and tax collector, shall be filled according to law. Such assessors and tax collectors shall perform all of the tax collecting duties heretofore performed by the sheriffs thereof with the full and complete authority and liabilities heretofore possessed by or imposed upon said sheriffs. However, an assessor and tax collector shall not be liable for ad valorem taxes, privilege taxes, charges and fees collected by him, payment for which was made by a check, draft or other order for the payment of money which has been returned to the assessor and tax collector because of insufficient funds in the account on which such check, draft or order was drawn, if the assessor and tax collector has exhausted all reasonable means of collecting such instrument, including the filing of a civil suit or presentation to the district attorney for collection under Section 97-19-73 et seq.

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