Agenda

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County Attorney's Report 7. 5.

BCC Regular Meeting

Action

Meeting Date:	02/20/2020
Issue: Taxing Authority Memorandum of Understanding
From:	ALISON ROGERS
Department:	County Attorney's Office
CAO Approval:

RECOMMENDATION:

Recommendation Concerning the Taxing Authority Memorandum of Understanding.

That the Board approve and authorize the Chairman to sign the Taxing Authority Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), allowing for an arrangement among the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector and Escambia County that addresses the retention of a vendor to assist with identification of homestead fraud and for the vendor to be compensated from recouped tax proceeds.

BACKGROUND:

The Property Appraiser requests that the County join in an agreement with him and the Tax Collector to provide for a mechanism to use a vendor to capture exemption fraud relative to Escambia County property taxes. A similar agreement is being proposed to each taxing authority within the County, to include the City of Pensacola, the Water Management District and the School Board. The agreement provides that the Property Appraiser retain a vendor to assist in capturing homestead fraud and the vendor is entitled to twenty-eight percent (28%) of all taxes, penalties and interest recovered due to the removal of a homestead exemption based on the vendor's actions. The agreement is similar to those already in place in several other Florida counties, and the Escambia County School Board is expected to vote on its version of this agreement at its February 18, 2020 meeting.

BUDGETARY IMPACT:

N/A

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/SIGN-OFF:

The MOU was reviewed and approved as to form and legal sufficiency by County Attorney Alison Rogers.

PERSONNEL:

N/A

POLICY/REQUIREMENT FOR BOARD ACTION:

N/A

IMPLEMENTATION/COORDINATION:

N/A

Attachments
Taxing Authority MOU