ORS 305.587: Tax court findings; orders; refunds; bond measure construction; other relief.

(1) If, in a proceeding commenced under ORS 305.583, the regular division of the Oregon Tax Court finds that a challenged tax, fee, charge or assessment is subject to the limits of section 11 or 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution, the tax court may: (a) Order the government unit to make refunds to petitioners of any part of the challenged tax, fee, charge or assessment imposed on or after the date that is 90 days before the date the petition was filed and that was collected in excess of the limits of section 11 or 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution. The tax court may not order refunds if the government unit previously had obtained a judgment of the tax court or the Oregon Supreme Court under ORS 305.589, that the tax, fee, charge or assessment in question was not subject to the limits of section 11 or 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution. (b) Order such other relief as it considers appropriate, including cancellation of taxes imposed but not collected, but such relief shall have prospective effect only. In cases involving local government units, a copy of the tax court’s order shall be served upon the assessor of the county or counties in which the local government unit is located at the same time the order is served upon the parties. (2) If the tax court orders a unit of government to make refunds of any tax, fee, charge or assessment that was imposed and collected in excess of the limits of section 11 or 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution, the government unit shall do so out of the resources of the government unit. No refund so ordered shall be paid from the unsegregated tax collections account. The assessor shall not be required to recompute the amount of tax due from any property or property owner with respect to the tax, fee, charge or assessment that is the subject of the order for any tax year for which a tax statement has been delivered under ORS 311.250. (3) If, in a proceeding commenced under ORS 305.585, the tax court finds that a tax, fee, charge or assessment is not subject to the limits of section 11 or 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution, the tax court may order such relief as it considers appropriate, but such relief shall have prospective effect only. In cases involving local government units, a copy of the tax court’s order shall be served upon the assessor of the county or counties in which the local government unit is located at the same time the order is served upon the parties. The assessor shall not be required to recompute the amount of tax due from any property or property owner with respect to the tax, fee, charge or assessment that is the subject of the order for any tax year for which a tax statement has been delivered under ORS 311.250. (4) For purposes of this section, taxes, fees, charges or assessments are deemed imposed when the statement or bill for the taxes, fees, charges or assessments is mailed. (5) In the case of a question concerning the authorized uses of the proceeds of bonded indebtedness, the tax court shall construe the provisions of the measure authorizing the bonded indebtedness and the use of the proceeds liberally to allow the government unit to provide the facilities or services approved by the voters. (6) If, in a proceeding commenced under ORS 305.583, the regular division of the tax court finds that a use of the proceeds of bonded indebtedness is not authorized by the applicable law, the tax court may prohibit the expenditure or proceed in accordance with ORS 305.586. [1991 c.459 §26b; 1993 c.270 §20; 1997 c.541 §84; 1999 c.340 §11; 2003 c.195 §21]