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House Research Department Updated: September 2008 <br />Special Assessments Page 9 <br /> <br /> <br />• Unimproved land. By resolution, a local government may defer payment of a special <br />assessment imposed on unimproved property until a specified date or until it is <br />improved.28 <br />Street or road improvements outside municipal boundaries. A city may construct street or road <br />improvements outside its jurisdiction with the affected township’s consent, or if the property is <br />located in unorganized territory, the county’s consent. When property is brought within the city, <br />the city may then reimburse itself by levying an assessment on any property abutting, but not <br />previously assessed for, the improvement. The city may levy the assessment if there was notice <br />and a hearing of the improvements under section 429.031 at the time the improvement was <br />ordered and the owner had an opportunity to appeal the assessment.29 <br /> <br />Unlike deferred special assessments under the Green Acres program, no one is required to file <br />evidence of the deferment with the county recorder of the county in which the property is <br />located. This means that someone buying the property after the special assessment has been <br />made, but before the property is brought within the city, will not necessarily have notice that <br />there is a deferred special assessment that the city may require the property owner to pay all or a <br />portion of when the property is brought within the city limits. The law is also silent as to when <br />interest on the deferred assessment amount begins to accrue. <br /> <br /> <br />Other Ways to Pay for a Local Improvement or Service <br />In some cases, even if a local government wanted to derive the full cost of the assessment solely <br />from the benefited property, it would not be able to, since the total cost of these improvements <br />often exceeds the amount by which the improvements increase the market value of the affected <br />properties. Thus, in addition to special assessments, local improvements and services may be <br />paid for with a general property tax levied on all property in the taxing jurisdiction and from <br />other miscellaneous funds and sources. As with special assessments, the revenue collected may <br />be used to pay for the improvement directly or to repay the bonds issued to pay the costs of the <br />improvements. <br /> <br /> <br />Special Assessments vs. Property Taxes <br />Special assessments are a form of taxation and may be paid using the same mechanism and at the <br />same time as property taxes. However, there are a number of differences between them: <br /> <br />• the basis for determining the amount charged <br />• what real property is subject to the charge <br />• whether personal property may be charged <br />• whether there are any statutory limits <br />• deductibility for income tax purposes <br /> <br />28 Minn. Stat. § 429.061, subd. 2. <br />29 Minn. Stat. § 429.052.