Is a dealer who does not owe property tax because the dealer was not in business on Jan. 1 prohibited from assigning a unit property tax apply only to sales or to sales, leases and rentals?

Section 23.1242(g) addresses a dealer who owes no heavy equipment inventory tax for the current year because the dealer was not in business on January 1. The dealer files the monthly statements each month that the dealer is in business. Section 23.1242(g)(2) states that the dealer may not assign a unit property tax to an item of heavy equipment sold by the dealer or remit money with the statement. It appears that the Legislature failed to correct the language in this subsection to reflect changes to include leases or rentals. An exception is Section 23.1242(k) that addresses a person who acquires another dealer’s business and has a contract to pay the selling dealer’s inventory taxes.