(a) The legislative body may provide for the collection of the assessment or any installment of an assessment, in the same manner, and subject to the same penalties and priority of lien as, other charges and taxes fixed and collected by, or on behalf of the local agency, except that if, for the first year the assessment is levied the real property on which the assessment is levied has been transferred or conveyed to a bona fide purchaser for value, or if a lien of a bona fide encumbrancer for value has been created and attaches thereon, prior to the date on which the first installment of county taxes would become delinquent, the confirmed assessment shall not result in a lien against the real property but shall be transferred to the unsecured roll.
(b) If the assessments are collected by the county, the county may deduct its reasonable costs incurred for the service before remittal of the balance to the local agency’s treasury.
(c) In the case of an assessment levied pursuant to Section 54710.3, the legislative body shall provide for the collection of the assessment in any year only if the legislative body determines that the levy is necessary because of a redemption fund deficiency.