1. In counties of the first class, except counties of the first class not having a charter form of government, tangible personal property taxes assessed on and after January 1, 1946, and all personal taxes delinquent at that date, shall constitute a debt, as of the date on which such taxes were levied for which a personal judgment may be recovered against the party assessed with such taxes before any court of this state having jurisdiction.

2. All actions commenced under this section shall be prosecuted in the name of the state of Missouri, at the relation and to the use of the collector and against the person or persons named in the tax bill, and in one petition and in one count thereof may be included such taxes for all such years as are delinquent and unpaid, and such taxes shall be set forth in a tax bill or bills of such personal back taxes duly authenticated by the certificate of the collector and filed with the petition; and such tax bill or tax bills so certified shall be prima facie evidence that the amount claimed in the suit is just and correct, and all notices and process in suits under this law shall be sued and served in the same manner as in civil actions, and the general laws of this state as to practice and proceedings and appeals and writs of error in civil cases shall apply, so far as applicable, to the above actions; except, however, that in no case shall the state, county, city or collector be liable for any costs nor shall any be taxed against them or any of them.

3. For the purpose of this section, personal tax bills shall become delinquent on the first day of January following the day when such bills are placed in the hands of the collector, and suits thereon may be instituted on and after the first day of April following, and within five years from that day. Such personal tax shall be presented and allowed against the estates of deceased or insolvent debtors, in the same manner and with like effect as other indebtedness of such debtors.