Whenever the owners of land abutting on any street or sidewalk petition to have the street or sidewalk improved and the state or any of its political subdivisions is the owner of property abutting on the street, the frontage owned by the state or political subdivision shall be counted as if owned by an individual and shall be treated as if owned by an individual for the purposes of assessment. When the state is the owner of the property, the Governor may sign the application for and in behalf of the state. When a county is the owner of the property, the county governing authority may sign in behalf of the county. When a municipality is the owner of the property, the mayor of the municipality where the property is located may sign in behalf of the municipality.