19-3508. Revenue bonds; election; petition for resubmission; tax levies to pay expenses, when. Before any water district shall be authorized to issue any revenue bonds for the establishment, construction, purchase, operation and maintenance of any water supply and distribution system or to incur any expenses therefor, except the necessary expenses involved in making the authorized survey, plans, specifications, rate structures and cost estimates, the question of issuance of such revenue bonds, to provide funds for the proposed plan or program as approved by the water district board shall be submitted to a special election of the qualified electors residing in such water district. The water district board may call such an election by resolution at any time, except as herein otherwise specifically provided. If said water district board shall fail to call such bond election within ninety (90) days after the date of approval of a plan or program, then it shall be mandatory upon said water district board to call such an election, whenever a petition, signed by one thousand (1,000) qualified electors residing within the area comprising the water district, is filed with said board. If a majority of the legal votes cast at such an election are in the affirmative, the water district board shall proceed to construct, purchase, condemn or otherwise acquire a water supply and distribution system and to issue revenue bonds in payment of the same. If the majority of legal votes cast at such special election are in the negative such water district may be disorganized by the affirmative vote of said water district board or said board may continue such water district in existence and upon a petition submitted to them signed by one thousand (1,000) qualified electors residing within the water district, resubmit the question of such public improvements upon the same or different preliminary plans at a future special election. No such special election shall be held within one (1) year after the rejection of such proposition.

If a majority of the legal votes cast at any bond election are in the negative, or if the votes are in the affirmative and for any reason notwithstanding such affirmative vote the properties of the privately owned water system cannot be or is not acquired by said district either by purchase or by condemnation or because of any fair value approved by the district court having jurisdiction is not found feasible and for such reason is not approved by the board or for any other reason, then in such event or events the water district board shall certify to the board of county commissioners a detailed statement of all expenses incurred prior thereto by the district that may not have been paid from funds derived from the issuance of no-fund warrants as authorized in K.S.A. 19-3505a. The county treasurer shall pay such expenses to the persons entitled thereto upon orders signed by the chairman of the board of county commissioners and attested by the county clerk. And thereupon the county clerk shall determine the rate of tax necessary to be levied on all the taxable, tangible property in the district to pay such expenses. Upon the determination of such rate of tax, said county clerk shall certify the same to the board of county commissioners of every county in which any portion of the area of such district lies and said boards of county commissioners shall levy such tax on all taxable, tangible property in such district in their respective counties. Upon the collection of such tax in any county other than the county in which the greatest portion of the area of the district lies, the county treasurer of such county shall transmit the same to the county treasurer of the county in which the greater portion of such district lies. For the purpose of enabling the county clerk to fix a rate of tax as hereinbefore prescribed, the county clerks of all other counties wherein any portion of the area of such district lies shall, on or before July 15 of each year certify to such county clerk determining said rate the total assessed valuation of the taxable, tangible property within the area of such district that lies within his county. Said tax levy shall be in addition to all other tax levies authorized or limited by law and shall not be subject to or within the aggregate tax levy limit prescribed by K.S.A. 79-1947, or acts amendatory thereof.

History: L. 1951, ch. 240, § 8; L. 1957, ch. 192, § 5; April 17.