19-1403. Municipal heat, light, and ice plants; bonds; interest; amount; approval of electors; tax.

The question of issuing bonds for any of the purposes described in section 19-1401 shall be submitted to the electors at an election held for that purpose after not less than thirty days' notice thereof has been given (1) by publication in a legal newspaper published in or of general circulation in the municipality or (2) if no legal newspaper is published in or of general circulation in such municipality, by posting in five or more public places in such municipality. Such bonds may be issued only when a majority of the electors voting on the question favor their issuance. Such bonds shall bear interest, payable annually or semiannually, and shall be payable at any time the municipality may determine at the time of their issuance but in not more than twenty years after their issuance. The aggregate amount of bonds that may be issued for the construction or the purchase of a heating or lighting plant shall not exceed four percent of the taxable value of the assessed property and, for the construction or purchase of an ice plant, shall not exceed one percent of the taxable value of the assessed property within such municipality, as shown by the last annual assessment. The city council or village board of trustees shall levy annually a sufficient tax to maintain, operate, and extend any system or plant and to provide for the payment of the interest on and principal of any bonds that may have been or shall be issued as provided in this section.

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Annotations

This section referred to in connection with holding that an ordinance fixing rates for electrical energy supplied by city-owned plant is not subject to referendum. Hoover v. Carpenter, 188 Neb. 405, 197 N.W.2d 11 (1972).

An action against village under declaratory judgment act alleging violation of above statute by the village board is not properly brought where members of such board are not made parties. Southern Nebraska Power Co. v. Village of Deshler, 130 Neb. 133, 264 N.W. 462 (1936).

This section has no application to raising funds or issuing bonds to maintain or improve a light plant. Interstate Power Co. v. City of Ainsworth, 125 Neb. 419, 250 N.W. 649 (1933).

The procedure prescribed hereby for issuing bonds is not applicable where equipment for municipal lighting plant is paid for out of funds on hand and net earnings of plant. Carr v. Fenstermacher, 119 Neb. 172, 228 N.W. 114 (1929).

A writ of mandamus was issued compelling the Auditor of Public Accounts to register bonds, when issued within scope of general powers of a city to pay debt incurred for repair and restoration of light plant even though no previous appropriation was made for the debt. State ex rel. City of Tekamah v. Marsh, 108 Neb. 835, 189 N.W. 381 (1922).

The provisions of the city charter of cities having a population of from five thousand to twenty-five thousand inhabitants at the time of the submission and election must govern and be complied with. Brownfield v. City of Kearney, 94 Neb. 419, 143 N.W. 475 (1913).

The power of a city is not limited in constructing a plant to one costing not more than the amount of bonds that may be so issued. Village of Oshkosh v. Fairbanks, Morse & Co., 8 F.2d 329 (8th Cir. 1925).