34:1B-7.25. Issuance of bonds; "Public Schools Small Projects Loan Assistance Fund"

7. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is authorized to issue bonds, in an aggregate amount not exceeding $100,000,000, the proceeds from which shall be used to provide matching funds to assist in the financing of school district projects in accordance with the provisions of this section. The bonds so issued shall be secured by the repayment by school districts of loans made pursuant to this 1993 amendatory and supplementary act, or, in the case of default on any such loan repayment, by the school facilities financing bond reserve established pursuant to section 6 of this 1993 amendatory and supplementary act.

b. The authority shall establish and maintain a special nonlapsing revolving fund to be known as the "Public Schools Small Projects Loan Assistance Fund," hereinafter the "small projects fund," which shall be credited with: (1) the proceeds of the sale of bonds pursuant to subsection a. of this section; (2) any moneys that shall be received by the authority from the repayment of loans made from the small projects fund and interest thereon; and (3) any other moneys which the authority determines to deposit therein.

c. The authority shall use the monies in the small projects fund exclusively for: (1) matching funds to provide market rate loans to school districts to finance an amount up to the remaining balance of the cost of a project approved for funding from the compliance fund pursuant to section 4 of this 1993 amendatory and supplementary act or from the facilities fund pursuant to section 5 of this 1993 amendatory and supplementary act, whether or not the project is required to bring the buildings that, at the time of application do not meet State health and safety code requirements, into compliance with those requirements; provided that the total cost of the project, including moneys received from the compliance fund or the facilities fund, does not exceed $5,000,000; and (2) payment of any principal, interest, premium and expenses incurred in connection with the bonds issued pursuant to subsection a. of this section.

d. (1) The authority shall establish the terms of the market rate loans which shall include, but not be limited to, the actual rate of interest, a schedule for drawing down loan funds, and the repayment schedule for the loans. The repayments shall be treated by the school district as net debt service for school aid purposes. In addition to the amount of taxes determined by the legal voters of the district at the annual school election, the secretary of the board of education shall certify the amount required for the repayment of the interest and principal of the loan in the same manner required for interest and debt redemption charges pursuant to N.J.S.18A:22-33, and the amount so certified shall be included in the taxes assessed, levied and collected in the municipality or municipalities comprising the school district for such purposes.

(2) All repayments, and interest thereon, shall be deposited by the authority in the small projects fund for use in the manner provided for in this section.

e. Net earnings received from the investment or deposit of monies in the small projects fund by the authority shall be redeposited in the fund for use for the purposes of this section.

L.1993,c.102,s.7.