The question of the decrease of the rate of a tax approved for a continuing period of time by the voters of a county or regional transit authority pursuant to sections 5739.023 and 5741.022 of the Revised Code may be initiated by the filing of a petition with the board of elections of the county, or in the case of a regional transit authority with the board of elections as determined pursuant to section 3505.071 of the Revised Code, prior to the ninetieth day before the general election in any year requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall state the amount of the proposed decrease in the rate of the tax and shall be signed by at least ten per cent of the number of qualified electors residing in such county, or in the territory of the regional transit authority, who voted at the last general election.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county or regional transit authority at the succeeding general election. The election shall be conducted, notice thereof shall be given, and the results thereof shall be certified in the manner provided in section 306.70 of the Revised Code. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on such question approve the proposed decrease in rate, such decrease in rate shall become effective on the first day of the second January after such election.

In any case where bonds, or notes in anticipation of bonds, of a regional transit authority have been issued under section 306.40 of the Revised Code without a vote of the electors while the tax proposed to be reduced was in effect, the board of trustees of the regional transit authority shall continue to levy and collect under authority of the original election authorizing the tax a rate of tax in each year which the authority reasonably estimates will produce an amount in that year equal to the amount of principal of and interest on such bonds as is payable in that year.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Effective Date: 08-22-1995 .