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Article 4. Transactions And Use Taxes In The County Of Orange of California Government Code >> Division 2. >> Title 3. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 13.7. >> Article 4.

The Legislature, by the enactment of this article, intends the additional funds provided by this article to supplement existing local revenues being used for the development of adult and juvenile detention facilities and courthouse facilities within the county. The county and the cities therein are further encouraged to maintain their existing commitment of local funds for adult and juvenile detention facilities and courthouse facilities purposes.
(a) A retail transactions and use tax ordinance applicable in the incorporated and unincorporated territory of the county may be adopted by the commission in accordance with Section 26298.8 and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, if the ordinance is adopted by a two-thirds vote of the commission and if two-thirds of the electors voting on the measure vote to approve its imposition at an election. This election may be a special election called for that purpose by the commission or, if the commission so determines, shall be consolidated with a regular election.
  (b) In addition to the authorization of subdivision (a), a retail transactions and use tax ordinance applicable in the incorporated and unincorporated territory of the county may be adopted by the commission in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (a), except that, at the option of the commission, the ordinance may be required to be approved by two-thirds of the electors voting on the measure.
The ordinance shall state the nature of the tax to be imposed, the tax rate, the purposes for which the revenue derived from the tax will be used, and the term during which the tax shall be imposed. The proposition shall include an appropriations limit for the agency pursuant to Section 4 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
(a) The county shall conduct the election, as called by the commission, regarding the imposition of a retail transactions and use tax ordinance. The commission shall reimburse the county for its cost in conducting that portion of the regular election directly related to the commission measure or in conducting the special election, as applicable.
  (b) Any special election shall be called and conducted in the same manner as provided by law for the conduct of special elections by a county.
The commission, subject to the approval of the voters, may impose a tax rate of one-half of 1 percent under this chapter and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Neither this chapter nor the ordinance shall affect any tax otherwise authorized.
(a) The actual wording of the proposition on any short form of ballot card, label, or other device, regardless of the system of voting used, shall read as follows:
--------------------------------------+-------+---- | | "ADULT AND JUVENILE DETENTION | | | | FACILITIES AND COURTHOUSE | | | | FACILITIES--ORANGE COUNTY REGIONAL | | | | JUSTICE FACILITIES COMMISSION | | To construct, furnish, acquire, | | maintain, and operate adult and | | juvenile detention facilities and | YES | courthouse facilities in the county, | | this proposition authorizes the | | Orange County Regional Justice | | Facilities Commission to adopt a one- | | half of 1 percent sales tax solely | | for adult and juvenile detention | | facilities and courthouse facilities | | purposes." In approving this | | proposition the voters are also | | approving an appropriations limit for | | the Orange County Regional Justice | | Facilities Commission. +-------+---- | NO | --------------------------------------+-------+----
(b) The sample ballot to be mailed to the voters, under Section 13303 of the Elections Code, shall be the full proposition as set forth in the ordinance calling for the measure to be voted upon at an election.
(a) The commission may, as part of the same ballot proposition to approve the imposition of a retail transactions and use tax, seek authorization to issue bonds payable solely from the proceeds of the retail transactions and use tax.
  (b) The actual wording of the proposition on any short form of ballot card, label, or other device, regardless of the system of voting used, shall read as follows:
--------------------------------------+-------+---- | | "ADULT AND JUVENILE DETENTION | | | | FACILITIES AND COURTHOUSE | | | | FACILITIES--ORANGE COUNTY | | REGIONAL | | JUSTICE FACILITIES COMMISSION | | To construct, furnish, acquire, | | maintain, and operate adult and | | juvenile detention facilities and | | courthouse facilities in the county, | YES | this proposition authorizes the | | Orange County Regional Justice | | Facilities Commission to adopt a one- | | half of 1 percent sales tax solely | | for adult and juvenile detention | | facilities and courthouse facilities | | purposes and/or to issue bonds | | payable from the proceeds of that | | sales tax." In approving this | | proposition the voters are also | | approving an appropriations limit for | | the Orange County Regional | | Justice Facilities Commission. +-------+---- | NO | --------------------------------------+-------+----
(c) The sample ballot to be mailed to the voters, under Section 13303 of the Elections Code, shall be the full proposition as set forth in the ordinance calling for the measure to be voted upon at an election.
(a) Any transactions and use tax ordinance adopted pursuant to this article shall become operative as provided in Section 7265 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
  (b) Prior to the operative date of the ordinance, the commission shall contract with the State Board of Equalization to perform all functions incident to the administration and operation of the ordinance.
The combined rate of any transactions and use tax imposed pursuant to this chapter and all other transactions and use taxes imposed pursuant to the Transactions and Use Tax Law (Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of the Revenue and Taxation Code) or any other provision of law shall not exceed 1 percent. No tax shall be considered in accordance with this part if, upon its adoption, the combined rate will exceed 1 percent.
The revenues from the taxes imposed pursuant to this article may be allocated by the commission for the following purposes:
  (a) To administer this chapter.
  (b) To pay the costs of the financing, construction, acquisition, furnishing, maintenance, and operation of adult and juvenile detention facilities, courthouse facilities, and structures necessary or convenient thereto, in compliance with the master plan and pursuant to allocation or funding agreements described in Section 26298.20.
  (c) To pay the costs of the financing and acquisition of necessary lands, easements, and rights-of-way at sites designated or approved by the commission, including any costs incurred by the commission in acquiring the lands, easements, and rights-of-way.
  (d) To hold title as necessary to land or facilities.
  (e) To retire all or a portion of any capital debt previously incurred for any adult or juvenile detention facilities or courthouse facilities which exists on the date the election is held for voter approval of the retail transactions and use tax ordinance authorized by this chapter.
  (f) To pay all debt service and any other related costs and expenses of any bonds issued under this chapter.
(a) The commission shall establish a procedure for reviewing and evaluating requests by the county and the cities in the county for revenues of the commission to be used for the adult and juvenile detention facilities and courthouse facilities purposes specified in Section 26298.18, and shall review and evaluate, from time to time, those requests. After approving such a request of the county or any city in the county, the commission may allocate to the county or city any lawfully available moneys of the commission, including, but not limited to, the revenues from the taxes imposed pursuant to this article and the proceeds of any limited tax bonds authorized by the voters pursuant to Section 26298.12, in amounts as the commission shall determine, to fund, in whole or in part, those detention or courthouse facilities purposes.
  (b) In connection with any allocation of moneys to the county or any city in the county pursuant to subdivision (a), the commission shall enter into an allocation or funding agreement with the county or city pursuant to which the commission shall commit the moneys allocated under subdivision (a) to the county or city. The moneys shall be used solely for the purposes approved by the commission under subdivision (a). Each allocation or funding agreement shall contain terms and conditions as the commission shall determine and may provide, without limitation, the purpose or purposes for which the allocation may be used, that the amount to be allocated may be advanced by the commission in a lump sum or in a series of payments at a date or dates determined by the commission, which may be in one or more fiscal years of the commission, that the allocation will be in the form of a conditional or unconditional grant or contribution or as a loan or other advance against an obligation of the county or city to repay the same, and the terms and conditions relating the obligation to repay the same, including the interest rate to be paid and the date or dates that payments are to be made to the commission on account of that obligation.
(a) No modification, amendment, or rescission of any allocation or funding agreement between the commission and the county shall become effective unless the board of supervisors, by resolution, first approves the modification, amendment, or rescission.
  (b) No modification, amendment, or rescission of any allocation or funding agreement between the commission and any city within the county shall become effective unless the city council of the city, by resolution, first approves the modification, amendment, or rescission.
When adopting its annual budget pursuant to Section 26296.14, the commission shall provide that the lawfully available moneys of the commission shall be used first for the payment of debt service on all outstanding limited tax bonds of the commission (unless otherwise provided in the resolution providing for the issuance of such bonds) and (unless otherwise provided in an allocation or funding agreement) for the payment of all allocations required to be made pursuant to allocation or funding agreements between the commission and the county or any city in the county prior to the payment of operating costs and expenses and any other lawful costs and expenses of the commission.
If a retail transactions and use tax is adopted pursuant to this article, the commission shall prepare and submit a report to the board of supervisors and to the city council of each city in the county on or before January 1 of the year following the end of the first full fiscal year after that date that the taxes are imposed pursuant to this article and annually thereafter. The report shall evaluate, and report the progress made in, the implementation of the master plan in the preceding fiscal year.
(a) The bonds authorized by the voters concurrently with the approval of the retail transactions and use tax may be issued by the commission at any time, and from time to time, payable solely from the proceeds of the tax. The bonds shall be referred to as "limited tax bonds."
  (b) Limited tax bonds may not be issued unless the estimated proceeds of the retail transactions and use tax for a period of 30 years after issuance of the bonds shall at least equal the aggregate principal and interest payable with respect to all limited tax bonds then outstanding plus the limited tax bonds proposed to be issued. For purposes of determining the principal amount of limited tax bonds outstanding, limited tax bonds shall be assumed to be paid at par either at their respective maturities or pursuant to mandatory sinking fund installments with respect thereto. For purposes of determining the aggregate interest payable with respect to any issue of limited tax bonds, bonds that bear interest at variable interest rates shall be assumed to bear interest for the terms thereof equal to the interest rate in effect on the date the bonds are issued or, in the case of limited tax bonds already outstanding, equal to the interest rate in effect on the date that the determination is made. For purposes of determining the estimated proceeds of the retail transactions and use tax for a period of 30 years, a finding made by the commission, incidental to any prospective issuance of bonds, regarding the amount of the estimated proceeds shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes.
  (c) The pledge of retail transactions and use taxes to the limited tax bonds authorized under this article shall have priority over the use of any of the funds for "pay-as-you-go" financing except to the extent that priority is expressly restricted in the resolution providing for the issuance of the bonds.
(a) Limited tax bonds shall be issued pursuant to a resolution adopted at any time, and from time to time, by the commission by a two-thirds vote of all members of the commission. Each resolution shall provide for the issuance of bonds in amounts as the necessity therefor may appear, until the full amount of the bonds authorized shall have been issued. The full amount of bonds may be divided into two or more series and different dates of payment fixed for the bonds of each series. A bond need not mature on its anniversary date.
  (b) A resolution providing for the issuance of bonds shall state all of the following:
  (1) The purposes for which the proposed debt is to be incurred, which may include all costs and estimated costs incidental to or connected with the accomplishment of those purposes, including, without limitation, engineering, inspection, legal, fiscal agents, financial consultant and other fees, bond and other reserve funds, working capital, bond interest estimated to accrue during the construction period and for a period not to exceed three years thereafter, and expenses of all proceedings for the authorization, issuance, and sale of the bonds.
  (2) The estimated cost of accomplishing the purposes.
  (3) The amount of the principal of the indebtedness.
  (4) The maximum term the bonds, proposed to be issued, shall run before maturity, which shall not exceed 31 years from the date thereof or the date of each series thereof.
  (5) The maximum rate of interest to be paid, which shall not exceed the maximum interest rate specified from time to time in Section 53531 of the Government Code, without regard to any other limitation.
  (6) The denomination or denominations of the bonds, which shall not be less than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
  (7) A pledge of retail transactions and use taxes to the limited tax bonds, either before or after giving effect to the payment of maintenance and operations expenses as defined by the commission in the resolution, and a statement that the bonds shall have priority over the use of any of the funds for "pay-as-you-go" financing except to the extent that the priority is expressly restricted in the resolution. However, the resolution shall not provide for the pledge of retail transactions and use taxes that have been allocated to the county or any city therein pursuant to Section 26298.20, except to the extent that the proceeds of any limited tax bonds are to be so allocated in lieu of those retail transactions and use taxes.
  (8) The form of the bonds, including, without limitation, registered bonds and coupon bonds, to the extent permitted by federal law, and the form of any coupons to be attached thereto, the registration, conversion, and exchange privileges, if any, pertaining thereto, and the time when the whole or any part of the principal shall become due and payable.
  (c) The resolution may also contain any other matters authorized by this article or any other law.
(a) The commission may provide for the bonds to bear interest at a variable or fixed interest rate, for the manner and intervals, in which the rate shall vary, and for the dates on which the interest shall be payable.
  (b) In the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the bonds, the commission may also provide for call and redemption of the bonds prior to maturity at times and prices and upon other terms as it may specify. However, no bond shall be subject to call or redemption prior to maturity unless it contains a recital to that effect or unless a statement to that effect is printed thereon.
  (c) The principal of and interest on the bonds shall be payable in lawful money of the United States at the office of the treasurer of the county or at such other place or places as may be designated, or at either place or places at the option of the holders of the bonds.
  (d) The bonds, or each series thereof, shall be dated and numbered consecutively and shall be signed by the chairperson or vice chairperson of the commission and the treasurer, or other officer of the commission performing the duties of a treasurer, of the commission, and the official seal of the commission shall be attached thereto. The interest coupons, if any, of the bonds shall be signed by the treasurer, or other officer performing the duties of a treasurer, of the commission. All of the signatures and seal may be printed, lithographed, or mechanically reproduced. However, the bonds shall be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until manually signed by an authenticating agent duly appointed by the commission or its authorized designee. If any officer whose signature appears on bonds or coupons ceases to be such an officer before the delivery of the bonds, the officer's signature is as effective as if the officer had remained in office.
The bonds may be sold as the commission determines by resolution. The commission may sell the bonds at a price below par, but the discount on any bonds so sold shall not exceed 5 percent of the par value thereof.
Delivery of any bonds issued pursuant to this chapter may be made at any place either inside or outside the state, and the purchase price may be received in cash or bank credits.
All accrued interest and premiums received on the sale of bonds shall be placed in the fund to be used for the payment of principal of and interest on the bonds and the remainder of the proceeds of the bonds shall be placed in the treasury of the commission and applied to secure the bonds or for the purposes for which the debt was incurred. However, when those purposes have been accomplished, any moneys remaining shall be either (a) transferred to the fund to be used for the payment of principal of and interest on the bonds or (b) placed in a fund to be used for the purchase of outstanding bonds of the commission from time to time in the open market at those prices and in that manner, either at public or private sale or otherwise, as the commission may determine. Bonds so purchased shall be canceled immediately.
(a) The commission may provide for the issuance, sale, or exchange of refunding bonds to redeem or retire any bonds issued by the commission upon the terms, at the times and in the manner which it determines.
  (b) The proceeds of any bonds issued for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds may, in the discretion of the commission, be applied to the purchase or retirement at maturity or redemption of outstanding bonds either on their earliest or any subsequent redemption date or upon the purchase or retirement at the maturity thereof and may, pending that application, be placed in escrow to be applied to the purchase or retirement at maturity or redemption on the date as may be determined by the commission.
  (c) Pending that use, the escrowed proceeds may be invested and reinvested by the commission or its trustee in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, or in certificates of deposit or time deposits secured by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, maturing at a time or times appropriate to ensure the prompt payment of principal, interest, and redemption premium, if any, of the outstanding bonds to be so refunded. The interest, income, and profits, if any, earned or realized on the investment may also be applied to the payment of the outstanding bonds to be so refunded. After the terms of the escrow have been fully satisfied and carried out, any balance of the proceeds and interest, income, and profits, if any, earned or realized on the investment thereof may be returned to the commission for use by it in any lawful manner.
  (d) The provisions of this article for the issuance and sale of bonds apply to the issuance and sale of refunding bonds.
(a) The commission may borrow money in anticipation of the sale of bonds which have been authorized pursuant to this article, but which have not been sold and delivered, and may issue negotiable bond anticipation notes therefor and may renew the bond anticipation notes from time to time, but the maximum maturity of any bond anticipation notes, including the renewals thereof, shall not exceed five years from the date of delivery of the original bond anticipation notes.
  (b) The bond anticipation notes, and the interest thereon, may be paid from any moneys of the commission available therefor, including the revenues from the retail transactions and use taxes imposed pursuant to this article. If not previously otherwise paid, the bond anticipation notes, or any portion thereof, or the interest thereon, shall be paid from the proceeds of the next sale of the bonds of the commission in anticipation of which the notes were issued.
  (c) The bond anticipation notes shall not be issued in any amount in excess of the aggregate amount of bonds which the commission has been authorized to issue, less the amount of any bonds of the authorized issued previously sold, and also less the amount of other bond anticipation notes therefor issued and then outstanding. The bond anticipation notes shall be issued and sold in the same manner as the bonds.
  (d) The bond anticipation notes and the resolution or resolution authorizing them may contain provisions, conditions, or limitations which a resolution of the commission authorizing the issuance of bonds may contain.
Any bonds issued under provisions of this article shall be legal investment for all trust funds, for the funds of insurance companies, commercial and savings banks, and trust companies, and for state school funds. Whenever any money or funds may, by any law now or hereafter enacted, be invested in bonds of cities, cities and counties, counties, school districts, or other districts within the state, those moneys or funds may be invested in the bonds issued under this article. Whenever bonds of cities, cities and counties, counties, school districts, or other districts within this state may, by any law now or hereafter enacted, be used as security for the performance of any act or the deposit of any public moneys, the bonds issued under this article may be so used. This article shall be in addition to all other laws relating to legal investments and shall be controlling as the latest expression of the Legislature with respect thereto.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
  (a) The commission and its revenues are exempt from all taxes on, or measured by, income.
  (b) Bonds issued by the commission are exempt from all property taxation, and the interest on the bonds is exempt from all taxes on income.
  (c) All property owned by the commission is exempt from property taxes, assessments, and other public charges secured by liens.
(a) Bonds issued under this chapter do not constitute a debt or liability of the state or of any other public agency, other than the commission, or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state or of any other public agency, other than the commission, but shall be payable solely from the funds provided therefor. All the bonds shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the following effect: "Neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State of California or any public agency, other than the Orange County Regional Justice Facilities Commission, is pledged to the payment of the principal of, or interest on, this bond."
  (b) The issuance of bonds under this chapter does not in any manner obligate the state or any other public agency thereof to levy, or to pledge any form of, taxation therefor or to make any appropriation for their payment.
Neither the members of the board of directors of the commission, nor any person executing the bonds, are liable personally on the bonds, or are subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance thereof.
Any action or proceeding wherein the validity of the adoption of the retail transactions and use tax ordinance provided for in this article or the issuance of any bonds thereunder or any of the proceedings in relation thereto is contested, questioned, or denied, shall be commenced pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 860) of Title 10 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and shall be commenced within six months from the date of the election at which the ordinance is approved; otherwise, the bonds and all proceedings in relation thereto, including the adoption and approval of the ordinance and the retail transactions and use tax provided for therein, shall be held to be valid and in every respect legal and incontestable.
The county and each city within the county are authorized to contribute to the commission such amounts as the county and each city, in their discretion, deem appropriate. These amounts may be used by the commission for any lawful purpose. The commission may commit to repay any portion or all of the amounts contributed, together with interest thereon at a rate not exceeding the interest rate specified from time to time in Section 53531 or the Government Code, from any lawful source, including, but not limited to, revenues derived from the retail transactions and use tax ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter.
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.