Article 2.5. Additional Stockton Port District Bonds of California Harbors And Navigation Code >> Division 8. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 2.5.

Pursuant to this article, the Stockton Port District may also create an additional bonded debt up to but not in excess of 3 percent of the assessed value of all taxable real and personal property within the district.

This bonded indebtedness may be created solely for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition or construction of revenue-producing harbor improvements of a self-liquidating character.

All bonds issued pursuant to this article shall be authorized by ordinance passed by two-thirds of all of the members of the board concurred in by ordinance of the Stockton City Council. But an election need not be held within the district and it is unnecessary to secure the approval of the electors within the district for the issuance of bonds for the purposes and within the limitations of this article.

The bonds shall be payable within 30 years from their date and shall mature serially at such times as may be fixed by the board, but the earliest maturity of the principal of the bonds shall be fixed at a date not more than 10 years from the date of issue.

The bonds may be issued in such denominations as the board determines, except that no bond shall be of a denomination less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor of a greater denomination than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The bonds shall be payable on the day and at the place or places fixed in such bonds, with interest at the rate specified in the bonds, which rate shall not be in excess of 7 percent per annum of the face amount, payable annually or semiannually. The board may provide for redemption of the bonds before maturity at prices and upon terms and conditions determined by it. A bond shall not be subject to call or redemption prior to maturity unless it contains a recital on its face to that effect.

If any officer whose signature or countersignature appears on the bonds or coupons ceases to be an officer before the delivery of the bonds to the purchaser, his signature or countersignature is nevertheless as valid and sufficient for all purposes as if he had remained in office. The bonds may be issued and sold by the board for not less than their par value and accrued interest to date of delivery, at such time and under such conditions as may be designated by the board. The proceeds shall be placed in the treasury of the district to the credit of the proper improvement fund and applied exclusively to the objects and purposes mentioned in the ordinance.

The form of the bonds shall be prescribed by the board and they shall be signed by the officer or officers that the board designates. The coupons appertaining to the bonds shall be numbered consecutively and shall be signed by the facsimile signature of the officer or officers that the board has designated.

The income and revenue derived or to be realized from the harbor improvement acquired or to be acquired from the proceeds of the bonds shall be deposited in a special fund and kept separate and apart from all other revenues of the district. It shall be applied, firstly, to the creation of an interest fund, herein designated as "interest fund," for the payment of the annual interest due or to become due upon the bonds during the next ensuing fiscal year and before the time for the fixing of the next general tax levy in the county in which the district is located.

The special fund shall be applied, secondly, to the creation of a sinking fund, herein designated as "sinking fund," to provide for the payment of the principal of the bonds at or before their maturity date or dates.

Any additional revenues over and above the amounts required to be deposited in the interest fund and the sinking fund, may be deposited in an operation fund, herein designated as "operation fund," to be applied to the costs of operation and maintenance, including reasonable repairs and depreciation, of the particular revenue-producing harbor improvement acquired by the issuance and sale of the bonds.

Surplus revenues in the operation fund may be deposited either in the interest fund or the sinking fund, but money allocated to the interest fund or the sinking fund shall not be transferred to any other fund or used for any other purpose than the payment of the bonds and the interest thereon so long as the bonds are outstanding.

The board, in and by the ordinance authorizing the issuance of the bonds, shall hypothecate and allocate all of the revenues to be realized from the revenue-producing harbor improvement to be acquired or constructed from the proceeds of the bonds to the payment of both principal and interest. The allocation and hypothecation is irrevocable until all bonds and the accrued interest thereon are paid. The allocation and hypothecation shall be made in each case for the exclusive benefit of the bonds to be issued for the purpose of acquiring or constructing the particular revenue-producing harbor improvement, and as additional security for the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds. But the allocation and hypothecation do not constitute the exclusive source of payment. The bonds constitute general obligations of the district and both principal and interest may be paid from any money or sources of revenue of any kind, including taxes, on hand and available for that purpose.

Whenever the revenues of the district are, or in the opinion of the board will be insufficient to provide for the payment in full of the principal or interest on the bonds, the board may, and if the revenues in the interest fund are insufficient to meet the next ensuing fiscal year's interest on the bonds issued and then outstanding or if the moneys in the sinking fund are insufficient to pay or provide for the payment of any bonds maturing during the next ensuing fiscal year, it shall cause a tax to be levied and collected, upon all of the taxable property in the district, sufficient to meet all sums coming due for principal and interest on the bonds during the next ensuing fiscal year and before the time for fixing the next general tax levy in the county in which the district is located. The tax shall be levied and collected annually in the manner provided by Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6360) of this part, and shall be in addition to all other taxes authorized to be levied and collected. When collected, the tax shall not be used for any purpose other than the payment of the bonds and the accruing interest thereon.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that because of the unique, complex problems existing with respect to the Stockton Port District, as a large inland port district, it is necessary that special legislation be enacted to authorize additional, limited financing provisions for said port district, and that a general law cannot be made applicable.