Article 5. Transactions And Use Tax of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 12.7. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 5.

The Legislature, by the enactment of this article, intends the additional funds provided government agencies by this article to supplement existing local revenues being used for public transportation purposes. The government agencies are further encouraged to maintain their existing commitment of local funds for public transportation purposes.

A retail transactions and use tax ordinance applicable in the incorporated and unincorporated territory of the county shall be imposed by the commission in accordance with Section 132307 and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, if two-thirds of the electors voting on the measure vote to approve its imposition at a special election called for that purpose by the commission. The tax ordinance shall take effect at the close of the polls on the day of election at which the proposition is adopted. The initial collection of the transactions and use tax shall take place in accordance with Section 132304. If, at any time, the voters do not approve the imposition of the transactions and use tax, this chapter remains in full force and effect. The commission may, at any time thereafter, submit the same, or a different, measure to the voters in accordance with this chapter.

The commission, in the ordinance, shall state the nature of the tax to be imposed, the tax rate or the maximum tax rate, the purposes for which the revenue derived from the tax will be used, and may set a term during which the tax will be imposed. The purposes for which the tax revenues will be used may include, but are not limited to, the administration of this chapter, including legal actions related thereto, the construction, capital acquisition, maintenance, and operation of streets, roads, and highways, including state highways, and the construction, maintenance, and operation of public transit systems, including exclusive public mass transit guideway systems. These purposes include expenditures for the planning, environmental reviews, engineering and design costs, and related right-of-way acquisition. The ordinance shall contain an expenditure plan which shall include the allocation of revenues for the purposes authorized by this section.

(a) The county shall conduct an election called by the commission pursuant to Section 132301.
  (b) The election shall be called and conducted in the same manner as provided by law for the conduct of elections by a county.

(a) Any transactions and use tax ordinance adopted pursuant to this article shall be operative on the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than 110 days after adoption of the ordinance.
  (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 revenues from the taxes imposed pursuant to this article may be allocated by the commission for public transportation purposes consistent with the adopted regional transportation improvement program and the regional transportation plan.

If taxes are imposed pursuant to this article for expenditure for public transit purposes, the commission shall allocate revenues derived therefrom to the transit development boards for allocation within their respective areas of jurisdiction for transit purposes consistent with the adopted regional transportation improvement program and the regional transportation plan.

(a) The commission, subject to the approval of the voters, may impose a maximum tax rate of 1 percent under this chapter and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and the commission may state the maximum tax rate in terms of not to exceed 1 percent, or any lesser percentage thereof. The commission shall not levy the tax at a rate other than 1 percent or three-fourths, one-half, or one-fourth of 1 percent, unless specifically authorized by the Legislature.
  (b) The tax rate adopted pursuant to this article, unless otherwise prohibited, may be increased by the commission by ordinance adopted in the manner and by the vote stated in Section 132301 and approved by a majority of the electors voting on the measure at an election called for that purpose by the commission.

The commission may reduce a tax rate to percentages lower than that approved by the voters and may further provide for an increase of the tax rate if it has previously been lowered. However, the tax rate may not be increased to a rate above the tax rate approved by the voters. Any revised tax rate may be adopted only if the commission determines, by a two-thirds vote, that the proceeds of the taxes with the altered tax rate will be sufficient to provide for the payment of principal of, and interest on, any limited tax bonds and any other indebtedness incurred by the commission which was to be payable from the proceeds of the retail transactions and use tax.

(a) The commission, as part of the ballot proposition to approve the imposition of a retail transactions and use tax, shall seek authorization to issue bonds payable from the proceeds of the tax and establish the appropriations limit of the commission.
  (b) The maximum bonded indebtedness which may be outstanding at any one time shall be an amount equal to the sum of the principal of, and interest on, the bonds, but not to exceed the estimated proceeds of the transactions and use tax for a period of not more than the number of years for which the transactions and use tax authorized by this article is to be imposed.

(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 from the proceeds of the tax. The bonds shall be referred to as "limited tax bonds." The bonds may be secured by a pledge of revenues from the proceeds of the tax.
  (b) 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 taxes for "pay-as-you-go" financing, except to the extent that the priority is expressly restricted in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds.

The commission may provide for the bonds to bear a variable interest rate, for the manner and intervals in which the rate shall vary, and for the dates on which the interest shall be payable.

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. The commission may from time to time issue bonds in accordance with the Revenue Bond Law of 1941 (Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 54300) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code), for the purposes set forth in the ordinance adopted pursuant to Section 132302, which shall constitute an "enterprise" within the meaning of Section 54309 of the Government Code. Article 3 (commencing with Section 54380) of Chapter 6 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code and the limitations on the rate of interest set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 54402 of the Government Code do not apply to the issuance and sale of bonds pursuant to this chapter. Instead, the commission shall authorize the issuance of bonds by resolution, which resolution shall specify all of the following:
  (a) The purposes for which the bonds are to be issued.
  (b) The maximum principal amount of the bonds.
  (c) The maximum term for the bonds.
  (d) The maximum rate of interest to be payable upon the bonds shall not exceed the maximum rate permitted for bonds of the commission by Section 53531 of the Government Code or any other applicable provisions of law. In the case of bonds bearing a variable interest rate, the variable rate shall on no day exceed the maximum rate permitted for bonds of the commission on that day by Section 53531 of the Government Code or any other applicable provisions of law. However, the variable interest rate so permitted may on any day exceed that maximum rate if the interest paid on the bonds from their date of original issuance to that day does not exceed the total interest which would have been permitted to have been paid on the bonds if the bonds had borne interest at all times from the date of issuance to that day at the maximum rate permitted from time to time by Section 53531 of the Government Code or any other applicable provisions of law.
  (e) The maximum discount on the sale of the bonds. However, the bonds shall not be sold at less than 95 percent of the principal amount in the manner determined by the commission. Each resolution shall provide for the issuance of bonds in the amounts as may be necessary, until the full amount of the bonds authorized has been issued. The full amount of bonds may be divided into two or more series with different dates of payment fixed for the bonds of each series. A bond need not mature on its anniversary date.

Any bonds issued pursuant to this article are a 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, counties, school districts, or other districts within the state, those funds may be invested in the bonds issued pursuant to this article, and whenever bonds of cities, 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 money, the bonds issued pursuant to this article may be so used. The provisions of this article are in addition to all other laws relating to legal investments and shall be controlling as the latest expression of the Legislature with respect thereto.

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 within six months from the date of the election at wich the ordinance is approved; otherwise, the bonds and all proceedings in relation thereto, including the adoption and approval of the ordinance, shall be held to be valid and in every respect legal and incontestable.

The commission has no power to impose any tax other than the transactions and use tax imposed upon approval of the voters in accordance with this chapter.