Chapter 5. Transactions And Use Tax of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 15.5. >> Chapter 5.

The Legislature, by the enactment of this chapter, intends the additional funds provided government agencies by this chapter 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 shall be imposed by the authority in accordance with Section 150206 and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, if a majority of the electors voting on the measure vote to approve its imposition at special elections called for that purpose by the county and city, respectively. Those elections shall be consolidated. The ordinances shall take effect at the close of the polls on the day of election at which the measures are adopted, to impose the tax at the same rate. The initial collection of the retail transactions and use tax shall take place in accordance with Section 150204. If, at any time, the voters do not approve an ordinance imposing the retail transactions and use tax, the same or a different measure imposing that tax may, at any time thereafter, be submitted to the voters.

The retail transactions and use tax 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, not to exceed 15 years, 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 division, including legal actions related thereto, the construction, capital acquisition, maintenance, and operation of streets, roads, and highways, including state highways. These purposes include expenditures for the planning, environmental reviews, engineering and design costs, and related right-of-way acquisition. The ordinance shall reference an expenditure plan which shall include the allocation of revenues for the purposes authorized by this section.

(a) The county shall conduct the elections called pursuant to Section 150201.
  (b) The elections shall be called and conducted in the same manner as provided by law for the conduct of elections by a county.

(a) Any retail transactions and use tax ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter shall be operative on the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than 120 days after adoption of the ordinance.
  (b) An increase in the tax rate, adopted by the electors' approval of an ordinance pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 150206, or a decrease in the tax rate adopted by the authority pursuant to Section 150207, shall be operative on the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than 120 days after approval by the electors or adoption by the authority, as the case may be.
  (c) Prior to the operative date of the ordinance, the authority shall contract with the State Board of Equalization to perform all functions incident to the administration and operation of the ordinance.

(a) Revenues from the retail transactions and use tax imposed pursuant to this chapter shall be allocated by the authority for public transportation purposes consistent with the expenditure plan referenced in the ordinance imposing the tax. The authority, by a four-fifths vote of its members, may revise that expenditure plan after conducting noticed public hearings on the proposed revision.
  (b) The amounts allocated to projects within the county and the city, respectively, shall be proportionate to the revenues derived from the tax collected within each of the respective jurisdictions.

(a) The authority, subject to the approval of the voters, may impose a maximum tax rate of 1 percent under this division and Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and the authority may state the maximum tax rate at 1 percent or one-half of 1 percent. The authority shall not levy the retail transactions and use tax at a rate other than 1 percent or one-half of 1 percent, unless specifically authorized by the Legislature.
  (b) The tax rate adopted pursuant to this chapter, unless otherwise prohibited, may be increased by the authority by ordinance adopted in the manner and by the vote stated in Sections 150201 and approved by a majority of the electors voting on the measure at an election called for that purpose.

The authority may reduce the tax rate to a percentage 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 authority determines, by a four-fifths vote of its members, that the proceeds of the taxes with the altered tax rate will be sufficient to provide for the payment of the principal of, and interest on, any limited tax bonds and any other indebtedness incurred by the authority which was to be payable from the proceeds of the retail transactions and use tax.

(a) A ballot proposition to approve an ordinance for 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 authority.
  (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 tax for a period of not more than the number of years for which the tax authorized by this chapter 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 authority 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 the tax to the limited tax bonds authorized under this chapter 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 authority 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 authority by a four-fifths vote of all of its members. The authority 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 150202, 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 of the sale of bonds pursuant to this division. Instead, the authority shall authorize the issuance of bonds by resolution, which 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 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 on that day 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 authority. 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 chapter 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 this state, that money or funds may be invested in the bonds issued under this chapter, 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 chapter may be so used. The provisions of this chapter are in addition to all other laws relating to legal investment 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 chapter 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 which 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 may not impose any tax other than the retail transactions and use tax imposed upon approval of the voters in accordance with this division.