Article 6. Tax Rate Limit Elections of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 1. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 6.

For the purposes of this article, the term "qualified voter of the local agency" means a voter who meets the specific qualifications, if any, set forth for voters of that local agency for other purposes. If no such specific qualifications exist, the term means a registered voter, as defined in the Elections Code, residing within the area within which the election will be held; if there are no registered voters within that area, the term means a landowner, in which case each landowner shall have one vote. If such landowner is a partnership, joint tenancy or tenancy in common, the vote to which such landowner is entitled may be cast by any of the partners, joint tenants or tenants in common; provided that only one such vote shall be cast on behalf of the landowner. If such landowner is a corporation, the vote to which such corporation is entitled may be cast by any officer of such corporation who is empowered to act on behalf of the corporation. As used in this section "landowner" means any person or corporation shown on the last equalized assessment roll as the owner of land; provided that where such person or corporation is no longer the owner, the term shall mean any person or corporation entitled to be shown as the owner on the next assessment roll.

(a) No local agency formed after the effective date of this chapter shall levy, or have levied on its behalf, any property tax rate, except an additional property tax rate authorized pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 2270) of this chapter, unless a maximum property tax rate has been approved for such agency. If an election is held on the formation of a local agency, the maximum property tax rate for such agency shall be included in describing the local agency on the ballot in the formation question.
  (b) In the event that a local agency which was in existence on the effective date of this chapter desires to change its maximum property tax rate, the governing body of such agency shall call a special election, pursuant to the provisions of this article, to approve a new maximum property tax rate for the agency.
  (c) No maximum property tax rate described in subdivision (a) or (b) shall be approved except by a majority vote of the qualified voters of that local agency voting on the issue.
  (d) Subdivisions (a), (b) and (c) of this section shall not apply to an improvement district formed prior to, or after, the effective date of this chapter for the purpose of levying an ad valorem tax as defined in Section 2202 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for the purpose of apportioning the costs of facilities and services made available by a local agency, so long as the total property tax rate within such improvement district does not exceed the maximum rate which could be levied upon the property therein by a local agency without regard to the existence of such improvement district.
  (e) Subdivisions (a), (b) and (c) shall not apply to an improvement district formed for the purpose of issuing bonds if the issuance of such bonds has been approved by the electorate of such improvement district.

Whenever a local agency is formed without an election, there may be submitted to the agency declaring the formation, at the time of formation or within 30 days thereafter, consents to maximum property tax rate from all of the qualified voters of the local agency and, upon receipt of all consents, the maximum tax rate shall be declared approved by the agency declaring formation. All consents to maximum tax rate shall be on forms provided by the agency declaring formation and shall contain substantially the language that would appear on the ballot if a maximum property tax rate election were to be held. Each consent shall show the name and address of the qualified voter, whose signature must be notarized. All consents shall be for the same maximum property tax rate. The county clerk shall verify the signatures on all consents and that the consents constitute all of the qualified voters in the local agency prior to a declaration of approval of the maximum property tax rate.

A maximum property tax rate election held by a local agency formed under a law that does not provide a procedure for elections shall be conducted by the county elections official, as follows:
  (a) The election shall be held not less than 74 days nor more than 120 days following the call of the election by the governing body of the local agency. The call of the election shall specify whether the election shall be by mailed ballots or not.
  (b) Not less than 15 days nor more than 30 days before the election, the county elections official shall compile the index of voters eligible to vote in the election as of the 30th day preceding the election, establish the election board, precinct boards, and precincts, as needed, and mail out the ballots or sample ballots.
  (c) Except as provided herein, an election subject to this section shall be called, conducted, and canvassed as provided in the Elections Code for the calling, conducting, and canvassing of general elections.
  (d) The local agency shall reimburse the county in full for the services performed by the county clerk upon presentation of a bill to the local agency.
  (e) If the governing body of a local agency authorizes the use of mailed ballots pursuant to Section 2287, the procedure to be used in mailing and canvassing the ballots shall be the procedure prescribed in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 3000) of Division 3 and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 15000) of Division 15 of the Elections Code for the mailing and canvassing of vote by mail ballots. However, a ballot shall be mailed to each qualified voter and an application for a ballot shall not be required.

Whenever possible, elections to approve maximum property tax rates shall be consolidated with other elections. In the event that an election to approve a maximum property tax rate is not consolidated with another election, the governing body calling the election shall state, in the resolution calling the election, the reasons why such consolidation is impracticable.