Article 8. Powers Of Public Agencies of California Water Code >> Division 6. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 8.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, every public agency empowered by law to construct and operate a project, as defined in Section 12881.2, is hereby granted, in addition to and not in derogation or limitation of the powers conferred upon the public agency by any other law, the powers specified in this article.

A public agency may borrow money from and repay the same with interest to the state in accordance with this chapter on behalf of the entire public agency or of any portion or portions thereof for which the law applicable to the agency authorizes an indebtedness or liability to be incurred, including any improvement district, distribution district, or zone within the public agency, notwithstanding any debt limitation or other provision in the law applicable to such agency which might otherwise preclude or limit such borrowing.

A public agency may enter into a contract with the department, on behalf of the entire public agency, or of any portion or portions thereof referred to in Section 12887.1, for a loan or grant under this chapter or for participation by the state in a local project under Article 7 (commencing with Section 12886) of this chapter and to use the loan or grant contracted for as an additional or alternative means of financing the project proposed by the public agency.

A public agency may comply with the provisions of any contract entered into with the department under this chapter, including any provision which obligates the public agency, or any specified portion or portions thereof, to meet all commitments, financial or otherwise, undertaken by the public agency in such contract notwithstanding any individual default by its constituents or others in the payment to the public agency of taxes, assessments, tolls, or other charges levied by the public agency.

A public agency may include recreation and enhancement of fish and wildlife, or either of them, as functions of a project which the public agency is empowered by law to construct and operate, and may construct and operate the project for such recreation and enhancement of fish and wildlife functions, or either of them, in accordance with the provisions of a grant contract entered into with the department, including provisions for public use of the project facilities for fishing and other recreational activities.

A public agency may construct and operate such onshore recreational facilities, fish and wildlife enhancement facilities or other facilities as the department or the Legislature may require in connection with a grant to the public agency under this chapter, and may construct and operate such facilities in accordance with the provisions of a grant contract entered into with the department, including provisions for public use of such facilities for fishing and other recreational activities.

A public agency may annually levy or cause to be levied upon all property in the public agency, or in any portion or portions thereof, subject to taxation or assessment by the public agency an ad valorem tax or assessment, based upon the assessed valuation of such property, necessary and sufficient to meet all commitments, financial or otherwise, of the public agency that are set forth in any contract which the agency enters into with the department under this chapter, in addition to any other taxes or assessments which the public agency is authorized to levy or cause to be levied on such property and notwithstanding any provision in the law applicable to such agency which might otherwise preclude or limit such taxing or assessing. Where the law applicable to such public agency does not set forth a procedure for levying and collecting taxes or assessments on an ad valorem basis, such public agency shall utilize the procedure for levying and collecting taxes for the payment of principal and interest on general obligation bonds of municipal water districts, set forth in the Municipal Water District Law of 1911 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 71000) of this code), as it may now or hereafter be amended, for the purpose of levying and collecting taxes or assessments necessary and sufficient to meet commitments in a contract entered into under this chapter.

A public agency may make charges for the furnishing of services from the project for which the public agency receives financial assistance under this chapter and may pledge and use any or all revenues received from the collection of such charges for the purpose of meeting the commitments, financial or otherwise, of the public agency that are set forth in any contract which the public agency enters into with the department under this chapter.

A public agency is hereby granted the power to bring an action in the superior court of the county in which the office of such agency is situated to determine the validity of any contract made with the department under this chapter and the authority of the public agency to enter into the contract. The action shall be had as in the case of the judicial determination of the validity of the public agency's bonds, as nearly as the same may be applicable, and with like effect. Where the law applicable to such agency does not set forth a procedure for the judicial determination of the validity of the public agency's bonds, the action shall be had as in the case of the judicial determination of the general obligation bonds of irrigation districts under the Irrigation District Law (Division 11 (commencing with Section 20500) of this code), as it may now or hereafter be amended, as nearly as the same may be applicable, and with like effect.

Whenever a public agency is required to have legal counsel in connection with any of its activities pursuant to this chapter, it may use the services of the district attorney or county counsel of the county in which it is located.

A public agency may perform all acts and do all things that are necessary or convenient to carry out the powers specified in this article.