(1) Except as provided in
subsections (1.3), (1.4), and (1.6) of this section, the limit on bonded indebtedness of
a school district is the greater of the following:
(a) Twenty percent of the latest valuation for assessment of the taxable
property in such district, as certified by the county assessor to the board of county
commissioners; or
(b) Six percent of the most recent determination of the actual value of the
taxable property in the district, as certified by the county assessor to the board of
county commissioners.
(1.2) For bonded indebtedness issued after June 1, 2011, the valuation for
assessment of taxable property for the purposes of this section shall be the
valuation for assessment of taxable property in the district as it existed on the
December 10 prior to the date of issuance of the bonded indebtedness. The county
assessor for the board of county commissioners shall report the valuation for
assessment of taxable property in the district to the district and the department of
education on each December 10.
(1.3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this
section and except as provided in subsection (1.4) of this section, the limit on
bonded indebtedness of a school district is the greater of the limit determined
pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section or twenty-five percent of
the latest valuation for assessment of the taxable property in the district, as
certified by the county assessor to the board of county commissioners, for any
bonded indebtedness approved at any election held on or after July 1, 1994, but
before July 1, 2014, if the commissioner of education or the commissioner's
designee certifies that for each of the preceding three fiscal years, or for three
consecutive fiscal years that include the fiscal year in which the certification is
made, the pupil enrollment or the funded pupil count of the district as of the pupil
enrollment count day, whichever is applicable, has increased:
(a) By two and one-half percent or more over the preceding year, if the
district has a pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever is applicable, of at
least one thousand pupils;
(b) By twenty-five or more pupils over the preceding year, if the district has a
pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever is applicable, of less than one
thousand pupils.
(1.4) For any bonded indebtedness approved at the 2008 general election,
the limit on bonded indebtedness of a school district shall be the greater of the
limit determined pursuant to subsection (1.3) of this section or thirty percent of the
latest valuation for assessment of the taxable property in such district, as certified
by the county assessor to the board of county commissioners, if the commissioner
of education or the commissioner's designee certifies that for each of the preceding
three fiscal years, or for three consecutive fiscal years that include the fiscal year
in which the certification is made, the pupil enrollment or the funded pupil count of
the district as of the pupil enrollment count day, whichever is applicable, increased:
(a) By two and one-half percent or more over the preceding year, if the
district has a pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever is applicable, of at
least one thousand pupils; or
(b) By twenty-five or more pupils over the preceding year, if the district has a
pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever is applicable, of less than one
thousand pupils.
(1.5) The debt limit provided in subsection (1.3) or (1.6) of this section applies
to a district only as long as the conditions of subsection (1.3) or (1.6) of this section
are met. In a year in which the conditions of said subsection (1.3) or (1.6) are not met,
the debt limit is the limit set forth in subsection (1) of this section; except that the
validity of bonded indebtedness incurred in any year in which the debt limit in said
subsection (1.3) or (1.6) applies is not affected by a subsequent reduction in the
district's debt limit.
(1.6) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this
section and except as provided in subsection (1.4) of this section, the limit on
bonded indebtedness of a school district is the greater of the limit determined
pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section or twenty-five percent of
the latest valuation for assessment of the taxable property in the district, as
certified by the county assessor to the board of county commissioners, for bonded
indebtedness approved at an election held on or after July 1, 2014, if the
commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee certifies that:
(a) For a district that has a pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever
is applicable, of one thousand pupils or more, the average of the annual percentage
increases in the district's pupil enrollment or funded pupil count as of the pupil
enrollment count day for the three preceding fiscal years or the five preceding
fiscal years, whichever is higher, is at least two and one-half percent;
(b) For a district that has a pupil enrollment or funded pupil count, whichever
is applicable, of fewer than one thousand pupils, the average of the annual
increases in the district's pupil enrollment or funded pupil count as of the pupil
enrollment count day for the three preceding fiscal years or the five preceding
fiscal years, whichever is higher, is at least twenty-five pupils.
(2) The indebtedness of the former districts or parts of districts, constituting
any new district, shall not be considered in fixing the limit of bonded indebtedness;
but, if any school district shall assume the bonded indebtedness of any district or
districts, or a proportionate share thereof, existing at the time of inclusion in the
assuming school district, pursuant to law, such bonded indebtedness shall be
included in the limit of bonded indebtedness.
(3) The permission to incur additional bonded indebtedness, granted by the
property tax administrator in the division of property taxation of the department of
local affairs, and any school district bonds issued pursuant thereto on or after May
10, 1972, are hereby validated. This subsection (3) shall not be construed to grant
authority to incur bonded indebtedness in excess of the limit of bonded
indebtedness.
(4) The validity of bonded indebtedness incurred in any year shall not be
affected by a subsequent reduction in the district's limit of bonded indebtedness
caused by a decrease in the valuation for assessment or actual value of taxable
property in the district.
Source: L. 64: R&RE, p. 548, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 123-11-5. L. 70: p. 379, � 6. L.
72: p. 618, � 153. L. 73: p. 1277, � 5. L. 74: Entire section R&RE, p. 359, � 1, effective
February 2. L. 83: (1)(a) amended and (3) added, p. 760, � 1, effective May 26; (2)
added, p. 750, � 4, effective July 1. L. 88: (2) amended, p. 814, � 18, effective May 24. L. 90: IP(2)(a) amended, p. 1082, � 40, effective May 31. L. 91, 2nd Ex. Sess.: IP(2)(a)
amended, p. 30, � 9, effective October 18. L. 92: (2)(a)(I) and (2)(a)(II) amended, p.
552, � 31, effective May 28. L. 94: Entire section amended, p. 805, � 9, effective
April 27. L. 95: IP(1) amended and (1.3) and (1.5) added, p. 609, � 8, effective May 22. L. 96: IP(1.3) amended, p. 1796, � 12, effective June 4. L. 98: IP(1.3) and (1.3)(a)
amended, p. 963, � 2, effective May 27. L. 2005: IP(1.3) amended, p. 434, � 8,
effective April 29. L. 2007: (1.3) amended, p. 311, � 1, effective March 30; IP(1) and
IP(1.3) amended and (1.4) added, p. 633, � 1, effective August 3. L. 2011: (1.2) added,
(SB 11-230), ch. 305, p. 1467, � 7, effective June 9. L. 2012: IP(1.3) and IP(1.4)
amended, (HB 12-1090), ch. 44, p. 153, � 17, effective March 22. L. 2014: IP(1), IP(1.3),
and (1.5) amended and (1.6) added, (HB 14-1298), ch. 244, p. 923, � 8, effective May
21.