6.
(a)Except as provided in sections 3.7 and
3.8 of this chapter, this section applies only to a controlled project
described in section 3.5(a) of this chapter.
(b)In the case of a controlled project:
(1)described in section 3.5(a)(1)(A) through 3.5(a)(1)(C) of this
chapter, if a sufficient petition requesting the application of the
local public question process has been filed as set forth in section
3.5 of this chapter; or
(2)described in section 3.5(a)(1)(E) (before its expiration) or
3.5(a)(1)(F) of this chapter;
a political subdivision may not impose property taxes to pay debt
service on bonds or lease rentals on a lease for a controlled project
unless the political subdivision's proposed debt service or lease rental
is approved in an election on a local public question held under
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6. (a) Except as provided in sections 3.7 and
3.8 of this chapter, this section applies only to a controlled project
described in section 3.5(a) of this chapter.
(b) In the case of a controlled project:
(1) described in section 3.5(a)(1)(A) through 3.5(a)(1)(C) of this
chapter, if a sufficient petition requesting the application of the
local public question process has been filed as set forth in section
3.5 of this chapter; or
(2) described in section 3.5(a)(1)(E) (before its expiration) or
3.5(a)(1)(F) of this chapter;
a political subdivision may not impose property taxes to pay debt
service on bonds or lease rentals on a lease for a controlled project
unless the political subdivision's proposed debt service or lease rental
is approved in an election on a local public question held under this
section.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (k), the following question
shall be submitted to the eligible voters at the election conducted under
this section:
"Shall ________ (insert the name of the political subdivision)
increase property taxes paid to the _______ (insert the type of
political subdivision) for no more than ______ (insert the number
of years immediately following the holding of the referendum)
years for the purpose of funding _______ (insert a brief
description of the project use or purpose) for which the principal
debt amount for the project will cost no more than ______ (insert
the total cost of the project principal amount) and the financing
cost including interest and fees will cost no more than an
additional ______ (insert the total financing costs including
interest and fees) and is estimated to increase the property taxes
paid to the ______ (insert the type of political subdivision) by
imposing a property tax rate that results in a maximum annual
amount that does not exceed ______ (insert maximum amount of
annual levy). If this capital referendum public question is
approved by the voters, for a median residence of ______ (insert
the political subdivision's median household assessed value,
rounded up to the next fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)), the
property's annual property tax bill would increase by ______
(insert dollar amount, rounded up to the next whole dollar) per
year.".
The public question must appear on the ballot in the form approved by
the county election board. If the political subdivision proposing to issue
bonds or enter into a lease is located in more than one (1) county, the
county election board of each county shall jointly approve the form of
the public question that will appear on the ballot in each county. The
form approved by the county election board may differ from the
language certified to the county election board by the county auditor.
If the county election board approves the language of a public question
under this subsection, the county election board shall submit the
language and the certification of the county auditor to the department
of local government finance for review.
(d) The department of local government finance shall review the
language of the public question to evaluate whether the description of
the controlled project is accurate and is not biased against either a vote
in favor of the controlled project or a vote against the controlled
project. The department of local government finance may either
approve the ballot language as submitted or recommend that the ballot
language be modified as necessary to ensure that the description of the
controlled project is accurate and is not biased. The department of local
government finance shall certify its approval or recommendations to
the county auditor and the county election board not more than ten (10)
days after the language of the public question is submitted to the
department for review. If the department of local government finance
recommends a modification to the ballot language, the county election
board shall, after reviewing the recommendations of the department of
local government finance, submit modified ballot language to the
department for the department's approval or recommendation of any
additional modifications. The public question may not be certified by
the county auditor under subsection (e) unless the department of local
government finance has first certified the department's final approval
of the ballot language for the public question.
(e) The county auditor shall certify the finally approved public
question to the county election board of each county in which the
political subdivision is located. The certification must occur not later
than noon August 1. Subject to the certification requirements and
deadlines under this subsection and except as provided in subsection
(j), the public question shall be placed on the ballot at the next general
election.
(f) The circuit court clerk shall certify the results of the public
question to the following:
(1) The county auditor of each county in which the political
subdivision is located.
(2) The department of local government finance.
(g) Subject to the requirements of IC 6-1.1-18.5-8, the political
subdivision may issue the proposed bonds or enter into the proposed
lease rental if a majority of the eligible voters voting on the public
question vote in favor of the public question.
(h) If a majority of the eligible voters voting on the public question
vote in opposition to the public question, both of the following apply:
(1) The political subdivision may not issue the proposed bonds or
enter into the proposed lease rental.
(2) Another public question under this section on the same or a
substantially similar project may not be submitted to the voters
earlier than:
(A) except as provided in clause (B), seven hundred (700) days
after the date of the public question; or
(B) three hundred fifty (350) days after the date of the election,
if a petition that meets the requirements of subsection (m) is
submitted to the county auditor.
(i) IC 3, to the extent not inconsistent with this section, applies to an
election held under this section.
(j) A political subdivision may not divide a controlled project in
order to avoid the requirements of this section and section 3.5 of this
chapter. A person that owns property within a political subdivision or
a person that is a registered voter residing within a political subdivision
may file a petition with the department of local government finance
objecting that the political subdivision has divided a controlled project
into two (2) or more capital projects in order to avoid the requirements
of this section and section 3.5 of this chapter. The petition must be filed
not more than ten (10) days after the political subdivision gives notice
of the political subdivision's decision under section 3.5 of this chapter
or a determination under section 5 of this chapter to issue bonds or
enter into leases for a capital project that the person believes is the
result of a division of a controlled project that is prohibited by this
subsection. If the department of local government finance receives a
petition under this subsection, the department shall not later than thirty
(30) days after receiving the petition make a final determination on the
issue of whether the political subdivision divided a controlled project
in order to avoid the requirements of this section and section 3.5 of this
chapter. If the department of local government finance determines that
a political subdivision divided a controlled project in order to avoid the
requirements of this section and section 3.5 of this chapter and the
political subdivision continues to desire to proceed with the project, the
political subdivision may appeal the determination of the department
of local government finance to the Indiana board of tax review. A
political subdivision shall be considered to have divided a capital
project in order to avoid the requirements of this section and section
3.5 of this chapter if the result of one (1) or more of the subprojects
cannot reasonably be considered an independently desirable end in
itself without reference to another capital project. This subsection does
not prohibit a political subdivision from undertaking a series of capital
projects in which the result of each capital project can reasonably be
considered an independently desirable end in itself without reference
to another capital project.
(k) This subsection applies to a political subdivision for which a
petition requesting a public question has been submitted under section
3.5 of this chapter. The legislative body (as defined in IC 36-1-2-9) of
the political subdivision may adopt a resolution to withdraw a
controlled project from consideration in a public question. If the
legislative body provides a certified copy of the resolution to the county
auditor and the county election board not later than sixty-three (63)
days before the election at which the public question would be on the
ballot, the public question on the controlled project shall not be placed
on the ballot and the public question on the controlled project shall not
be held, regardless of whether the county auditor has certified the
public question to the county election board. If the withdrawal of a
public question under this subsection requires the county election
board to reprint ballots, the political subdivision withdrawing the
public question shall pay the costs of reprinting the ballots. If a political
subdivision withdraws a public question under this subsection that
would have been held at a special election and the county election
board has printed the ballots before the legislative body of the political
subdivision provides a certified copy of the withdrawal resolution to
the county auditor and the county election board, the political
subdivision withdrawing the public question shall pay the costs
incurred by the county in printing the ballots. If a public question on a
controlled project is withdrawn under this subsection, a public question
under this section on the same controlled project or a substantially
similar controlled project may not be submitted to the voters earlier
than three hundred fifty (350) days after the date the resolution
withdrawing the public question is adopted.
(l) If a public question regarding a controlled project is placed on
the ballot to be voted on at an election under this section, the political
subdivision shall submit to the department of local government finance,
at least thirty (30) days before the election, the following information
regarding the proposed controlled project for posting on the
department's website:
(1) The cost per square foot of any buildings being constructed as
part of the controlled project.
(2) The effect that approval of the controlled project would have
on the political subdivision's property tax rate.
(3) The maximum term of the bonds or lease.
(4) The maximum principal amount of the bonds or the maximum
lease rental for the lease.
(5) The estimated interest rates that will be paid and the total
interest costs associated with the bonds or lease.
(6) The purpose of the bonds or lease.
(7) In the case of a controlled project proposed by a school
corporation:
(A) the current and proposed square footage of school building
space per student;
(B) enrollment patterns within the school corporation; and
(C) the age and condition of the current school facilities.
(m) If a majority of the eligible voters voting on the public question
vote in opposition to the public question, a petition may be submitted
to the county auditor to request that the limit under subsection
(h)(2)(B) apply to the holding of a subsequent public question by the
political subdivision. If such a petition is submitted to the county
auditor and is signed by the lesser of:
(1) five hundred (500) persons who are either owners of property
within the political subdivision or registered voters residing
within the political subdivision; or
(2) five percent (5%) of the registered voters residing within the
political subdivision;
the limit under subsection (h)(2)(B) applies to the holding of a second
public question by the political subdivision and the limit under
subsection (h)(2)(A) does not apply to the holding of a second public
question by the political subdivision.