SECTIONS 13201-13212

13201.  A district may from time to time incur a bonded indebtednessas provided in this chapter to pay the cost of acquiring,constructing, or completing the whole or any portion of any utilityor works referred to in this division, or for acquiring any works,lands, structures, rights, or other property necessary or convenientto carry out the objects, purposes, or powers of the district.13202.  Whenever the board by resolution passed by vote oftwo-thirds of all its members determines that the public interest ornecessity demands the acquisition, construction, or completion by thedistrict of any public utility or utilities referred to in thisdivision or any works, lands, structures, rights, or other propertynecessary or convenient to carry out the objects, purposes, or powersof the district, the cost of which will be too great to be paid outof the ordinary annual income and revenue of the district, it may atany subsequent meeting of the board provide for the submission of theproposition of incurring a bonded indebtedness for the purpose setforth in the resolution to the voters of the district at a specialbond election held for that purpose.13203.  In lieu of a resolution passed by the board, proceedings forthe issuance of bonds for the purposes provided in this chapter maybe initiated by petition of the voters of the district.13204.  Whenever any petition signed by voters within the districtequal in number to at least 15 percent of the total vote cast ispresented to the board asking for the acquisition, construction, orcompletion of the whole or any portion of any utility or worksreferred to in this division or for acquiring any works, lands,structures, rights, or other property necessary or convenient tocarry out the objects, purposes, or powers of the district, and alsoasking that a bonded indebtedness be incurred to pay for the costthereof, the secretary of the district shall immediately examine andverify the signatures of the petition and certify the result of theexamination to the board.13205.  If the required number of signatures is found to be genuine,the secretary shall transmit to the board an authentic copy of thepetition without the signatures.13206.  Upon receiving a petition with the certificate of thesecretary stating that it contains the required number of signatures,the board shall formulate for submission to the voters of thedistrict at a special bond election called for that purpose theproposition of incurring a bonded indebtedness for the purposes setforth in the petition. In its discretion the board may defer thecalling of the election until the next general election to be held inthe district in order to consolidate them.13207.  The ordinance calling a special bond election shall fix thedate on which the election will be held, and the manner of holdingthe election and of voting for or against incurring the indebtedness.It shall also recite the objects and purposes for which theindebtedness is proposed to be incurred, the estimated cost of theutility, works, lands, structures, rights, or other property proposedto be acquired, constructed, or completed, the amount of theprincipal of the indebtedness to be incurred therefor, and themaximum rate of interest to be paid on the indebtedness, which shallnot exceed 8 percent per annum, payable semiannually. If, however,the rate of interest to be paid on the indebtedness does not exceed 41/2 percent per annum, payable semiannually, the rate of interestneed not be recited in the ordinance.13208.  Propositions for incurring indebtedness for more than oneobject or purpose may be submitted at the same election.13209.  All special bond elections held in even-numbered years shallbe consolidated with the direct primary or general election. Allspecial bond elections held in odd-numbered years shall be held onthe first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and may be heldseparately, or may be consolidated with any other election authorizedby law at which the voters of the district may vote. When a specialbond election is consolidated with a statewide primary or a generalelection, the board shall in the ordinance calling the special bondelection consolidate it with the statewide primary or the generalelection to be held at the same time in the respective counties inwhich the district is located and authorize the respective boards ofsupervisors to canvass the returns and certify the result of thecanvass to the board; it shall be the duty of the board or boards ofsupervisors to so consolidate the election, canvass the returns, andcause the result thereof to be properly certified to the board. If aspecial bond election is consolidated with any other election, theprovisions of this chapter setting forth the procedure for thecalling and holding of the special bond election shall be compliedwith, except that the ordinance calling the election need not setforth the election precincts, polling places, and officers ofelection, but may provide that the precincts, polling places, andofficers of election shall be the same as those set forth in theordinance, notice, or other proceedings calling the election withwhich the special bond election is consolidated, and shall refer tothe ordinance, notice, or other proceedings by number and title, orby other definite description.13210.  The ordinance shall be published, and no other notice ofelection need be given.13211.  The votes of two-thirds of all the voters voting on theproposition at the election are required to authorize the issuance ofbonds under this chapter.13212.  If the proposition submitted at a special bond electionfails to receive the requisite number of votes, the board shall notwithin six months after the election hold another special electionfor the submission of a proposition of incurring a bondedindebtedness substantially the same as the proposition voted upon atthe prior election unless a petition signed by voters within thedistrict equal in number to at least 15 percent of the total votecast is filed with the board, requesting that the proposition, or aproposition substantially the same, be submitted at an election to becalled for that purpose.