12-1215.   Budgets and tax levies in certain cities; increase in levy;petition; election.(a) In the cities of Topeka, Salina and Hutchinson, Kansas, in which afree public library has been established as provided by law,in addition to the powers and duties conferred by law, the board ofdirectors of the free public library shall prepare, publish and approvean annual budget for the maintenance and support of the free publiclibrary in the same manner as required by law applying to other taxingunits and shall annually levy a tax not to exceed 2.5 mills on each dollarof the assessed tangible valuation of theproperty of such city for the maintenance and support of such freepublic library. Whenever the board of directors determines that the taxcurrently being levied by such board is insufficient to maintain andsupport the library and such board desires to increase the mill levy abovethe current levy, such board may adopt a resolution declaring itnecessary to increase such annual levy in an amount which together withthe amount of the current levy shall not exceed a total of fourmills in any year.

      (b)   Whenever the board of directors of such free public library determinesthat the tax levy of four mills authorized by subsection (a) is insufficientto maintain and support the library, the board shall adopt a resolutiondeclaring it necessary to increase the annual levy by an additional amountnot to exceed 1/4 mill in any one year up to a total amount which shallnot exceed an amount equal to six mills in any year.

      (c)   Any suchresolution adopted under subsection (a) or (b) shall state the total amountof the tax to be levied forlibrary purposes and shall be published once each week for twoconsecutive weeks in the official city newspaper. Whereupon such annuallevy in an amount not to exceed the amount stated in the resolution maybe made for the ensuing budget year and each successive budget yearunless a petition requesting an election upon the proposition toincrease the tax levy in excess of the current tax levy, signed byelectors equal in number to not less than 5% of theelectors who voted at the last preceding regular city election, as shownby the poll books, is filed with the county election officer within 60days following the date of the last publication of theresolution. In the event a valid petition is filed, no such increasedlevy shall be made without such proposition having been submitted to andhaving been approved by a majority of the electors voting at an electioncalled and held thereon. All such elections shall be called and held inthe manner prescribed for the calling and holding of elections upon thequestion of the issuance of bonds under the general bond law. Suchtaxes shall be levied and collected in like manner as other taxes, whichlevy the clerk of such board of directors shall certify, on or before August 25of each year, to the county clerk who is hereby authorized andrequired to place the same on the tax roll of the county to becollected by the county treasurer and paid over by the county treasurer tothe treasurer of such board of directors.

      History:   L. 1943, ch. 110, § 1; L. 1947, ch. 120, § 1; L.1949, ch. 118, § 1; L. 1955, ch. 83, § 1; L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1; L.1961, ch. 71, § 1; L. 1965, ch. 102, § 1; L. 1977, ch. 59, § 1;L. 1981, ch. 68, § 1; May 19.