19-3622.   Same; budget notice, hearing, approval by board of countycommissioners; tax levies.(a) The governing body of the fire district shall prepare an annual budgetfor theoperation of the fire district. Prior to the adoption of its budget, thegoverning body shall meet for the purpose of answering and hearing objectionsof taxpayers relating to the proposed budget and for the purpose of consideringamendments to such proposed budget. The governing body shall give at least 10days' notice of the time and place of the meeting by publication in a weekly ordaily newspaper having a general circulation in the fire district. Such noticeshall include the proposed budget and shall set out all essential items in thebudget on a publication form prescribed by the director of accountsand reports and furnished with the regular budget form. The public hearingrequired to be held herein shall be heldnot less than 10 days prior to the date onwhich the fire district is required to submit its budget to the board of countycommissioners for review and approval thereby. After suchhearing a proposed budget shall be adopted or amended and adopted by the firedistrict. The governing body, not later than August 1 of any year, shall submit itsproposed budget to the board of countycommissioners for review and approval thereby. The board shall approve ordisapprove the budgetno later than August 10. After the board of county commissioners approves thebudget, the governing body shall submit the budget to the county clerk asprovided by K.S.A. 79-2930, and amendments thereto.

      (b)   The governing body of the fire district shall have the power to levyatax not to exceed 8.5 mills upon the dollar ofthe assessed valuation of all taxable, tangible property in thedistrict, for the purpose of paying any lawful cost or expense incurredby the fire district and to pay a portion of the principal and interest onbonds issued pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto. No otherlevies for the operation and maintenanceof a fire department shall be made on such property by any other taxingdistrict. If any incorporated city is partly within the boundaries ofone or more fire districts, and partly outside the boundaries of anyfire district, the governing body of such city may cause a tax to belevied in that portion of the city outside of the boundaries of any firedistrict for fire protection, and may contract with any fire district,city, township or other organized fire department, to furnish fireprotection in that portion of the city not lying within the boundariesof a fire district, in the same manner as though the city lay whollywithout the boundaries of a fire district.

      (c)   The governing body of the fire district may increase themill levyauthorized by subsection (b) in an amount not to exceed 11.5 millsbyadoption of a resolution. Such resolution shall be published once each weekfor two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the firedistrict. If within 30 days after the last publication of the resolution, apetition signed by not less than 5% of the qualified electors in the firedistrict is filed in the office of the county election officer requestingan election thereon, no levy in an amount exceeding 8.5 mills shall be madeunless the question is submitted to and approved by a majority of thevoters of the fire district voting at an election called by the governingbody. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided underthe general bond law.

      History:   L. 1955, ch. 175, § 10; L. 1980, ch. 93, § 1; L. 1980,ch. 92, § 2; L. 1981, ch. 125, § 2;L. 1985, ch. 102, § 2;L. 1993, ch. 122, § 4; July 1.