(1) The board of county commissioners of any such county is authorized to issue general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness of the county for the purpose of paying all or a part of the cost of any one or more projects as herein defined, including the cost of enlargement, expansion, or development of such project, whether the property used therefor has previously been acquired or not, and the cost of removing therefrom or relocating or reconstructing at another location, any buildings, structures, or facilities which, in the opinion of the board, constitute obstructions or hazards to the safe or efficient operation of any such project, and for the purpose of paying off and retiring any revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this section.

(2) The bonds of each issue and other evidences of indebtedness shall be dated, shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 40 years from their date or dates, as may be determined by the board, and may be made redeemable before maturity, at the option of the county, at such price or prices and under such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the board prior to their issuance. Such bonds and other evidences of indebtedness shall bear interest at a rate or rates to be fixed by the board, not to exceed 7 percent per annum. However, in the event such bonds or other evidences of indebtedness are sold at public sale pursuant to advertisement for sealed bids for their purchase, such bonds or other evidences of indebtedness shall bear interest at any rate or rates submitted by the lowest responsible bidder and approved by the board. The board shall determine the form of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness, including any interest coupons to be attached to such bonds, and the manner of execution, and shall fix the denomination or denominations thereof and the place or places of payment of principal and interest, which may be at any bank or trust company within or without the state. In case any officer whose signature or a facsimile of whose signature appears on any bonds or coupons or other evidences of indebtedness shall cease to be such officer before the delivery thereof, such signature or such facsimile shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if he or she had remained in office until such delivery. All bonds or other evidences of indebtedness issued under the provisions of this section shall have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the negotiable instruments law of the state. The bonds may be issued in coupon or registered form, or both, as the board may determine. Provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bonds as to principal alone, and also as to both the principal and interest, and for the reconversion into coupon bonds or any bonds registered as to both principal and interest. Other evidences of indebtedness may be issued in such form as the board may determine. The issuance of such bonds or other evidences of indebtedness shall not be subject to any limitations or conditions contained in any other law, and the board may sell such bonds or other evidences of indebtedness in such manner, either at public or at private sale, for such price, as it may determine to be for the best interest of the county, but no such sale shall be made at a price of less than 95 percent of par value plus accrued interest.

(3) For the payment of the principal of and the interest on any general obligation bonds of the county issued under the provisions of this section, the board is authorized and required to levy annually a special tax upon all taxable property within the county, over and above all other taxes authorized or limited by law, and in addition to the tax authorized by s. 125.016, sufficient to pay such principal and interest as the same respectively become due and payable. Except as provided in s. 200.181, the proceeds of all such taxes shall, when collected, be paid into a special fund and used for no other purpose than the payment of such principal and interest. However, there may be pledged to the payment of such principal and interest the surplus of the revenues of the project or projects, after payment of the costs of operation, maintenance and repair thereof, and in the event of such pledge, the amount of the annual tax levy herein required may be reduced in any year by the amount of such revenues actually received in the preceding year and then remaining on deposit to the credit of the special fund for the payment of such principal and interest.

(4) No general obligation bonds shall be issued hereunder unless the issuance of such bonds has been approved in the manner required by the State Constitution and laws of Florida for the issuance of bonds of the county.

History.—s. 2, ch. 71-249; s. 815, ch. 95-147; s. 2, ch. 96-259.