Sec. 9. (a) When the proper officers of a political subdivision decide to issue bonds payable from property taxes to finance a public improvement or enter into a lease rental agreement payable from property taxes to finance a public improvement, they shall adopt an ordinance or resolution which sets forth their determination to issue the bonds or enter into the lease rental agreement. Except as provided in subsection (b), the political subdivision may not advertise for or receive bids for the construction of the improvement until the expiration of:

(1) the time period within which taxpayers may file a petition:

(A) for review of or a remonstrance against the proposed issue or lease, in the case of a proposed issue or lease that is subject to section 3.1 of this chapter; or

(B) to initiate the local public question process, in the case of a proposed issue or lease that is subject to section 3.5 of this chapter; or

(2) the time period during which a petition for review of the proposed issue or lease is pending before the department of local government finance (in the case of bonds or a lease for which a petition for review may be filed with the department of local government finance).

(b) This subsection does not apply to bonds or lease rental agreements for which a political subdivision:

(1) after June 30, 2008, makes:

(A) a preliminary determination as described in section 3.1 or 3.5 of this chapter; or

(B) a decision as described in section 5 of this chapter; or

(2) in the case of bonds or lease rental agreements not subject to section 3.1 or 3.5 of this chapter and not subject to section 5 of this chapter, adopts a resolution or ordinance authorizing the bonds or lease rental agreement after June 30, 2008.

When a petition for review of a proposed issue is pending before the department of local government finance, the department may order the political subdivision to advertise for and receive bids for the construction of the public improvement. When the department of local government finance issues such an order, the political subdivision shall file a bid report with the department within five (5) days after the bids are received, and the department shall render a final decision on the proposed issue within fifteen (15) days after it receives the bid report. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a political subdivision may not enter into a contract for the construction of a public improvement while a petition for review of the bond issue which is to finance the improvement is pending before the department of local government finance.

[Pre-1975 Property Tax Recodification Citations: 6-1-49-1; 6-1-50-1.]

Formerly: Acts 1975, P.L.47, SEC.1. As amended by P.L.90-2002, SEC.196; P.L.224-2007, SEC.35; P.L.146-2008, SEC.198.