19-4606. Same; tax levy, increase; bonds; use of proceeds; limitations. (a) The commission or, in the case of an elected board, the board may annually levy a tax for the purpose of operating, maintaining, equipping and improving any hospital managed and controlled under the provisions of this act and for the purpose of paying a portion of the principal and interest on bonds issued under the authority of K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto. The commission or, in the case of an elected board, the board may levy such tax in any amount not exceeding six mills in any year without an election as provided in subsection (c) and such tax shall not be subject to or within any aggregate tax levy limit prescribed by law. In the event the commission or the board proposes to levy such tax in an amount which exceeds two mills but is less than six mills in any year, such proposition shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. If, within 30 days after the last publication of the proposition, a petition signed by not less than 5% of the electors of the county who voted for the office of secretary of state at the last preceding general election requesting an election thereon, no such levy shall be made unless the proposition is submitted to and approved by a majority of the voters of the county voting at an election held thereon. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided under the general bond law. Any tax levied for the purpose of paying the principal and interest upon any general obligation bonds issued pursuant to this act is not subject to the six-mill limitation imposed under the provisions of this subsection.

(b) After a hospital has been established, the commission may issue additional general obligation bonds for the purposes of constructing, purchasing or leasing and equipping a new hospital separate and apart from an existing hospital, or an additional hospital, or constructing and equipping an addition to an existing hospital, or equipping and improving an existing hospital, or acquiring the necessary site or sites therefor or for any or all such purposes and for the purpose of paying a portion of the principal and interest on bonds issued under the authority of K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto.

(c) The commission or, in the case of an elected board, the board shall not levy any tax exceeding six mills under authority of subsection (a) or in the case of the commission, issue general obligation bonds under authority of subsection (b) until the levy of such tax or the issuance of such bonds has been authorized by resolution of the commission and approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the county voting on such question at a regular county primary or county general election or, if no regular county election is to be held within six months from the date of adoption of the resolution, at a special election called by the commission for the purpose of submitting such question to the qualified electors. The increase in any tax levy authorized by any such election shall not be subject to or within any aggregate tax levy limit prescribed by law.

History: L. 1984, ch. 98, § 6; L. 1987, ch. 105, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 63, § 2; L. 1990, ch. 66, § 36; May 31.