32.67 Special improvement bonds.

(1) General special improvement bonds. General special improvement bonds are payable as to principal and interest on April 1, as provided in sub. (3) from the collection of assessments of benefits for any improvement. The city comptroller shall issue the bonds. The common council shall determine the amount and denominations in which the bonds are issued and set the interest rate. The common council may issue the bonds in series. The bonds shall have interest coupons attached, bear the seal of the city and be signed by the mayor, one member of the board of assessment and the city comptroller. The mayor's signature may be engraved.

(2) Particular special improvement bonds.

(a) The common council may authorize the issuance of particular special improvement bonds directly against any affected property. The city shall set the interest rate for these bonds.

(b) The city comptroller shall issue the bonds for the amounts assessed against the property. The bonds shall be made payable as provided by the authorizing resolution of the common council in equal annual installments plus interest on the unpaid part of the bond accruing to the date of payment on April 1, as provided in sub. (3). The bonds shall be designated “Particular Special Improvement Bonds" (naming the improvement), be made payable to bearer, state the amount of the assessment of benefits due and the amount of each installment plus interest payable and the times of payment, describe the property upon which the bond is assessed, bear the seal of the city, be issued in the city's name and be signed by the mayor, one member of the board of assessment and the city comptroller. The signature of the mayor may be engraved. Coupons shall be attached to each bond in amounts equal to the installment payments due plus interest remaining on unpaid portions of the bond.

(c) The lien of the bond attaches on the date the assessment is placed on the tax roll under par. (e).

(d) If the city fails to pay any installment of the bond plus interest because the assessment against the property is delinquent, the bondholder may require the entire amount of the bond plus interest to be paid within 3 years after the default. The bondholder may foreclose against the property in the manner provided under s. 75.19. The bondholder may also recover reasonable attorney fees and costs. The time for redemption of the property may be shortened by order of the court. A copy of the bond foreclosed may be filed as a part of the judgment roll in the action in place of the original.

(e) If bonds are issued, the city comptroller shall place benefit assessments against property financing the bonds on the tax roll for the year of issuance or, if the city comptroller is unable to place the assessments on this tax roll, on the next year's tax roll. Placement of benefit assessments on the tax roll is only for the purpose of collection by the city treasurer at the same time as other taxes are collected. If the owner defaults on payment of the assessment no tax certificate may be issued for the property under s. 74.57. The sole remedy for the enforcement of the payment of the bonds is the foreclosure action against the property under par. (d).

(3) Time of bond payments. Bonds or coupons are payable at the office of the city treasurer on April 1 following the expiration of the tax collection period of each year in which the assessments may be placed on the tax roll for collection, to the extent the assessments financing the bonds or coupons are received.

(4) Not a debt of the city.

(a) No bond issued under this section is a debt of the city, except to the extent the city treasurer collects assessments for payment of the bonds.

(b) The common council may guarantee to pay any deficiencies in the collection of any assessment in an amount up to the principal and interest of any bond or coupon. If the city pays a deficiency it may become the owner of the bond or coupon, subrogated to the rights of the bondholder. The city may apply any redemption payments on delinquent assessments to the payment of any coupons or bonds it holds.

History: 1983 a. 236; 1987 a. 378.