ORS Chapter 223 — Local Improvements and Works

ORS 223.235. Issuance of bonds; limitations. (1) When in any local government a bond lien docket is made up, as provided in ORS 223.230, as to the final assessments for any local improvement, the local government shall by ordinance or resolution of the governing body authorize the issue of its bonds pursuant to the applicable provisions of ORS chapter 287A and in accordance with this section. (2) The bonds authorized to be issued under this section must be issued in an amount that does not exceed the unpaid balance of all final assessments for the related local improvements, plus the amounts necessary to fund any debt service reserve and to pay any other financing costs associated with the bonds. (3)(a) If the question of the issuance of the specific bonds has been approved by the electors of the local government and the bonds are issued as general obligation bonds, the local government shall each year assess, levy and collect a tax on all taxable property within its boundaries. The amount of the tax must be sufficient to pay all principal of and interest on the bonds that are due and payable in that year and to replenish any debt service reserves required for the bonds. In computing the amount of taxes to impose, the local government shall: (A) Deduct from the total amount otherwise required the amount of final installment payments that are pledged to the payment of the bonds and that are due and payable in that year; and (B) Add to this net amount the amount of reasonably anticipated delinquencies in the payments of the installments or the taxes. (b) The taxes must be levied in each year and returned to the county officer whose duty it is to extend the tax roll within the time and in the manner provided in ORS 310.060. (c) The taxes become payable at the same time and are collected by the same officer who collects county taxes and must be turned over to the local government according to law. (d) The county officer whose duty it is to extend the county levy shall extend the levy of the local government in the same manner as city taxes are extended. Property may be sold for nonpayment of the taxes levied by a local government in like manner and with like effect as in the case of county and state taxes. (4)(a) All bonds issued pursuant to this section, including general obligation bonds, are secured by and payable from the installments of final assessments with respect to which the bonds were issued. (b) In the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds, the governing body of the issuing local government may: (A) Provide that installments of final assessments levied with respect to two or more local improvements shall secure a single issue of bonds. (B) Reserve the right to pledge, as security for any bonds thereafter issued pursuant to this section, any installments of final assessments previously pledged as security for other bonds issued pursuant to this section. (c) All bonds must be secured by a lien on the installments of final assessments with respect to which they were issued. The lien is valid, binding and fully perfected from the date of issuance of the bonds. The installments of final assessments are immediately subject to the lien without the physical delivery thereof, the filing of any notice or any further act. The lien is valid, binding and fully perfected against all persons having claims of any kind against the local government or the property assessed whether in tort, contract or otherwise, and irrespective of whether the persons have notice of the lien. (5) As additional security for any bonds issued under this section, including general obligation bonds, the governing body of the issuing local government may pledge or mortgage, or grant security interests in, its revenues, assets and properties, and otherwise secure and enter into covenants with respect to the bonds as provided in ORS chapter 287A. (6)(a) A local government may, from time to time after the undertaking of a local improvement has been authorized, borrow money and issue and sell notes for the purpose of providing interim financing for the actual costs of the local improvement. (b) Notes authorized under this subsection may be issued in a single series for the purpose of providing interim financing for two or more local improvements. (c) Notes authorized under this subsection may not mature later than one year after the date upon which the issuing local government expects to issue bonds for the purpose of providing permanent financing with respect to installment payments of the final assessments for the local improvements. (d) Any notes authorized under this subsection may be refunded from time to time by the issuance of additional notes or out of the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to this section. The notes may be made payable from the proceeds of any bonds to be issued under this section to provide permanent financing or from any other sources from which the bonds are payable. (e) The governing body of the issuing local government may pledge to the payment of the notes any revenues that may be pledged to the payment of bonds authorized to be issued under this section with respect to the local improvements for which the notes provide interim financing.