| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Lealman Special Fire Control |
| 3 | District, Pinellas County; amending chapter 2000-426, Laws |
| 4 | of Florida, as amended; reducing the maximum ad valorem |
| 5 | millage rate that may be levied by the district; providing |
| 6 | requirements for the annexation of the unincorporated |
| 7 | territory of the district by a municipality; requiring the |
| 8 | approval of an annexation at a referendum; providing for |
| 9 | future expiration of the requirements for annexation; |
| 10 | providing that a referendum is not required to approve the |
| 11 | levy of an ad valorem tax at a millage rate less than a |
| 12 | millage rate previously approved by referendum; providing |
| 13 | an effective date. |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 16 |
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| 17 | Section 1. Sections 8, 11, and 15 of section 1 of chapter |
| 18 | 2000-426, Laws of Florida, as amended by chapters 2002-352 and |
| 19 | 2007-288, Laws of Florida, are amended to read: |
| 20 | Section 8. Taxes; non-ad valorem assessments; impact fees; |
| 21 | user charges; bond issuance.- |
| 22 | (1) The District shall also hold all powers, functions, |
| 23 | and duties set forth in this Act and chapters 189, 191, and 197, |
| 24 | Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time, including, but |
| 25 | not limited to, ad valorem taxation, bond issuance, other |
| 26 | revenue-raising capabilities, budget preparation and approval, |
| 27 | liens and foreclosure of liens, use of tax deeds and tax |
| 28 | certificates as appropriate for non-ad valorem assessments, and |
| 29 | contractual agreements; however, an ad valorem tax levied by the |
| 30 | Board for operating purposes, exclusive of debt service on |
| 31 | bonds, may not exceed 5.5 10 mills if approved by a majority |
| 32 | vote of qualified electors of the district voting in a |
| 33 | referendum election providing for such millage rate. The |
| 34 | District may be financed by any method established in this Act, |
| 35 | chapter 189, or chapter 191, Florida Statutes, as amended from |
| 36 | time to time. |
| 37 | (2) The methods for assessing and collecting non-ad |
| 38 | valorem assessments, fees, or service charges shall be as set |
| 39 | forth in chapter 170, chapter 189, chapter 191, or chapter 197, |
| 40 | Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time. |
| 41 | Section 11. Annexation of territories by municipalities.- |
| 42 | (1) For the purposes and requirements of this act, after |
| 43 | the annexation by a municipality of any unincorporated area |
| 44 | within the Lealman Special Fire Control District, the annexed |
| 45 | area shall be treated as lying within the corporate boundaries |
| 46 | of the annexing municipality and shall not be subject to a levy |
| 47 | of the ad valorem tax that is authorized by this act. |
| 48 | (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a |
| 49 | municipality may not annex any unincorporated territory situated |
| 50 | within the Lealman Special Fire Control District, except an area |
| 51 | defined as an enclave pursuant to section 171.031(13), Florida |
| 52 | Statutes, unless the annexation is of all of the territory of |
| 53 | the district and the annexation is approved by a majority vote |
| 54 | of the electors of the district voting in a referendum called |
| 55 | for that purpose. This subsection expires May 1, 2016. |
| 56 | Section 15. Referendum.- |
| 57 | (1) The provisions of section 8 which authorize the levy |
| 58 | of ad valorem taxation shall take effect only upon express |
| 59 | approval by a majority vote of those qualified electors of the |
| 60 | district, as required by Section 9, Article VII, of the State |
| 61 | Constitution, voting in a referendum to be held in conjunction |
| 62 | with the next general election. Such election shall be held in |
| 63 | accordance with the provisions of law relating to elections |
| 64 | currently in force in the district. |
| 65 | (2) This act does not require a referendum to approve the |
| 66 | levy of an ad valorem tax at a millage rate less than a millage |
| 67 | rate previously approved by referendum pursuant to this act. |
| 68 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |