Bill Text: TX SJR26 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to allow cities or counties to enter into interlocal contracts with other cities or counties without the imposition of a tax or the provision of a sinking fund.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2011-05-27 - Filed with the Secretary of State [SJR26 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SJR26-Introduced.html
  82R6357 JTS-D
 
  By: West S.J.R. No. 26
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature
  to allow cities or counties to enter into interlocal contracts with
  other cities or counties without the imposition of a tax or the
  provision of a sinking fund.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 5, Article XI, Texas Constitution, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 5.  (a)  Cities having more than five thousand (5000)
  inhabitants may, by a majority vote of the qualified voters of said
  city, at an election held for that purpose, adopt or amend their
  charters. If the number of inhabitants of cities that have adopted
  or amended their charters under this section is reduced to five
  thousand (5000) or fewer, the cities still may amend their charters
  by a majority vote of the qualified voters of said city at an
  election held for that purpose. The adoption or amendment of
  charters is subject to such limitations as may be prescribed by the
  Legislature, and no charter or any ordinance passed under said
  charter shall contain any provision inconsistent with the
  Constitution of the State, or of the general laws enacted by the
  Legislature of this State. Said cities may levy, assess and collect
  such taxes as may be authorized by law or by their charters; but no
  tax for any purpose shall ever be lawful for any one year, which
  shall exceed two and one-half per cent. of the taxable property of
  such city, and no debt shall ever be created by any city, unless at
  the same time provision be made to assess and collect annually a
  sufficient sum to pay the interest thereon and creating a sinking
  fund of at least two per cent. thereon, except as provided by
  Subsection (b). Furthermore, no city charter shall be altered,
  amended or repealed oftener than every two years.
         (b)  To increase efficiency and effectiveness to the
  greatest extent possible, the legislature may by general law
  authorize cities to enter into interlocal contracts with other
  cities or counties without meeting the assessment and sinking fund
  requirements under Subsection (a).
         SECTION 2.  Section 7, Article XI, Texas Constitution, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 7.  (a)  All counties and cities bordering on the coast
  of the Gulf of Mexico are hereby authorized upon a vote of the
  majority of the qualified voters voting thereon at an election
  called for such purpose to levy and collect such tax for
  construction of sea walls, breakwaters, or sanitary purposes, as
  may now or may hereafter be authorized by law, and may create a debt
  for such works and issue bonds in evidence thereof. But no debt for
  any purpose shall ever be incurred in any manner by any city or
  county unless provision is made, at the time of creating the same,
  for levying and collecting a sufficient tax to pay the interest
  thereon and provide at least two per cent (2%) as a sinking fund,
  except as provided by Subsection (b); and the condemnation of the
  right of way for the erection of such works shall be fully provided
  for.
         (b)  To increase efficiency and effectiveness to the
  greatest extent possible, the legislature may by general law
  authorize cities or counties to enter into interlocal contracts
  with other cities or counties without meeting the tax and sinking
  fund requirements under Subsection (a).
         SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2011.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the
  legislature to allow cities or counties to enter into interlocal
  contracts with other cities or counties without the imposition of a
  tax or the provision of a sinking fund."
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