19-3-106 - Authority of district to issue revenue bonds.

§ 19-3-106. Authority of district to issue revenue bonds.
 

The board of commissioners of any cooperative service district may, pursuant to a favorable majority vote of the board of supervisors of each participating county, and for good cause shown therefor, authorize the cooperative service district to issue its revenue bonds payable from and secured by a pledge of all or any part of revenues under any contract or contracts it enters into under Sections 19-3-101 through 19-3-115, Mississippi Code of 1972, and/or from the avails of any tax imposed or appropriation made to support the district. The bonds shall not be or constitute an indebtedness of any participating county or municipality within the meaning of any constitutional, statutory or charter limitation of indebtedness but shall be payable solely from the revenues derived by the cooperative service district under any contract or contracts it enters into under Section 19-3-101 through 19-3-115, Mississippi Code of 1972, and/or from the avails of any tax imposed or appropriation made to support the district. Neither the full faith and credit nor taxing power of any participating county, municipality, or of the state or any political subdivision thereof, is pledged to the payment of the principal of, the interest on, or premium, if any, of the bonds. Such bonds shall be in such form and denomination as prescribed by the board of commissioners of the district. Such bonds may be serial or term; redeemable, with or without premium, or nonredeemable; registered or coupon bonds with registration privileges as to either principal and interest, principal only, or both; shall bear interest at a rate or rates to be determined pursuant to the sale of the bonds; and shall be payable at such time or times and shall mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty-five (25) years from their date, and at such place or places as shall be prescribed in the bond resolution authorizing their issuance; provided, however, that any bond issue to be awarded and sold to the United States of America or any agency thereof shall mature at such time or times, not to exceed thirty-five (35) years, as shall be prescribed in the ordinance authorizing their issuance. Any provisions of the general laws to the contrary notwithstanding, any bonds and interest coupons issued pursuant to the authority of this subsection shall possess all the qualities of negotiable instruments. The bonds and the interest coupons shall be executed in such manner and shall be substantially in the form prescribed in the authorizing resolution. In case any of the officers whose signatures or countersignatures appear on the bonds or interest coupons shall cease to be such officers before delivery of such bonds, such signatures or countersignatures shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if they had remained in office until such delivery. No bond shall bear more than one (1) rate of interest; each bond shall bear interest from its date to its stated maturity date at the interest rate specified in the bid; all bonds of the same maturity shall bear the same rate of interest from date to maturity; all interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually, except that the first interest coupon attached to any such bond may be for any period not exceeding one (1) year. 
 

No interest payment shall be evidenced by more than one (1) coupon and neither cancelled nor supplemental coupons shall be permitted; the lowest interest rate specified for any bonds issued shall not be less than seventy percent (70%) of the highest rate specified for the same bond issue. Such bonds shall not bear a greater overall maximum interest rate to maturity than that allowed in Section 75-17-103, Mississippi Code of 1972. Each interest rate specified in any bid must be in multiples of one-eighth of one percent (1/8 of 1%) or in multiples of one-tenth of one percent (1/10 of 1%). If serial bonds, such bonds shall mature annually, and the first maturity date thereof shall not be more than five (5) years from the date of such bonds. Such bonds shall be legal investments for trustees and other fiduciaries, and for savings banks, trust companies and insurance companies organized under the laws of the State of Mississippi. The bonds and interest coupons shall be exempt from all state, county, municipal and other taxation under the laws of the State of Mississippi. Such bonds shall be sold at public or private sale upon such terms as the board of commissioners of the district may determine, not inconsistent with the provisions of this subsection, but no sale shall be made at a price so low as to require the payment of interest on the money received therefor at more than that allowed in Section 75-17-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, computed with relation to the absolute maturity of the bonds, in accordance with standard tables of bond values, excluding from such computation the amount of any premium to be paid on redemption of any bonds prior to maturity. 
 

All bonds issued pursuant to this subsection shall be validated as provided in Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11, Mississippi Code of 1972. 
 

Proceeds from the sale of bonds issued pursuant to this subsection may be invested, pending their use, in such certificates of deposit as are specified in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds or the trust indenture securing them, and the earnings on such investments applied as provided in such resolution or trust indenture. 
 

All bonds issued pursuant to this subsection are declared to be legal and authorized investments for banks, savings banks, trust companies, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, insurance companies, fiduciaries, trustees and for the sinking fund of municipalities, villages, school districts or any other political corporation or subdivision of the State of Mississippi. Such bonds shall constitute a district indebtedness within the meaning of Section 19-3-107, Mississippi Code of 1972. 
 

Sources: Laws,  1990, ch. 556, § 1, eff from and after passage (approved April 4, 1990).