§ 115D-33. Providing local public funds for institutions established under this Chapter; elections.
§ 115D‑33. Providing local public funds for institutions established under this Chapter;elections.
(a) Except as provided in G.S. 115D‑34, the tax‑levyingauthority of an institution may provide for local financial support of theinstitution as follows:
(1) By appropriations from nontax revenues in a mannerconsistent with the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act, providedthe continuing authority to make such appropriations shall have been approvedby a majority of the qualified voters of the administrative area who shall voteon the question in an election held for such purpose, or
(2) By a special annual levy of taxes within a maximum annualrate which maximum rate shall have been approved by a majority of the qualifiedvoters of the administrative area who shall vote on the question ofestablishing or increasing the maximum annual rate in an election held for suchpurpose or both, and
(3) By issuance of bonds, in the case of capital outlay funds,provided that each issuance of bonds shall be approved by a majority of thequalified voters of each county of the administrative area who shall vote onthe question in an election held for that purpose. All bonds shall be subjectto the Local Government Finance Act (Chapter 159) and shall be issued pursuantto Subchapter IV, Long‑Term Financing, (§ 159‑ 43 et seq.) ofChapter 159 of the General Statutes.
(b) At the election on the question of approving authority ofthe board of commissioners of each county in an administrative area (the tax‑levyingauthority) to appropriate funds from nontax revenues or a special annual levyof taxes or both, the ballot furnished the qualified voters in each county maybe worded substantially as follows: "For the authority of the board ofcommissioners to appropriate funds either from nontax revenues or from aspecial annual levy of taxes not to exceed an annual rate of ______ cents perone hundred dollars ($100.00) of assessed property valuation, or both, for thefinancial support of ______ (name of the institution)" plus any otherpertinent information and "Against the authority of the board ofcommissioners, etc.," with a square before each proposition, in which thevoter may make a cross mark (X), but any other form of ballot containingadequate information and properly stating the question to be voted upon shallbe construed as being in compliance with this section.
(c) The question of approving authority to appropriate funds, tolevy special taxes and the question of approving an issue of bonds, whenapproval of each or both shall be necessary for the establishment or conversionof an institution, shall be submitted at the same election.
(d) All elections shall be held in the same manner as electionsheld under Article 4, Chapter 159, of the General Statutes, the LocalGovernment Bond Act, and may be held at any time fixed by the tax‑levyingauthority of the administrative area or proposed administrative area of theinstitution for which such election is to be held.
(e) The State Board of Community Colleges shall ascertain thatauthority to provide adequate funds for the establishment and operation of aninstitution has been approved by the voters of a proposed administrative areabefore favorably recommending approval of the establishment of an institution.
(f) Notwithstanding any present provisions of this Chapter, thetax‑levying authority of each institution may at its discretion and uponits own motion provide by appropriations of nontax revenue, tax revenue, orboth, funds for the support of institutional purposes as set forth in G.S. 115D‑32;but nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the issuance of bondswithout a vote of the people. (1963, c. 448, s. 23; 1971, c. 402; 1979, c. 462, s. 2; c. 896, s. 13;1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1130, s. 1; 1983, c. 717, s. 27.3.)