Section 29.00. Budget notes  


Latest version.
  • a. 1. Any municipality or district corporation,
      other than a fire district, may issue budget  notes  during  any  fiscal
      year  for  any  unforeseeable  public emergency during such year such as
      epidemic, conflagration, riot, storm, flood, earthquake or other unusual
      peril to the lives  and  property  of  the  citizens  of  such  unit  of
      government  in  such  amount  as the finance board shall determine to be
      necessary, but no municipality may issue such notes for  emergencies  in
      behalf  of any local improvement district. Any school district may issue
      budget  notes  during  any  fiscal  year  to  provide  temporary  school
      buildings  or  facilities in such year when such buildings or facilities
      are necessitated because of an  unforeseeable  public  emergency  during
      such   year   such  as  epidemic,  conflagration,  riot,  storm,  flood,
      earthquake or other unusual circumstance preventing the use in whole  or
      in  part,  of  the  buildings  or  other  facilities used by such school
      district.
        2. Any municipality or district corporation  which  adopts  an  annual
      budget  may  issue  budget notes during any fiscal year for expenditures
      for which an insufficient or no provision is made in the  annual  budget
      for  such  fiscal year in an amount not to exceed five per centum of the
      amount of such annual budget.
        Notwithstanding the foregoing limitation, any fire district may  issue
      budget  notes pursuant to this subdivision in the amount of at least one
      thousand dollars. In addition, any county which adopts an annual  budget
      may  issue  budget notes pursuant to this subdivision without limitation
      as to  amount  for  necessary  expenditures  for  the  apprehension  and
      prosecution  of  persons  charged  with  the commission of crime and for
      which an insufficient or no provision has been made in the annual budget
      for such fiscal year. If, however, any  such  municipality  or  district
      corporation may issue budget notes for any such expenditures pursuant to
      the provisions of any other paragraph of this section, such municipality
      or  district  corporation  shall  not  issue  budget  notes for any such
      expenditures pursuant to this subdivision. Any town, and any county,  in
      computing  "the  amount  of  the annual budget" for the purposes of this
      subdivision shall not include any amounts which are to be  paid  in  the
      first instance from improvement district assessments.
        3.  A  school  district  may  issue  budget notes during the last nine
      months of any fiscal year for expenditures for which an insufficient  or
      no  provision  is  made  in the annual budget for such fiscal year in an
      amount not to  exceed  five  per  centum  of  such  annual  budget.  The
      foregoing  limitation  shall  not  be  applicable in any case in which a
      budget note resolution has been adopted by the finance board of a school
      district and has been approved by a majority of the qualified voters  of
      the  school district present and voting at any annual or special meeting
      of the school district held pursuant to the provisions of the  education
      law  during the last nine months of such fiscal year. The notice for any
      such meeting, in addition to complying with applicable provisions of the
      education law, must state that  such  budget  note  resolution  will  be
      submitted  for  approval  by the voters at such meeting; the purpose for
      which moneys are proposed to be  borrowed  under  such  resolution;  the
      total amount proposed to be borrowed, and the fiscal year in which taxes
      are required to be levied for the payment of the budget note proposed to
      be  issued. The vote at any such meeting on such proposition shall be by
      ballot, or ascertained by taking and recording the ayes and noes of such
      qualified voters attending and voting at such meeting.
        3-a. Notwithstanding any other provisions of  this  section,  where  a
      school  district can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the commissioner
      of education extenuating circumstances that a waiver  is  warranted  for
      the  adoption  of  a  budget  note resolution by its finance board, upon
    
      certification by the chief executive  officer  to  the  commissioner  of
      education, in such form as the commissioner of education shall determine
      pursuant  to  guidelines developed, for the purpose of making additional
      accruals requirements in the two thousand four--two thousand five or two
      thousand  five--two thousand six school years associated with changes in
      accounting methodologies  for  liabilities  for  employer  and  employee
      contributions  due  and  payable to a public retirement system that will
      result in a tax increase  to  the  residents  of  the  district  in  the
      following  school  year, a school district may issue budget notes during
      the last nine months of the school year  in  which  such  resolution  is
      adopted,  or during the first three months of the following school year,
      in an amount not to exceed the amount of such  additional  accruals  for
      public pension liabilities. The limitation on the amount of budget notes
      contained in subdivision three of this paragraph shall not be applicable
      to  notes issued pursuant to this section and the amount of budget notes
      issued pursuant to this section shall not be included in the computation
      of such limitation.
        4. Any fire district may  issue  budget  notes  for  expenditures  for
      necessary repairs to any fire-fighting apparatus, fire-fighting vehicles
      or  other  motorized  equipment  of  such  fire  district which has been
      damaged as the result of an  accident;  but  only  to  the  extent  that
      budgetary  appropriations for such purpose and the proceeds of insurance
      received on account of such damage and on hand at the time  the  repairs
      are  completed  are  insufficient  to  pay  for  such  damage.  Unless a
      budgetary appropriation for the payment of such notes is in existence at
      the time the proceeds of any such insurance are received, such  proceeds
      shall be used only for the payment of such notes.
        5. Any municipality or fire district may issue budget notes during any
      fiscal  year  to provide for the payment in such fiscal year of the cost
      of insurance secured to indemnify against liability for benefits payable
      under the  volunteer  firemen's  benefit  law  and  for  which  cost  an
      insufficient  or  no  provision  was  made  in  the annual budget of the
      municipality or fire district for such fiscal year. The aggregate amount
      of any such notes which may be issued for such purpose in a fiscal  year
      commencing  after  December  thirty-first,  nineteen hundred sixty-five,
      shall not exceed the sum by which the actual cost of such  insurance  to
      be  paid  in  the fiscal year in which such notes are issued exceeds the
      actual cost of such insurance in the fiscal year  prior  to  the  fiscal
      year  in  which  such  notes  are  issued;  provided, however, that this
      limitation shall not apply in a case  where  the  municipality  or  fire
      district has not incurred any such cost in the fiscal year prior to that
      in which such notes are issued.
        6. Any fire district may issue budget notes for expenditures for water
      supply and in relation to fire hydrant maintenance and rental costs; but
      only  to the extent that budgetary appropriations for such purpose under
      subdivision twelve of section one hundred seventy-six of  the  town  law
      are  insufficient  to  pay  increased  charges  which the public service
      commission has authorized and the fire district is required  to  pay  in
      the  fiscal year in which the budget note is issued for such maintenance
      or rental.
        7. Any fire district which elects to become  liable  for  payments  in
      lieu of contributions pursuant to section five hundred sixty-five of the
      labor  law  and is required by the commissioner of labor to pay into the
      unemployment insurance fund an amount equal to the  amount  of  benefits
      paid  to claimants and charged to such fire district's account may issue
      budget notes for such expenditures for the amount required to be so paid
      in the fiscal year in which the budget note is issued, but only  to  the
    
      extent  that  budgetary appropriations for such purpose are insufficient
      to pay such claim.
        8.  Any  county,  city,  village, town, town on behalf of an ambulance
      district, or  town  on  behalf  of  a  fire  protection  district  which
      contracts  with  an ambulance service which is not organized pursuant to
      section two hundred nine-b of  the  general  municipal  law,  may  issue
      budget notes during the first fiscal year in which it is required to pay
      contributions to the volunteer ambulance workers' service award program,
      but  only  to  the extent that budgetary appropriations for such purpose
      are insufficient to pay such contributions.
        b. Any municipality which adopts an annual  budget  may  issue  budget
      notes during any fiscal year for either or both the following purposes:
        1.  The  payment  of  the  expenses  for  the removal of snow and ice,
      exclusive of salaries and wages of regular employees except for overtime
      work and work on Sundays and holidays, or
        2. The payment of the expenses for the demolition of unsafe buildings,
      to the extent that  an  insufficient  provision  shall  have  been  made
      therefor in the annual budget for such fiscal year, if such municipality
      is  required by statute, local law or ordinance to include in its annual
      budget for such fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter  either  (a)
      an  amount  equal  to  at least the average of all expenditures for such
      purpose during each of the five preceding fiscal years for each  purpose
      for  which  such budget notes are to be issued, or (b) such amount as is
      prescribed in the schedule set forth below, for each purpose  for  which
      such budget notes are to be issued:
        1.  For such fiscal year, an amount equal to at least one-fifth of the
      average of all expenditures for such purpose during  each  of  the  five
      preceding fiscal years.
        2.  For  the  first fiscal year succeeding such fiscal year, an amount
      equal to at least two-fifths of the average of all expenditures for such
      purpose during each of the five preceding fiscal years.
        3. For the second fiscal year succeeding such fiscal year,  an  amount
      equal  to  at  least three-fifths of the average of all expenditures for
      such purpose during each of the five preceding fiscal years.
        4. For the third fiscal year succeeding such fiscal  year,  an  amount
      equal  to  at  least  four-fifths of the average of all expenditures for
      such purpose during each of the five preceding years.
        5. For the fourth fiscal year succeeding such fiscal year and for each
      succeeding fiscal year thereafter, an  amount  equal  to  at  least  the
      average  of  all  expenditures  for such purpose during each of the five
      preceding fiscal years.
        Any city, any county and any  village  having  a  population  of  five
      thousand or more, as determined pursuant to the latest available federal
      census,  may  adopt a local law or ordinance, and any other municipality
      may adopt an ordinance requiring the  inclusions  of  such  amounts  set
      forth  in  the above schedule for either of or both such purposes in its
      annual budget.
        c. Any city which is required pursuant to law to include  annually  in
      its annual budget an amount for:
        1.  Judgments  which  may  be  obtained against the city and which may
      become due and payable during the fiscal year for which  the  budget  is
      adopted,
        2.  Claims  which  may  be  settled  or compromised and become payable
      during such fiscal year, and
        3. The repaving of streets may issue budget  notes  for  any  of  such
      purposes  during  a  fiscal  year  if  the amount included in the annual
      budget for such fiscal year is insufficient therefor.
    
        d. Any municipality, school district or district corporation which  is
      required  by law to include in its annual budget the amount of judgments
      or compromised or settled claims which are outstanding at the time  such
      budget  is  prepared, may issue budget notes for the payment of any such
      judgment  or  claim.  Such  notes may be issued at any time prior to the
      earliest time at which tax anticipation notes  may  be  issued  by  such
      municipality,  school  district  or  district  corporation  pursuant  to
      section 24.00 of this chapter in anticipation of the levy or  collection
      of  taxes  for  such  budget.  If such notes are issued in a fiscal year
      prior to the preparation of an annual budget during such fiscal year, an
      appropriation for their redemption shall be included in such next budget
      when it is prepared. If such notes are issued after an appropriation has
      been included in an annual budget for the payment of  the  judgments  or
      claims for which the notes are issued, such notes shall be redeemed from
      such  appropriation. Such budget notes may be renewed from time to time,
      but such notes including renewals thereof shall mature  not  later  than
      the close of the fiscal year for which such annual budget is adopted.
        e. Any city, county or town, during any fiscal year or, in the case of
      the  city of New York, within ninety days after the close of such fiscal
      year, for which it shall make a supplemental, deficiency  or  additional
      appropriation  for  one  or  more  purposes  authorized  by or under the
      provisions of the social  services  law,  including  the  administration
      thereof, may issue budget notes for the amount of the local share of the
      cost thereof.
        e-1.  If  any  town has made an appropriation in its annual budget for
      any fiscal year for its share of the cost of an approved  project  under
      article   eight-A   of   the  highway  law,  and  the  appropriation  is
      insufficient, the town may issue budget notes in  such  fiscal  year  to
      finance  such  share  in an amount not to exceed fifty per centum of the
      town's share of the cost of such project. Budget notes may not be issued
      under any other paragraph of this section to finance any portion of  the
      town's  share  of  the  cost  of  an approved project under such article
      eight-A of the highway law.
        f. If any municipality which is  authorized  or  required  by  law  to
      include  in its annual budget an estimate of the amount of state, county
      district and other county taxes to be levied on the real property within
      such municipality for or during the fiscal year for which such budget is
      adopted,  underestimates  the  amount  that  is  actually  levied,  such
      municipality  may  issue  budget notes for the payment of all or part of
      such deficiency.
        g.  If  any  portion  of  the  taxes  or  assessments  levied   by   a
      municipality, school district or district corporation in any fiscal year
      are   cancelled   prior   to   the  collection  thereof  pursuant  to  a
      determination by a court in an  action  or  proceeding  brought  by  the
      taxpayer, or, in the case of a school district with the written approval
      and  consent  of the commissioner of education under section thirty-five
      hundred twelve of the education law, such municipality, school  district
      or  district  corporation  may  issue budget notes in the fiscal year in
      which any such cancellation occurs in an amount not  in  excess  of  the
      amount  of taxes or assessments so cancelled. The proceeds of such notes
      shall be used only for the purposes for which such taxes or  assessments
      so  cancelled  were  levied,  or  for the redemption of tax anticipation
      notes which had been issued in anticipation of  the  collection  of  the
      taxes  or assessments so cancelled and for the redemption of which notes
      no other provision has been made, or for the redemption of budget  notes
      in renewal of which they were issued.
        h.  Any  county which does not adopt an annual budget may issue budget
      notes during any fiscal year to pay accounts, claims, demands or charges
    
      which may be directed to be paid pursuant to the provisions of  any  law
      in an amount not in excess of the total amount of such accounts, claims,
      demands or charges directed to be paid in such fiscal year and for which
      an  insufficient or no provision was made in the estimate upon which the
      tax levy for such fiscal year was based. No county  shall  issue  budget
      notes  pursuant  to  this  paragraph on or after January first, nineteen
      hundred fifty-one; provided that budget notes issued prior to such  date
      pursuant  to this paragraph may be renewed as provided in paragraph j of
      this section.
        i. Any town on behalf of a town improvement district situated therein,
      or any county on  behalf  of  a  county  improvement  district  situated
      therein,  may issue budget notes during any fiscal year for expenditures
      for which an insufficient or no provision is made in the annual estimate
      for such improvement district as finally adopted for such fiscal year in
      an amount not to exceed five per centum of the  amount  of  such  annual
      estimate.
        j. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph d of this section, budget
      notes  may  be  renewed  from time to time but such notes, including the
      renewals thereof, shall mature not later than the close  of  the  fiscal
      year succeeding the fiscal year in which such notes are issued. However,
      such  notes,  including  the renewals thereof, may mature not later than
      the close of the second fiscal year succeeding the fiscal year in  which
      such  notes  are issued, when authorized and issued during a fiscal year
      at a time subsequent to the date of the adoption of  the  annual  budget
      for  the next succeeding fiscal year, by a municipality, school district
      or  district  corporation  in  which  the  total  amount  of  taxes   or
      assessments levied for a fiscal year is determined pursuant to an annual
      budget adopted during the fiscal year preceding such fiscal year.
        k.  Budget  notes  shall  be  redeemed out of the taxes or assessments
      levied or to be levied for the fiscal year in which they mature  or  out
      of  other  revenues  of  that  fiscal  year  legally  available for that
      purpose.
        l. Notwithstanding the provisions of any  general,  special  or  local
      law,  any  municipality,  school district or district corporation, which
      has the power to issue budget notes under this  section,  shall  to  the
      same extent have the power to appropriate and expend money received from
      the proceeds of the sale of budget notes for the purposes for which such
      notes are issued.
        m. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other law, no
      city shall issue budget notes for the purpose of providing funds for the
      payment  pursuant  to  section thirty-six-a of the rapid transit law, or
      otherwise, of the amounts which the board of transportation or any other
      agency of such city determines or estimates,  claims  (including  claims
      reduced  to  judgment)  or  certifies  to the board of estimate or other
      analogous local authority of such city, as the sum by which the revenues
      derived from operation of any railroad, as defined in section two of the
      rapid transit law, fail or will  fail  to  provide  for  any  costs  and
      expenses of operation and maintenance of such railroad for any period or
      periods commencing on or after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-three.
      For  the  purpose  of this paragraph, such costs and expenses shall also
      include the payments or contributions paid or payable by  the  board  of
      transportation  or the city during such period to any employees' pension
      or retirement system on account of membership therein  of  officers  and
      employees of such board of transportation.
        n.  Notwithstanding  any other provision of this section, except where
      any obligations other than budget notes are or have been issued for  the
      object  or purpose described in subdivision fifty-nine of paragraph a of
      section 11.00  of  this  chapter,  budget  notes  may  be  issued  by  a
    
      municipality, school district or district corporation, or by a county on
      behalf of a county improvement district situated therein or by a town on
      behalf  of  a town improvement district situated therein, pursuant to an
      irrevocable  election  to finance all or part of the employer's share of
      the cost of retroactive coverage provided to  its  employees  under  the
      federal  old-age  and survivors insurance system pursuant to section one
      hundred thirty-eight-a of the retirement and social security  law  where
      an insufficient or no provision is or has been made in the annual budget
      for such cost.
        o. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if any city in
      this  state  having  a population of one million or more includes in its
      annual budget for the fiscal year nineteen hundred seventy-one--nineteen
      hundred seventy-two an estimate in an amount not to exceed  one  hundred
      million  dollars of additional revenues available to it as a result of a
      federal program of general or special revenue  sharing  or  any  similar
      program  or  any combination of such programs which relieves a financial
      burden which would otherwise require expenditure from city tax  receipts
      in  such  amount for the fiscal year, and if that estimate should exceed
      the amount of such revenue that actually becomes available to  it,  such
      city  may issue during the last quarter of such fiscal year budget notes
      which shall have a maximum maturity of not more than one  year  for  the
      payment  of  all  or  part  of  the  amount of such overestimate, upon a
      determination by the  state  budget  director  of  the  amount  of  such
      overestimate.