66.0621(4)(k)
(k) A municipality purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to or improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility subject to a mortgage or deed of trust by the vendor or the vendor's predecessor in title to secure the payment of outstanding and unpaid bonds made by the vendor or the vendor's predecessor in title, may readjust, renew, consolidate or extend the obligation evidenced by the outstanding bonds and continue the lien of the mortgage, securing the mortgage by issuing bonds to refund the outstanding mortgage or revenue bonds at or before their maturity. The refunding bonds are payable only out of a special redemption fund created and set aside by ordinance or resolution under par.
(e). The refunding bonds shall be secured by a mortgage lien upon the public utility, and the municipality may adopt all ordinances or resolutions and take all proceedings, following the procedure under this subsection. The lien has the same priority on the public utility as the mortgage securing the outstanding bonds, unless otherwise expressly provided in the proceedings of the governing body of the municipality.
66.0621(4)(L)1.1. If the governing body of a municipality, by ordinance or resolution, declares its intentions to authorize the issuance or sale of revenue bonds under this section, the governing body may, prior to issuance of the bonds and in anticipation of their sale, authorize the issuance of bond anticipation notes by the adoption of a resolution or ordinance. The notes shall be named “bond anticipation notes". Bond anticipation notes may be issued for the purposes for which the municipality has authority to issue revenue bonds. The ordinance or resolution authorizing the bond anticipation notes shall state the purposes for which the bond anticipation notes are to be issued and shall set forth a covenant of the municipality to issue the revenue bonds in an amount sufficient to retire the outstanding bond anticipation notes. The ordinance or resolution may contain other covenants and provisions, including a description of the terms of the revenue bonds to be issued. The municipality may pledge revenues of the public utility to payment of the principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes. Prior to issuance of the bond anticipation notes, the governing body may adopt an ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds.
66.0621(4)(L)2.
2. Bond anticipation notes may be issued for periods of up to 5 years and may, by ordinance or resolution of the governing body of a municipality, be refunded one or more times, if the refunding bond anticipation notes do not exceed 5 years in term and if they will be paid within 10 years after the date of issuance of the original bond anticipation notes. Bond anticipation notes shall be executed as provided in s.
67.08 (1) and may be registered under s.
67.09. These notes shall state the sources from which they are payable. Bond anticipation notes are not an indebtedness of the municipality issuing them, and no lien may be created or attached with respect to any property of the municipality as a consequence of the issuance of the notes.
66.0621(4)(L)3.
3. Any funds derived from the issuance and sale of revenue bonds under this section and issued subsequent to the execution and sale of bond anticipation notes constitute a trust fund, and the fund shall be expended first for the payment of principal and interest of the bond anticipation notes, and then may be expended for other purposes set forth in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds. No bond anticipation notes may be issued unless a financial officer of the municipality certifies to the governing body of the municipality that contracts with respect to additions, improvements and extensions are to be let and that the proceeds of the notes are required for the payment of the contracts.
66.0621(4)(L)4.
4. Following the issuance of the bond anticipation notes, revenues of the public utility may be paid into a fund to pay principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes, which moneys or any part of them may, by the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bond anticipation notes, be pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on the notes. The ordinance or resolution shall pledge to the payment of the principal of the notes the proceeds of the sale of the revenue bonds in anticipation of the sale of which the notes were authorized to be issued and may provide for use of revenue of the public utility or other available funds for payment of principal on the notes. The notes are negotiable instruments.
66.0621(4)(L)6.
6. A municipality authorized to issue or sell bond anticipation notes under this paragraph may, in addition to the revenue sources or bond proceeds, appropriate funds out of its annual tax levy for the payment of the notes. The payment of the notes out of funds from a tax levy is not an obligation of the municipality to make any other appropriation.
66.0621(5)
(5) A municipality which may own, purchase, acquire, lease, construct, extend, add to, improve, conduct, control, operate or manage any public utility may, by action of its governing body, in lieu of issuing bonds or levying taxes and in addition to any other lawful methods of paying obligations, provide for or secure the payment of the cost of purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to, improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility by pledging, assigning or otherwise hypothecating, shares of stock evidencing a controlling interest in a public utility, or the net earnings or profits derived, or to be derived, from the operation of the public utility. The municipality may enter into the contracts and may mortgage the public utility and issue obligations to carry out this subsection. A municipality may issue additional obligations under this section, but those obligations are subordinate to all prior obligations, except that the municipality may in the ordinance or resolution authorizing obligations under this subsection permit the issue of additional obligations on a parity with those previously issued.
66.0621 Annotation
A village has power to own and operate a home for the aged, finance the same under ss. 66.066 and 66.067 [now s. 66.0621], and to lease the facility to a nonprofit corporation, but probably could not lease to a profit corporation for operation. 62 Atty. Gen. 226.
66.0621 Annotation
Wisconsin municipal debt finance: An outlook for the eighties. Schilling, Griggs and Ebert, 63 MLR 539 (1980).
66.0623
66.0623
Refunding village, town, sanitary, and inland lake district bonds. A village, town, town sanitary district established under s.
60.71 (1), or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district established under ch.
33 that has undertaken to construct a combined sewer and water system and issued revenue bonds payable from the combined revenues of the system and that is unable to provide sufficient funds to complete the construction of the system and to meet maturing principal of the revenue bonds, may, with the consent of all of the holders of noncallable bonds, refund all or any part of its outstanding indebtedness, including revenue bonds, by issuing term bonds maturing in not more than 20 years, payable solely from the revenues of the combined sewer and water system and redeemable at par on any interest payment date. The bonds may be issued as provided in s.
66.0621 (4) and shall pledge income from hydrant rentals and all sewer and water charges and may contain any covenants authorized by law, except if bonds are issued under this section to refund floating indebtedness, the bonds are subject to the prior lien and claim of all bonds issued to refund revenue bonds issued prior to the refunding.
66.0623 History
History: 1999 a. 150 s.
231; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0623;
2001 a. 30.
66.0625
66.0625
Joint issuance of mass transit bonding. 66.0625(1)(a)
(a) “Political subdivision" means a county, city, village or town.
66.0625(1)(b)
(b) “Public transit body" means any transit or transportation commission or authority and public corporation established by law or by interstate compact to provide mass transportation services and facilities.
66.0625(2)
(2) In addition to the provisions of any other statutes specifically authorizing cooperation between political subdivisions or public transit bodies, unless those statutes specifically exclude action under this section, any political subdivision or public transit body may, for mass transit purposes, issue bonds or, with any other political subdivision or public transit body, jointly issue bonds.
66.0625 History
History: 1991 a. 282;
1999 a. 150 s.
604; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0625.
66.0626
66.0626
Special assessments or charges for contaminated well or wastewater system loans. 66.0626(1)(c)
(c) “Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.
66.0626(2)
(2) A political subdivision or its designee may, with the agreement of the owner of the private water supply, well, or wastewater treatment system, remediate a contaminated private water supply, fill and seal a well subject to abandonment, or rehabilitate, replace, or abandon a failing private on-site wastewater treatment system, that is located in the political subdivision, or may make a loan at or below the market interest rate, as defined in s.
281.59 (1) (b), including an interest-free loan, to the owner of a contaminated private water supply, a well subject to abandonment, or a failing private on-site wastewater treatment system, that is located in the political subdivision, for those purposes. If a political subdivision takes any of the actions under this subsection, the political subdivision may, as a special charge under s.
66.0627 or special assessment under s.
66.0703, recover the costs of the remediation, the filling and sealing, or the rehabilitation, replacement, or abandonment, or collect the loan repayment. Notwithstanding s.
66.0627 (4), a special charge imposed under this subsection may be collected in installments and may be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch.
74 even if the special charge is not delinquent.
66.0626 History
History: 2017 a. 69.
66.0627
66.0627
Special charges for current services and certain loan repayments. 66.0627(1)(ad)
(ad) “Brownfield revitalization project" means any of the following actions when taken upon commercial or industrial premises that are located on, or that constitute, brownfields, as defined in s.
238.13 (1) (a):
66.0627(1)(am)
(am) “Energy efficiency improvement" means an improvement to a residential, commercial, or industrial premises that reduces the usage of energy, or increases the efficiency of energy usage, at the premises.
66.0627(1)(b)
(b) “Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.
66.0627(1)(c)
(c) “Service" includes snow and ice removal, weed elimination, street sprinkling, oiling and tarring, repair of sidewalks or curb and gutter, garbage and refuse disposal, recycling, storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, tree care, removal and disposition of dead animals under s.
60.23 (20), loan repayment under s.
70.57 (4) (b), soil conservation work under s.
92.115, and snow removal under s.
86.105.
66.0627(1)(d)
(d) “Water efficiency improvement" means an improvement to a residential, commercial, or industrial premises that reduces the usage of water, or increases the efficiency of water usage, at the premises.
66.0627(2)
(2) Except as provided in sub.
(5), the governing body of a city, village or town may impose a special charge against real property for current services rendered by allocating all or part of the cost of the service to the property served. The authority under this section is in addition to any other method provided by law.
66.0627(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), the governing body of the city, village or town may determine the manner of providing notice of a special charge.
66.0627(3)(b)
(b) Before a special charge for street tarring or the repair of sidewalks, curbs or gutters may be imposed, a public hearing shall be held by the governing body on whether the service in question will be funded in whole or in part by a special charge. Any interested person may testify at the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be by class 1 notice under ch.
985, published at least 20 days before the hearing. A copy of the notice shall be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing to each interested person whose address is known or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence. The notice under this paragraph shall state the date, time and location of the hearing, the subject matter of the hearing and that any interested person may testify.
66.0627(4)
(4) A special charge is not payable in installments. If a special charge is not paid within the time determined by the governing body, the special charge is delinquent. A delinquent special charge becomes a lien on the property against which it is imposed as of the date of delinquency. The delinquent special charge shall be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch.
74.
66.0627(5)
(5) Except with respect to storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, no special charge may be imposed under this section to collect arrearages owed a municipal public utility.
66.0627(6)
(6) If a special charge imposed under this section is held invalid because this section is found unconstitutional, the governing body may reassess the special charge under any applicable law.
66.0627(7)
(7) Notwithstanding sub.
(2), no political subdivision may enact an ordinance, or enforce an existing ordinance, that imposes a fee on the owner or occupant of property for a call for assistance that is made by the owner or occupant requesting law enforcement services that relate to any of the following:
66.0627(8)(a)(a) A political subdivision may make a loan, or enter into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party for owner-arranged or lessee-arranged financing, to an owner or lessee of a premises located in the political subdivision for a brownfield revitalization project or for making or installing an energy efficiency improvement, a water efficiency improvement, or a renewable resource application to the premises.
66.0627(8)(ag)1.1. Subject to subd.
2., a political subdivision may make a loan, or enter into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party for owner-arranged financing, to an owner of a premises located in the political subdivision for the purpose of replacing customer-side water service lines, as defined in s.
196.372 (1) (a), containing lead.
66.0627(8)(ag)2.
2. If a political subdivision makes a loan under subd.
1., the political subdivision shall require each owner of a premises located in the political subdivision that is serviced by a customer-side water service line, as defined in s.
196.372 (1) (a), containing lead to replace that customer-side water service line.
66.0627(8)(am)
(am) If a political subdivision makes a loan or enters into an agreement under par.
(a) or
(ag), the political subdivision may collect the loan repayment as a special charge under this section. Notwithstanding sub.
(4), a special charge imposed under this paragraph may be collected in installments and may be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch.
74 even if the special charge is not delinquent. If a political subdivision makes a loan, or enters into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party, for a brownfield revitalization project under par.
(a), the repayment period may exceed 20 years.
66.0627(8)(b)
(b) A political subdivision that imposes a special charge under par.
(am) may permit special charge installments to be collected by a 3rd party that has provided financing for the improvement or application and may require that the 3rd party inform the political subdivision if a special charge installment is delinquent.
66.0627(8)(c)
(c) An installment payment authorized under par.
(am) that is delinquent becomes a lien on the property that benefits from the improvement or application as of the date of delinquency. A lien under this paragraph has the same priority as a special assessment lien.
66.0627(8)(d)
(d) A political subdivision that, under par.
(a), makes a loan to, or enters an agreement with, an owner for making or installing an improvement or application that costs $250,000 or more shall require the owner to obtain a written guarantee from the contractor or project engineer that the improvement or application will achieve a savings-to-investment ratio of greater than 1.0 and that the contractor or engineer will annually pay the owner any shortfall in savings below this level. The political subdivision may determine the method by which a guarantee under this paragraph is enforced. This paragraph does not apply to a loan or agreement for a brownfield revitalization project.
66.0627(8)(e)
(e) If the making or installing of an improvement or application under par.
(a) costs less than $250,000, the political subdivision may require a 3rd-party technical review of the projected savings of the improvement or application as a condition of making a loan or entering into an agreement under par.
(a).
66.0627 Annotation
A special assessment against a church was not barred by s. 70.11 (4). Grace Episcopal v. Madison,
129 Wis. 2d 331,
385 N.W.2d 200 (Ct. App. 1986).
66.0627 Annotation
A city may impose special charges for delinquent electric bills due a municipal utility. Laskaris v. City of Wisconsin Dells,
131 Wis. 2d 525,
389 N.W.2d 67 (Ct. App. 1986).
66.0627 Annotation
The cost of service to a property under this section does not include the cost of legal services incurred by the municipality in defending against challenges to the removal of materials from a ditch under s. 88.90. Robinson v. Town of Bristol,
2003 WI App 97,
264 Wis. 2d 318,
667 N.W.2d 14,
02-1247.
66.0627 Annotation
The examples given in sub. (1) are not meant to limit its application in any way, but merely to highlight possible uses. The special charge need only provide a service, not a benefit, to the property owner. Under s. 74.01 (4) a special charge is a charge against real property to compensate for all or part of the costs to a public body of providing services to the property. Rusk v. City of Milwaukee,
2007 WI App 7,
298 Wis. 2d 407,
727 N.W.2d 358,
05-2630.
66.0627 Annotation
State property is not subject to assessment of special charges under former s. 66.60 (16) [now s. 66.0627]. 69 Atty. Gen. 269.
66.0628
66.0628
Fees imposed by a political subdivision. 66.0628(1)(a)
(a) “Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.
66.0628(1)(b)
(b) “Reasonable relationship" means that the cost charged by a political subdivision for a service provided to a person may not exceed the political subdivision's reasonable direct costs that are associated with any activity undertaken by the political subdivision that is related to the fee.
66.0628(2)
(2) Any fee that is imposed by a political subdivision shall bear a reasonable relationship to the service for which the fee is imposed.
66.0628(2m)
(2m) A political subdivision may not impose a fee or charge related to the political subdivision enforcing an ordinance related to noxious weeds, electronic waste, or other building or property maintenance standards unless the political subdivision first notifies the person against whom the fee or charge is to be imposed that the fee or charge may be imposed. If the notice relates to a building that is not owner-occupied, the notice shall be provided to the owner by 1st class mail or electronic mail. If the owner of a property provides an electronic mail address to a political subdivision, the political subdivision may not impose a fee or charge related to the political subdivision enforcing an ordinance related to noxious weeds, electronic waste, or other building or property maintenance standards at that property unless the political subdivision first notifies the owner of the property using the electronic mail address provided. This subsection does not apply to a fee or charge related to the clearing of snow or ice from a sidewalk or to an ordinance violation that creates an immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare.
66.0628(3)
(3) If a political subdivision enters into a contract to purchase engineering, legal, or other professional services from another person and the political subdivision passes along the cost for such professional services to another person under a separate contract between the political subdivision and that person, the rate charged that other person for the professional services may not exceed the rate customarily paid for similar services by the political subdivision.
66.0628(4)(a)(a) Any person aggrieved by a fee imposed by a political subdivision because the person does not believe that the fee bears a reasonable relationship to the service for which the fee is imposed may appeal the reasonableness of the fee to the tax appeals commission by filing a petition with the commission within 90 days after the fee is due and payable. The commission's decision may be reviewed under s.
73.015. For appeals brought under this subsection, the filing fee required under s.
73.01 (5) (a) does not apply.
66.0628(4)(b)
(b) With regard to an appeal filed with the tax appeals commission under par.
(a), the political subdivision shall bear the burden of proof to establish that a reasonable relationship exists between the fee imposed and the services for which the fee is imposed.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
66.0701
66.0701
Special assessments by local ordinance. 66.0701(1)(1)
Except as provided in s.
66.0721, in addition to other methods provided by law, the governing body of a town, village or 2nd, 3rd or 4th class city may, by ordinance, provide that the cost of installing or constructing any public work or improvement shall be charged in whole or in part to the property benefited, and make an assessment against the property benefited in the manner that the governing body determines. The special assessment is a lien against the property from the date of the levy.
66.0701(2)
(2) Every ordinance under this section shall contain provisions for reasonable notice and hearing. Any person against whose land a special assessment is levied under the ordinance may appeal in the manner prescribed in s.
66.0703 (12) within 40 days of the date of the final determination of the governing body.
