Las Vegas City Commission Minutes, February 17, 1937 to August 4, 1942, lvc000004-30

preceding tax list or assessment roll, nor shall said city have issued or outstanding at any time warrants, certificates, scrip or other evidence of indebtedness, excepting the bonded indebtedness, in excess of 2 per­cent of said assessed valuation; and provided further, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to restrict the powers of said city as to taxation, assessment, borrowing money, contracting debts or loaning its credit for procuring supplies of water, municipal water works, municipal power plants, electrical or otherwise, or other public utility. The said board shall provide for the payment of interest on such bonds as the same shall become due, and for a sinking fund for the payment of the principal within twenty years after issuing same. The board shall have the power to acquire or establish municipal water works, municipal power plants, or any public utility only in the manner herein provided. The board shall issue a proclamation which shall set forth briefly the supply of water, municipal water works, the municipal power plant, or other public utility proposed to be acquired or established, the estimated cost thereof as shown by the report provided by the board and mayor, or an engineer or party theretofore appointed by the board for that purpose, the proposed bonded indebtedness to be incurred therefor, the terms, amount, rate of interest and time within which redeemable, and on what fund. Such proclamation shall be published in full at least once a week for three successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation published in the city, and shall state the date of the meeting at which said board will pass an ordinance providing for said bond issue. At the first regular meeting of the board, or any recess or adjourn­ment thereof, after the completion of said publication, the board shall proceed to enact an ordinance for such purposes which shall conform in all respects to the terms and conditions of the previously published proclamation and without submitting said question to a vote of the electors of said city; provided, however, that if a petition shall be presented to said board signed by qualified electors of said city equal in number to at least 10 percent of the number of votes cast in said city for representative in Congress at the last preceding general election, and as shown by the last preceding registration list, and representing not less than 5 percent of the taxable property of said city as shown by the last preceding tax list, or assessment roll (and corporate signatures by authorized officers shall be accepted in estimating said 5 percent) asking for a special election upon the ques­tion of whether or not the proposed ordinance shall be passed, then, and in that event, no such ordinance shall be enacted except pursuant to a special election called and held for such purpose and carried by a majority of the votes cast. Any ordinances thus passed providing for the issuance of bonds shall be valid (1) if passed by said board in the absence of the filing of a petition and election, or (2) if such petition be filed and election had, then if passed by said board by a majority vote in favor of said ordinance. The petition for an election herein referred to may be filed with said board at any time prior to the date of meeting set in said published notice; provided, however, that said board may submit such question to the vote of a special election if the board find it convenient so to do; provided further, however, that even though no such petition be filed, or if at such election the question is carried by such majority vote, the said board may, in its discretion, abandon and discontinue all such proceedings to acquire or establish such municipal water works, municipal power plant, electrical or otherwise, or other public utility, upon adoption of a resolution to the effect that such board does not at such time deem it to the best interests of said city to acquire or establish such municipal water works, municipal power plant, electrical or otherwise, or other public utility. In addition to the powers elsewhere conferred upon said board they shall also have the power, for the pur­pose of constructing sewerage systems (including disposal plants) within the said city and waste mains there­from, and said board is hereby authorized to issue bonds therefor not to exceed in the aggregate the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000); which said bonds shall be of convenient denominations, ranging from one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars and shall bear interest at the rate of not more than 7 percent per annum, the interest on each bond to be payable semiannually. Said Bonds shall be numbered consecutively and have interest coupons attached in such manner that they can be removed upon any payment of any installment of interest on the bonds without injury to the bonds. The bonds shall be signed by the mayor and countersigned by the city clerk, and shall be distinctively known as "Las Vegas Sewerage Bonds." Before issuing the said bonds, the said board shall publish a notice at least once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in some daily or triweekly newspaper published in the said city, calling for a special election by the regularly qualified electors of the city whether such bonds shall issue. Such notice shall state consecutively the amount of the proposed bond issue, the rate of interest bonds are to bear, time and manner of their payment and that they are for the construction of a sewerage system and/or sewerage disposal plant, as the case may be. The board shall cause a sufficient number of ballots to be printed which shall bear the words: "Sewerage Bonds - Yes," and "Sewerage Bonds - No." printed thereon in parallel lines one above the other. The voter will scratch out the word "Yes" if opposed to the bonds, and the word "No" if in favor of the issue. The election shall be conducted and the votes announced in all several particulars as in other elections. If the majority of the votes cast are in favor of the issuance of the bonds the said board of commissioners shall proceed at once to issue them as rapidly as needed in conformity with the provisions of this act. Said board may submit such questions to the vote of the electors at a general city election instead of a special election if the board find it convenient so to do, in which event said notice, instead of calling for special election, shall specify that such question shall be voted on at the next general city election and such question shall, in the form above provided, be placed upon the general ballot at such general city election. Said bonds shall be sold at not less than their par value and shall be redeemable in the order of their issuance within twenty-five years from the date of issue. The said board shall provide for the payment of said bonds and the interest thereon at the time of regular tax levy for state and county and city purposes by levying an additional tax upon the prop­erty, real and personal, within the limits of the city, sufficient in their judgment to pay the interest upon said bonds semi-annually as it becomes due, and the principal at such rate as will redeem all of the bonds within twenty-five years from the date of their issue; in which case the twenty-five years shall begin to run from the date of the particular bond to be paid. The said taxes shall be assessed and collected the same as other taxes paid to the county treasurer and by him placed in a fund to be known as the "Las Vegas Sewerage Fund." All sewerage systems constructed under the provisions of this act shall be constructed under the super­vision and control of the said board. The material may be purchased and work caused to be done directly by the board, or it may advertise for plans and specifications and bids for construction as they may see fit. 6. To issue bonds in place of or to supply means to meet maturing bonds or for the consolidation of or refunding of the same. 7. To divide the city into districts for the purpose of local taxation or to create districts for that purpose as occasion may require. 8. To raise revenue by levying and collecting a license fee or tax on any private corporation or business within the limits of the city, and to regulate the same by ordinance. All such licenses, fees and taxes shall be uniform in respect to the class upon which they are imposed. 9. To fix the amount of licenses and the terms and manner of their issuance. 10. To fix, impose and collect a license tax on and to regulate all charter of lawful trades, call­ings, industries, occupations, professions and business, conducted in whole or in part within the city, including all theaters, theatrical or melodeon performances and performances of any, every, and all kinds for which an admission fee is charged; circuses, shows, billiard tables, pool tables, bowling alleys and exhibitions and amusements. To fix, impose and collect a license tax on and regulate all taverns, hotels, auto camps, restaurants , chophouses, cafes, saloons, eatinghouses, lunch counters, barrooms, games and gaming houses,