(1) (a) To the extent that the expenses of the operation and the maintenance of salinity control laterals are in excess of annual reimbursements payable
to a contracting district by the United States under a salinity control contract, the contracting district may levy special assessments upon real estate within the contracting district which is entitled to receive water through the salinity control laterals. The special assessments shall be made as provided in this article. The laws of this state relating to the review, correction, collection, and enforcement of other district taxes shall apply to the special assessment; except that revenue derived from each such special assessment shall be excluded in the year in which such assessment is first levied in computing the limitations specified in part 3 of article 1 of title 29, C.R.S.
The board of directors of a contracting district shall provide and certify a descriptionof the real estate within the contracting district and within the county which the board determines to be entitled to receive water through salinity control laterals. The assessor shall assess and enter upon his records the assessed valuation of all real estate, including public lands subject to assessment under the act of the United States congress of August 11, 1916, exclusive of improvements, which is within the contracting district and served by the salinity control laterals. Such assessment shall be based upon values at the same rate per acre. Tracts of land of one acre or less shall not be assessed if the board of directors of the contracting district has otherwise fixed the amount to be paid by each tract of one acre or less.
Immediately after assessment has been made, the assessor shall make a return to theboard of county commissioners of the county in which the contracting district's office is located of the total amount of assessed valuation of the real estate served by salinity control laterals within the contracting district and, if the board of directors of the contracting district has specified a fixed amount for tracts of one acre or less, the number of such tracts in the area served by such laterals within the contracting district. The board of directors of the contracting district shall certify to the board of county commissioners of the county in which the contracting district's office is located the total amount of the special assessment and the amount, if any, payable by tracts of one acre or less. The board of directors of the contracting district may include in the special assessment an amount of up to fifteen percent of the expenses of operation and maintenance not reimbursed under a salinity control contract to cover delinquencies.
Upon receipt of the returns of the total assessment of the contracting district andreceipt of the certification from the board of directors of the contracting district, the board of county commissioners shall levy the special assessment upon all tracts of land of one acre or less in the amount established by the board of the contracting district, if any, and shall fix the rate of levy necessary to provide the balance of the special assessment certified by the board of directors of the contracting district. The board of county commissioners of the county in which the contracting district's office is located shall certify the rates thus established to the board of county commissioners of each county in which any portion of real estate served by the salinity control laterals is located, and such boards shall make the levy, at the rate specified, upon the lands in their respective counties.
(2) In lieu of the special assessment taxes specified in subsection (1) of this section, a contracting district may charge and collect toll charges for deliveries of water through salinity control laterals to obtain additional funds to defray operation and maintenance expenses of such laterals not reimbursed under a salinity control contract. The board of directors of a contracting district may, from time to time, establish schedules of such toll charges based upon a reasonable apportionment, as determined by the board, among the users deriving water through such salinity control laterals. Deliveries of water may be suspended or withheld from a water user who is delinquent in payment of toll charges.
Source: L. 88: Entire part added, p. 1228, § 1, effective April 6.