(1) The district board may, after any assessments for assessable improvements are made, determined and confirmed as provided in s. 153.73, issue certificates of indebtedness for the amount so assessed against the abutting property or property otherwise benefited, as the case may be, and separate certificates shall be issued against each part or parcel of land assessed, which certificates shall state the general nature of the improvement for which the said assessment is made. Said certificates shall be payable in annual installments in accordance with the installments of the special assessments for which they are issued. The district board may determine the interest to be borne by such certificates at a rate no greater than 7.5 percent per annum, and may sell such certificates at either private or public sale at not exceeding par and accrued interest and determine the form, manner of execution and other details of such certificates. Such certificates shall recite that they are payable only from the special assessments levied and collected from the part or parcel of land against which they are issued. The proceeds of such certificates may be pledged for the payment of principal of and interest on any revenue bonds or general obligation bonds issued to finance in whole or in part such assessable improvements, or, if not so pledged, may be used to pay the cost or part of the cost of such assessable improvements.
(2) The district may also issue assessment bonds or other obligations payable from a special fund into which such certificates of indebtedness referred to in the preceding subsection may be deposited; or, if such certificates of indebtedness have not been issued, the district may assign to such special fund for the benefit of the holders of such assessment bonds or other obligations, or to a trustee for such bondholders, the assessment liens provided for in s. 153.73(11), unless such certificates of indebtedness or assessment liens have been theretofore pledged for any bonds or other obligations authorized hereunder. In the event of the creation of such special fund and the issuance of such assessment bonds or other obligations, the proceeds of such certificates of indebtedness or assessment liens deposited therein shall be used only for the payment of the assessment bonds or other obligations issued as provided in this section. The district is hereby authorized to covenant with the holders of such assessment bonds or other obligations that it will diligently and faithfully enforce and collect all the special assessments and interest and penalties thereon for which such certificates of indebtedness or assessment liens have been deposited in or assigned to such fund, and to foreclose such assessment liens so assigned to such special fund or represented by the certificates of indebtedness deposited in said special fund, after such assessment liens have become delinquent and deposit the proceeds derived from such foreclosure, including interest and penalties, in such special fund, and to further make any other necessary covenants deemed necessary or advisable in order to properly secure the holders of such assessment bonds or other obligations.
(3) The assessment bonds or other obligations issued pursuant to this section shall have such dates of issue and maturity as shall be deemed advisable by the district board; provided, however, that the maturities of such assessment bonds or other obligation shall not be more than 2 years after the due date of the last installment which will be payable on any of the special assessments for which such assessment liens, or the certificates of indebtedness representing such assessment liens, are assigned to or deposited in such special fund.
(4) Such assessment bonds or other obligations issued under this section shall bear interest at not exceeding 7.5 percent per annum, shall be executed, shall have such provisions for redemption prior to maturity, shall be sold in the manner and be subject to all of the applicable provisions contained in s. 153.63 for revenue bonds, except as the same are inconsistent with the provisions of this section.
(5) All assessment bonds or other obligations issued under the provisions of this law, except certificates of indebtedness issued against separate parcels of land as provided in this section, shall be and constitute and have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the law merchant and the negotiable instruments law of the state.
History.—s. 25, ch. 59-466; s. 7, ch. 73-302; s. 10, ch. 2016-10.