A. The City of Richmond and the Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield each may enter into and perform contracts and agreements with the Authority to aid the Authority to pay the principal of and interest on revenue bonds or revenue refunding bonds issued by the Authority if, when, and as the revenues of the Authority may not be sufficient to pay such principal or interest when due. No such contract or agreement shall be deemed to be lending or granting credit to or in aid of any person, association, company, or corporation within the meaning of Section 10 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia, nor shall any such contract or agreement be deemed to be a pledge of the full faith and credit or of the taxing power of the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield for the payment of such principal or interest except as may be otherwise provided in such contracts or agreements. Any holder of bonds, notes, certificates, or other evidences of borrowing issued by the Authority under the provisions of this chapter or of coupons appertaining thereto, and the representatives of such holders and the trustee under any bond resolution or indenture, may either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus, or other proceeding, protect and enforce all rights of the Authority under or by virtue of any such contract or agreement.
B. Funds to perform any such contract or agreement may be provided by the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield by appropriations of general or specific tax revenue, or by appropriations of accumulated funds allocated for public improvements generally, or allocated to the purposes of such contract or agreement, or by appropriations of the proceeds from the sale of bonds, which may be issued as provided in this chapter.
C. The City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield may issue bonds for the purpose of providing funds to perform any contract or agreement entered into with the Authority pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Such bonds shall mature at such time not exceeding 40 years from their date, as may be determined by the governing body of the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield issuing such bonds, and may be redeemable before maturity, at the option of the governing body of the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, or the County of Chesterfield, at such price and under such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by such governing body prior to the issuance of the bonds. The City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, and the County of Chesterfield may provide for the issuance of refunding bonds for the purpose of refunding any outstanding bond that has been issued pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, including the payment of any redemption premium thereon, and any interest accrued or to accrue to the date of redemption of such bonds.
D. The authority of the City of Richmond, the County of Henrico, and the County of Chesterfield to contract and to issue bonds pursuant to this chapter is in addition to any existing authority to contract and issue bonds, anything in the laws of the Commonwealth, including the Charter of the City of Richmond, to the contrary notwithstanding, all of which laws and Charter are hereby amended or modified so as to effectuate the powers conferred by this chapter.
E. The governing bodies of the City of Richmond and of the Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield may exercise any of the powers granted by this chapter by resolution, and all proceedings of the City Council of the City of Richmond and the Boards of Supervisors of the Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield authorizing the execution of such contracts and providing for the issuance of bonds pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall not be subject to the provisions of the Charter of the City or this Code permitting a referendum on actions taken by the City Council and Boards of Supervisors except as required by the Constitution of Virginia, but all such proceedings shall take effect immediately upon the adoption thereof.
2009, c. 471, § 15.2-7013; 2014, c. 805.