Same; use of general funds; general obligation bonds; protest petition and election; tax levies, use of proceeds

Municipalities operating airports jointly may pay the expenses of purchasing or acquiring such airports from the general funds of such municipalities or may issue general obligation bonds, as authorized by law, but no such bonds shall be issued for the purchase or acquisition of airports as provided hereunder, by any municipality unless and until the question of issuing same shall have been submitted to the qualified electors of such municipality at any regular or special election and a majority of those voting on the proposition in such municipality shall have voted in favor of the issuance of said bonds. In addition, any such governing body may issue general obligation bonds of the county or city in an amount not to exceed $50,000 annually without an election, for the purpose of providing improvements on runways of any such airport. Any governing body proposing to issue such bonds shall publish a resolution to that effect in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or county, as applicable. Such resolution shall be published once each week for three consecutive weeks. If, within 60 days following the final such publication, a petition signed by not less than 5% of the qualified electors of such city or county, as applicable, is presented to the county election officer, no such bonds shall be issued until approved by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon at the next county or city general election following the presentation of the petition. In lieu of issuing such bonds for the purchase or acquisition of an airport, the governing body of the municipality may levy an annual tax of not to exceed one mill on the dollar on all the taxable tangible property in such municipality for not to exceed three years for the purpose of creating a special fund to be used to pay the expenses of purchasing or acquiring such airports or flying fields and to pay a portion of the principal and interest on bonds issued under the authority of K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto, by cities located in the county. Any such governing bodies are hereby further authorized to levy an annual tax for the support, maintenance and operation of such airports and to pay a portion of the principal and interest on bonds issued under the authority of K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto, by cities located in the county. Such support, maintenance and operation expenses shall be borne in the proportion agreed upon by the municipalities in case such airports are not leased.