Rules for issuing refunding bonds for district debt

(a) The council may authorize the issuance of bonds to refund any or all of the district bonds outstanding that have been issued pursuant to this article. The refunding bonds shall be authorized by a bond ordinance. (b) Refunding bonds shall not be issued if the total net interest cost to maturity on the refunding bonds plus the principal amount of the refunding bonds exceeds the total net interest cost to maturity on the bonds to be refunded plus the principal amount of the bonds to be refunded. Subject to such limitations, the principal amount of the refunding bonds may be more than, less than, or the same as the principal amount of the bonds to be refunded. The principal amount of such refunding bonds shall not count against any maximum amount of bonds authorized in the original bond ordinance. (c) The designated costs of issuing refunding bonds shall be paid from proceeds of the refunding bonds, interest earned on such proceeds, or special assessments from the district. However, any interest or special assessments paid for the designated costs shall be added to the total net interest costs to maturity on the refunding bonds in determining whether the issuance of the refunding bonds complies with subsection (b). “Designated costs of issuing the refunding bonds” means any of the following costs and expenses designated by the council in the bond ordinance authorizing the issuance of the refunding bonds: (1) All expenses incident to the calling, retiring, or paying of the bonds to be refunded and incident to the issuance of refunding bonds, including the charges of any agent in connection with the issuance of the refunding bonds or the redemption or retirement of the bonds to be refunded; (2) The interest upon the refunding bonds from the date of sale of the refunding bonds to the date of payment of the bonds to be refunded or the date upon which the bonds to be refunded will be paid pursuant to call or agreement with the holders of the bonds; (3) Any premium necessary in the calling or retiring of the bonds to be refunded; (4) Any insurance premium or fee payable to the issuer of a bond insurance policy or letter of credit insuring all or part of the principal or interest, or both, due on the refunding bonds; and (5) Any other incidental expense related to the issuance or carrying of the refunding bonds or the redemption or refunding of the bonds to be refunded. (d) The saving achieved through the issuance of refunding bonds shall be used by the council to reduce the special assessment levied in the district. At the time the council authorizes the issuance of refunding bonds, the council also shall reduce the special assessments levied in the district. The reduction shall be made through an ordinance of consideration pursuant to Article 4 .