Terms Used In Texas Special District Local Laws Code 3851.151

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.

The district may:
(1) impose an ad valorem tax in accordance with Chapter 375, Local Government Code, on all taxable property in the district to pay for an improvement project;
(2) impose an assessment or impact fee in the manner provided for a municipality or county under Subchapter A, Chapter 372, Local Government Code, on all industrial, commercial, and residential property in the district to pay for an improvement project;
(3) impose a rate, fee, including an impact fee, or charge for the use of an improvement project or the consumption of a product resulting from an improvement project;
(4) borrow money for a district purpose by issuing or executing bonds, notes, credit agreements, or other obligations of any kind found by the board to be necessary or appropriate for the district purpose;
(5) establish, revise, repeal, enforce, collect, and apply the proceeds from a user fee or charge for the enjoyment, sale, rental, or other use of a district facility, service, property, or improvement project;
(6) provide or secure the payment or repayment of the costs and expenses of the establishment, administration, and operation of the district and the district’s costs or share of the costs or revenue of an improvement project or district contractual obligation or indebtedness by or through a lease, installment purchase contract, or other agreement with any person, or the imposition of taxes, assessments, user fees, concessions, rentals, or other revenue or resources of the district;
(7) establish user charges related to the operation of various public services, including public water supply services, for the collection and treatment of wastewater, and for the operation of storm-water facilities, including the regulation of storm water for the protection of water quality in the district; and
(8) undertake separately or jointly with other persons, including the city, Kaufman County, or Rockwall County, all or part of the cost of an improvement project, including an improvement project:
(A) for improving, enhancing, and supporting public safety and security, fire protection and emergency medical services, and law enforcement in and adjacent to the district; or
(B) that confers a general benefit on the entire district or a special benefit on a definable part of the district.