(1) The county court or board of county commissioners of any county may prevent and control fire occurring within the limits of zone 2 in such county, and may for such purposes establish and maintain fire fighting and fire control facilities and contract with existing fire control agencies, either individuals, associations, corporations, cities or rural fire protection districts. The State Fire Marshal, upon the request of any county court or board of county commissioners, shall meet with and advise such county court or board of county commissioners as to the establishment and maintenance of fire fighting and fire protection equipment and facilities.
(2) If the court or board establishes fire fighting and fire protection equipment and facilities, it shall not discontinue such equipment and facilities until at least three years after notice of its intention to do so has been first published in a newspaper considered by the board to be of general circulation in the county. The notice shall be published by four insertions in the newspaper and 12 months shall elapse between each insertion.
(3) While the county court or board of county commissioners of any county is maintaining fire fighting and fire protection equipment and facilities, the court or board annually shall levy a tax upon the taxable property lying within zone 2 in the county, not to exceed one-fourth of one percent (0.0025) of the real market value of all taxable property within the zone, computed in accordance with ORS 308.207, for the purpose of furnishing such fire protection.
(4) The court or board of county commissioners, upon approval of the majority of the electors of zone 2 voting at a special election called for such a purpose, may levy a special tax of not to exceed one-fourth of one percent (0.0025) of the real market value of all taxable property within the zone, computed in accordance with ORS 308.207. This special levy may be in addition to the regular levy under subsection (3) of this section.
(5) To carry into effect any of the powers granted under this section, the court or board, when authorized by a majority of the votes cast by the electors of the zone voting at an election called for that purpose by the court or board, may borrow money and sell and dispose of general obligation bonds, which bonds shall never in the aggregate exceed one and one-fourth of one percent (0.0125) of the real market value of all taxable property within the zone, computed in accordance with ORS 308.207.
(6) The tax limitations provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section do not apply to taxes levied to pay principal or interest on outstanding bonds. [Amended by 1955 c.262 §1; 1959 c.288 §1; 1963 c.9 §29; 1967 c.356 §1; 1969 c.590 §1; 1971 c.647 §107; 1991 c.459 §416; 2007 c.154 §63]
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