2-32-660 Collection of special assessments – Delinquencies.

   It shall be the duty of the comptroller to attend in person or by his representative all sales of property to enforce the collection of special assessments and to do any of the following:

   (1)   In default of other bidders, to bid thereat in behalf of the city;

   (2)   Withdraw from collection at such sale any special assessment or installment thereof levied by the city on any lot, parcel of land, or property subject to sale;

   (3)   Permit any such lot, parcel of land, or property to be forfeited to the state.

   In all cases where the city has become a purchaser at any such sale the comptroller is authorized to sell or otherwise dispose of the city's interest in the property purchased for not less than the amount bid in behalf of the city, together with interest thereon at six percent per annum from the date of sale, and all fees, costs, charges and expenses of securing certificate of sale and tax deed. In all cases where any special assessment or installment thereof has been withdrawn from collection or property has been forfeited at any such sale on account of any delinquent special assessment or installment thereof, the comptroller is authorized to collect such delinquent special assessment or installment thereof, together with interest, penalties, costs, and fees due thereon and to waive any penalties for the first year in excess of seven percent and when such collection has been made to issue a proper receipt of deposit for redemption. A fee of $2.00 shall be charged for each estimate of redemption furnished, if based on a tax search, except for an estimate furnished to any municipality. Such estimate may include all lots, parcels of land, or property in the same block and in one ownership or any number of contiguous lots, parcels of land, or property in the same block in more than one ownership.

   In all cases where the city has become a purchaser at any tax sale for the nonpayment of general taxes and water taxes, the comptroller is hereby authorized to dispose of the city's interest in the property purchased for not less than the amount bid together with all costs and expenses.

(Prior code § 7-56)

2-32-670 Settlement of tax claims.

   The comptroller is hereby authorized to make settlement of special assessment tax claims during the annual vacation periods of the city council, for not less than 75 percent of the total city claims in cases where property is overburdened with tax claims, liens and mortgages, provided each settlement shall be approved by the chairman of the committee on finance.

(Prior code § 7-57)

ARTICLE VIII. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (2-32-680 et seq.)

2-32-680 Issuance conditions.

   The City of Chicago, acting by its city council, may, from time to time, borrow money for proper public purposes and in evidence of such borrowing, issue its general obligation bonds payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied without limitation as to rate or amount, against all taxable property situated within the city. Such bonds may be issued without the submission of the question to their issuance to the electors of the city for their approval and the procedures for the issuance of such bonds shall be substantially as herein provided in Sections 2-32-680 through 2-32-750 of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7-58)

2-32-690 Bond ordinance – Adoption required – Public hearing.

   The city council shall adopt an ordinance (hereinafter designated the "bond ordinance") describing the public purpose or purposes to be served by such borrowing and in such bond ordinance shall make a finding and determination that such borrowing of money is necessary for the welfare of the government and affairs of the city, is for a proper public purpose or purposes and is in the public interest, which finding and determination shall be deemed conclusive.

   Prior to the adoption of any such bond ordinance, a public hearing shall be held thereon by the finance committee of the city council, provided that no approval of projects to be permanently financed thereby shall be necessary if such projects have been theretofore approved by the finance committee and the city council, and finance wholly or in part through the issuance of interim notes pursuant to Sections 2-32-900 through 2-32-940 of this chapter, pursuant to a notice given of such public hearing, such notice to refer generally to the subject matter of the ordinance and to be published at least once in a newspaper published in and having a general circulation within the City of Chicago, the date of such publication to be not less than ten days prior to the date of the public hearing.

(Prior code § 7-59)

2-32-700 Bond ordinance – Form and contents.

   The bond ordinance shall indicate the amount of money necessary to be borrowed, the amount of bonds to be issued in evidence thereof, shall fix the details of such bonds, including their date, number, denomination and maturity, which cannot exceed 40 years from the date of said bonds, and their maximum rate of interest, which shall not exceed seven percent per annum. The bonds shall be sold in such manner as may be determined in the bond ordinance. If the bonds are authorized to bear interest at the maximum rate, they shall be sold at a price of not less than par. If the bonds are authorized to bear interest at a rate less than the maximum interest rate, they may be sold at a price of less than par, but in any event at such a price that the interest cost to the city of the money received by it from the proceeds of the sale of said bonds shall not exceed the maximum interest rate per annum, computed to maturity according to standard tables of bond values.

(Prior code § 7-60)

2-32-710 Bond ordinance – Effect – Signatures.

   The bond ordinance shall authorize the execution of the bonds therein authorized on behalf of the city by signatures of the mayor and the city comptroller or by their respective proxies; shall determine whether such bonds to be issued shall be registered in the name of the owner as to principal only or whether the same shall be fully registered as to both principal and interest; shall indicate the place or places of payment of the principal and interest maturing on said bonds and shall set forth the form of bond.

   The mayor and the city comptroller may each designate another to affix their respective signatures to any written instrument which is required to be signed by the mayor or the city comptroller. In such case, each shall send to the city council written notice of the person so designated by each, such notice stating the name of the person so selected and the particular instrument which such person shall have authority to sign as proxy for the mayor and the city comptroller, respectively. A written signature of the mayor or of the city comptroller, respectively, executed by the person so designated by each, with the signature of the person so designated underneath, shall be attached to each notice. Each notice, with the signatures attached, shall be recorded in the journal of the proceedings of the city council and then filed with the city clerk. When the signature of the mayor is placed on a written instrument at the direction of the mayor in the specified manner, the instrument, in all respects, shall be as binding on the city as if signed by the mayor in person. When the comptroller's signature is so affixed to a written instrument at the comptroller's direction, the instrument, in all respects, shall be as binding on the city as if signed by the comptroller in person.

(Prior code § 7-61)

2-32-720 Bond ordinance – Provisions for payment.

   The bond ordinance shall make provision for the payment of such bonds, both principal thereof and interest thereon until maturity, by the levy of a direct annual tax upon all the taxable property within said city sufficient for such purpose. A copy of such bond ordinance, as adopted, certified to by the city clerk, shall be filed in the offices of the county clerks of all those counties within which a part of the City of Chicago may be situated. Such bond ordinance, as so filed, shall constitute the authority for the several county clerks within which a part of the City of Chicago may be situated, in and for each of the years for which taxes are levied in said bond ordinance, to extend such taxes for collection against all the taxable property situated within the City of Chicago and situated within such several counties. The taxes so levied in and by such bond ordinance shall be extended annually by the several county clerks without limitation as to rate or amount and such taxes shall be in addition to and in excess of any and all other taxes levied or authorized to be levied by the city council. Such taxes so levied shall not be subject to repeal or abatement in any manner whatsoever until such time as all the bonds authorized under the terms of said bond ordinance and issued shall have been paid in full, both principal thereof and interest thereon up to and including the date of maturity.

(Prior code § 7-62)