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water rates and charges levied by the City, although it is not clear (and has not been determined by State courts) <br />whether such action would be enforceable where such fees and charges are pledged to the repayment of <br />indebtedness. <br />The City's current fees for water service were adopted in accordance with the requirements of <br />Proposition 218. The City believes that its fees for water service will not be adversely affected by the <br />application of the procedural requirements of Proposition 218, and that Proposition 218 would not have any <br />immediate adverse effect on its ability to operate its Water System. However, there can be no assurance of the <br />availability of remedies to protect fully the interest of the holders of the Bonds. In addition, Proposition 218 <br />affects the levy of rates and charges of certain public agency customers of the City. <br />Constitutional Limit on Appropriations, Fees and Charges <br />If a portion of the Water System rates or connection charges were determined by a court to exceed the <br />reasonable costs of providing service, any fee which the City charges may be considered to be a "special tax," <br />which under Articles XIIIA or XIIID of the California Constitution must be authorized by a two - thirds vote of <br />the affected electorate. This requirement is applicable to the City's rates for service provided by the Water <br />System. The reasonable cost of service provided by the Water System has been determined by the State <br />Controller to include depreciation and allowance for the cost of capital improvements. In addition, the State <br />courts have determined that fees such as connection fees (capacity charges) will not be special taxes if they <br />approximate the reasonable cost of constructing Water System improvements contemplated by the local agency <br />imposing the fee. Such court determinations have been codified in the Government Code of the State of <br />California (Section 66000 et seq.). <br />Under Article XIIIB of the California Constitution, state and local government entities have an annual <br />"appropriations limit" which limits their ability to spend certain moneys called "appropriations subject to <br />limitation," which consists of tax revenues, certain state subventions and certain other moneys, including user <br />charges to the extent they exceed the costs reasonably borne by the entity in providing the service for which it is <br />levying the charge. In general terms, the "appropriations limit" is to be based on certain Fiscal Year 1978/79 <br />expenditures, and is to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the consumer price index, population and <br />services provided by these entities. Among other provisions of Article XIIIB, if an entity's revenues in any year <br />exceed the amount permitted to be spent, the excess would have to be returned by revising tax rates or fee <br />schedules over the subsequent two years. <br />The City is of the opinion that the rates and use charges imposed by the City in connection with the <br />Water System do not exceed the costs it reasonably bears in providing such services. <br />Limited Recourse on Default <br />If the City defaults on its obligation to make Installment Payments, the Trustee, as assignee of the <br />Authority, has the right to accelerate the total unpaid principal amounts of the Installment Payments. However, <br />in the event of a default and such acceleration there can be no assurance that the City will have sufficient Net <br />System Revenues to pay the accelerated Installment Payments. <br />No Debt Service Reserve Account <br />The Authority is not funding a debt service reserve account for the Bonds. In the event of a failure by <br />the City to pay Installment Payments when due and the Authority to timely pay debt service on the Bonds, no <br />other source of funds will be available to make such payments while the Trustee pursues available remedies <br />under the Indenture. <br />Limitations on Remedies Available; Bankruptcy <br />The enforceability of the rights and remedies of the Owners and the obligations of the City may become <br />subject to the following: the federal bankruptcy code and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, <br />38 <br />