LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 4Ch. 4Art. 3§ 43733 City Debt Bond Authorization

§ 43733 City Debt Bond Authorization

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 43733 City Debt Bond Authorization

Key Takeaways

  • •The city can't borrow money (by selling bonds) unless the people vote and say it's okay.
  • •The vote is needed in two cases: 1) If the city owes more money than it makes in a year, or 2) If a part of the city (like a department) owes money but didn't ask the people first.
  • •For the second case, if they didn't ask before, they need a big 'yes' from two-thirds of the voters to fix it.

Example

Imagine your city's park department spent a lot of money fixing all the parks but didn't ask the people if it was okay first. Now, they don't have enough money to pay for it.

The city would have to hold a vote. If at least two-thirds of the voters say 'yes,' then the city can borrow money (by selling bonds) to pay for the park fixes.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 43733 City Debt Bond Authorization

Bonds to fund or refund the indebtedness shall not be issued unless authorized by the electors of the city voting at an election to be called and held for that purpose, in either of the following cases: (a) When the indebtedness is evidenced by warrants or by judgment obtained for indebtedness or liability incurred by the city exceeding the income and revenue provided for the year in which the indebtedness or liability was incurred. (b) When the indebtedness is that of any department, board, or special fund of the city, and has been incurred without submission of the proposition of incurring the indebtedness to the city electors, and without the assent of two-thirds of the electors voting at an election held for that purpose. (Added by Stats. 1949, Ch. 79.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

liabilityjudgmentelectionrefinanceproposition

Related Statutes

  • § 43736 City Bond Refunding Approval
  • § 34901 Mayoral Term Election Ballot
  • § 43720 City Debt Refinancing Authority
  • § 43850 City Bond Debt Resolution
  • § 23685 County Seat Removal Vote

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 43733.
View Official Source