Art. 18. - Authorizing tax levy to establish recreation system.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. That the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Sanford may by a majority vote order a special election to be held at such time as said board of aldermen may fix, to determine the will of the people of the Town of Sanford as to whether the said board of aldermen shall levy annually an ad valorem tax of not more than ten cents (10;cent;) on each hundred dollars ($100.00) of the assessed value of the real and personal property taxable in the Town of Sanford, to be used for recreation purposes. In the event the said board of aldermen shall order a special election for said purpose, a new registration shall be required and the registration books shall be open for registration of voters and notice of such registration shall be given, as required by law, stating the days on which the books will be open for registration of new voters and at the places at which they will be on Saturdays, and the names of the polling places. It shall be sufficient notice of the election if such notice is published thirty (30) days before the election. The registration books shall open the fourth Saturday before the election day and close on the second Saturday before the election day. The Saturday immediately before the election day shall be "challenge day."

Sec. 2. The said special election, if called, shall be held as provided by law for the holding of elections and special elections in the Town of Sanford and at such special election the said board shall cause to be placed at each voting place in the Town of Sanford a ballot box marked "Recreation System Election"; that at said election all voters of the town who are qualified electors and who are duly registered for said election may vote in said election. Each of the said voters when he or she comes to the polling place to vote shall be supplied by the election officials with a ballot. Said ballot shall be designated "Official ballot—Town of Sanford Special Election" and below the said words shall be placed the date on which said election is held. Thereunder shall be written the form of said questions to be submitted to the voters and the form of the questions shall be in substantially the words "For Recreation System Tax" and "Against Recreation System Tax," which alternates shall appear separate from each other on one ballot containing opposite and to the left of each alternate, squares of the appropriate size in one of which squares the voter may make a mark "X" to designate the voter's choice for or against said tax. Said ballots shall be signed with the facsimile signature of the Clerk to the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Sanford. Said ballot shall be printed on white paper and each polling place shall be supplied with a sufficient number of ballots not later than the day before the election.

Sec. 3. If a majority of the voters, registered and qualified to vote in said election, shall vote "For Recreation System Tax," then, the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Sanford shall be authorized and empowered to thereafter levy annually an ad valorem tax of not more than ten cents (10;cent;) on each hundred dollars ($100.00) of the assessed value of the real and personal property taxable in the Town of Sanford for the acquisition and improvement of lands and equipment and for operating, maintaining and conducting a supervised recreation system in the town; otherwise, no tax shall be levied by the said Board of Aldermen of the Town of Sanford for said purpose.

Sec. 4. All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 5. This Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 19th day of February, 1947.

(Session Laws of 1947, chapter 97)