13-518.

Terms, defined.

For purposes of sections 13-518 to 13-522:

(1) Allowable growth means (a) for governmental units other than community colleges, the percentage increase in taxable valuation in excess of the base limitation established under section 77-3446, if any, due to improvements to real property as a result of new construction, additions to existing buildings, any improvements to real property which increase the value of such property, and any increase in valuation due to annexation and any personal property valuation over the prior year and (b) for community colleges, the percentage increase in excess of the base limitation, if any, in full-time equivalent students from the second year to the first year preceding the year for which the budget is being determined;

(2) Capital improvements means (a) acquisition of real property or (b) acquisition, construction, or extension of any improvements on real property;

(3) Governing body has the same meaning as in section 13-503, except that for fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2025, such term shall not include the governing body of any county, city, or village;

(4) Governmental unit means every political subdivision which has authority to levy a property tax or authority to request levy authority under section 77-3443, except that such term shall not include (a) sanitary and improvement districts which have been in existence for five years or less, (b) school districts, or (c) for fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2025, counties, cities, or villages;

(5) Qualified sinking fund means a fund or funds maintained separately from the general fund to pay for acquisition or replacement of tangible personal property with a useful life of five years or more which is to be undertaken in the future but is to be paid for in part or in total in advance using periodic payments into the fund. The term includes sinking funds under subdivision (13) of section 35-508 for firefighting and rescue equipment or apparatus;

(6) Restricted funds means (a) property tax, excluding any amounts refunded to taxpayers, (b) payments in lieu of property taxes, (c) local option sales taxes, (d) motor vehicle taxes, (e) state aid, (f) transfers of surpluses from any user fee, permit fee, or regulatory fee if the fee surplus is transferred to fund a service or function not directly related to the fee and the costs of the activity funded from the fee, (g) any funds excluded from restricted funds for the prior year because they were budgeted for capital improvements but which were not spent and are not expected to be spent for capital improvements, (h) the tax provided in sections 77-27,223 to 77-27,227 beginning in the second fiscal year in which the county will receive a full year of receipts, and (i) any excess tax collections returned to the county under section 77-1776. Funds received pursuant to the nameplate capacity tax levied under section 77-6203 for the first five years after a renewable energy generation facility has been commissioned are nonrestricted funds; and

(7) State aid means:

(a) For all governmental units, state aid paid pursuant to sections 60-3,202 and 77-3523 and reimbursement provided pursuant to section 77-1239;

(b) For municipalities, state aid to municipalities paid pursuant to sections 39-2501 to 39-2520, 60-3,190, and 77-27,139.04 and insurance premium tax paid to municipalities;

(c) For counties, state aid to counties paid pursuant to sections 60-3,184 to 60-3,190, insurance premium tax paid to counties, and reimbursements to counties from funds appropriated pursuant to section 29-3933;

(d) For community colleges, state aid to community colleges paid pursuant to the Community College Aid Act;

(e) For educational service units, state aid appropriated under sections 79-1241.01 and 79-1241.03; and

(f) For local public health departments as defined in section 71-1626, state aid as distributed under section 71-1628.08.