§ 244-c. Proposition for establishment or maintenance of recreation
system. The term "recreation system," as used in this section means
playgrounds and neighborhood recreation centers as referred to in this
article. The local legislative body of a city or the governing body of
any other municipality to which this article is applicable may, and on
the petition signed and acknowledged by qualified electors of such
municipality in number equal to at least five per centum of the total
number of votes cast for governor at the last gubernatorial election in
such municipality shall, submit to the electors at a general election
held in such municipality a proposition for the establishment and
maintenance of a recreation system, if there be no recreation system
therein, or for the maintenance of an existing recreation system in such
municipality. The proposition shall specify the minimum amount which
shall be annually levied and appropriated for maintenance of a
recreation system in such municipality, which shall not exceed an amount
equal to two mills upon every dollar of the assessed valuation of real
and personal property in such municipality on the last preceding
assessment-roll. Such petition shall be filed within sixty days and not
later than thirty days before such election with the officer or board
charged by law with the duty of preparing ballots for such election.
The petition may be made upon separate sheets and the signatures to each
sheet shall be authenticated in the manner provided by section 6-140 of
the election law, for the authentication of nominating petitions. The
several sheets so signed and authenticated, when fastened together and
offered for filing, shall be deemed to constitute one petition. The
proposition shall be in the following form: "Shall the (city, county,
town, that part of a town not included within the boundaries of a
village or village) of (naming it) establish a recreation system and
annually levy and appropriate for the maintenance of such system not
less than ............. dollars?" Or, if such petition be for
maintenance only, the proposition shall be in the following form: "Shall
the (city, county, town, that part of a town not included within the
boundaries of a village or village) of (naming it) annually levy and
appropriate for the maintenance of its recreation system, not less than
............ dollars?" Such proposition shall be submitted, the vote
thereon canvassed and the result declared in the same manner as for
other propositions submitted in such municipality. If a proposition for
the establishment and maintenance of a system be adopted, jurisdiction
and administration thereof shall be vested in such local authority as
shall be determined in accordance with section two hundred forty-two of
this chapter, and all the provisions of this article shall be applicable
thereto. If either of such propositions be adopted, an amount not less
than that specified therein for the maintenance of a recreation system
in such municipality shall be annually levied by the officer, board or
body thereof charged with the duty of levying taxes therein, and shall
be annually appropriated for the maintenance of the recreation system of
such municipality.