VIII-12.

Cities or villages; redevelopment project; substandard and blighted property; incur indebtedness; taxes; how treated.

For the purpose of rehabilitating, acquiring, or redeveloping substandard and blighted property in a redevelopment project as determined by law, any city or village of the state may, notwithstanding any other provision in the Constitution, and without regard to charter limitations and restrictions, incur indebtedness, whether by bond, loans, notes, advance of money, or otherwise. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Constitution or a local charter, such cities or villages may also pledge for and apply to the payment of the principal, interest, and any premium on such indebtedness all taxes levied by all taxing bodies on the assessed valuation of the property in the project area portion of a designated blighted and substandard area that is in excess of the assessed valuation of such property for the year prior to such rehabilitation, acquisition, or redevelopment. Cities and villages may pledge such taxes for a period not to exceed fifteen years, except that the Legislature may allow cities and villages to pledge such taxes for a period not to exceed twenty years if, due to a high rate of unemployment combined with a high poverty rate as determined by law, more than one-half of the property in the project area is designated as extremely blighted.

When such indebtedness and the interest thereon have been paid in full, such property thereafter shall be taxed as is other property in the respective taxing jurisdictions and such taxes applied as all other taxes of the respective taxing bodies.