Municipal FAQs

A municipal or tax-exempt lease agreement allows a political subdivision to use its annual revenues to make payments for any type of essential use equipment or facilities. This structure is an alternative to purchasing an asset with cash, acquiring its use for a period of time through a true lease, or issuing bonds.

The term ‘tax-exempt’ or ‘municipal lease’ refers to the interest earnings paid to the lessor of a properly structured and documented lease, being exempt from federal income tax. The same tax laws that enable a municipal bond to carry a tax-exempt rate apply to a municipal lease. Only municipalities or qualified political subdivisions can qualify for this type of agreement. Because the lessor does not pay federal income tax on the interest earned, the tax-exempt lease carries a much lower interest rate than other types of leases and installment loans. This significantly lowers the cost of financing to the borrower.

Municipal leases are structured to accommodate the fiscal funding restrictions of political subdivisions. In most cases, the obligation terminates if the lessee fails to appropriate funds to make the renewal year’s lease payments. Because of this provision, neither the lease nor the lease payments are considered debt (in most states).

For the lease to qualify for the interest exclusion, a lessee under a tax-exempt lease must be a state or possession of the U.S., the District of Columbia, or a political subdivision thereof. This may include state entities such as school districts, special purpose districts (fire, parks, utility, water, etc.), hospitals, agencies, authorities, boards and commissions. To be qualified, a governmental entity must possess one of three characteristics of a government, the power of eminent domain, police power, or the power to levy taxes.

The fact that an agency is financially supported by government funds or is “tax-exempt” does not always ensure qualification. Additionally, some provisions within the tax code allow organizations that provide essential services on behalf of political subdivisions, such as Volunteer Fire Departments, rescue squads, EMS, etc., to issue tax-exempt debt with limitations.

Non-profit organizations created under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code do not qualify directly as issuers of tax-exempt obligations but may be eligible with a sponsoring governmental unit. Non-profit organizations that may benefit from tax-exempt leasing include:

• Health Care (Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes, Life Care Centers)
• Education (Colleges and Universities, Preparatory Schools)
• Museums
• Research Centers

Yes, on trucks and stations. Per Section 150 (e) of the IRS Code, independent fire companies qualify for tax-exempt rates on their purchase of fire trucks or fire station construction (new or remodel). However, equipment such as SCBAs, turnout gear, rescue tools, compressors, ambulances, and buildings not used for fire fighting purposes, would not qualify. They do qualify for our nonprofit rates, which are lower than standard commercial rates.

Tax-exempt leasing is one of the simplest and most successful ways to purchase essential equipment and facilities. In addition to qualifying for low interest rates, municipalities can conserve their cash while acquiring the equipment and facilities necessary for their day-to-day operation. Entering into a municipal lease may also be more cost effective because political subdivisions can purchase equipment or facilities at today’s prices, not next year’s price increase. This is in addition to the annual savings realized through decreased maintenance costs.

There are laws in all 50 states that restrict the ability of municipalities to borrow money. There are, however, very few restrictions on the ability of municipalities to enter into a lease. Leases represent a year-to-year commitment on the part of a municipality to make lease payments, not a commitment to pay debt service. In other words, leases are not considered debt and, therefore not subject to the limitations placed on debt by state and local laws.

The lessee takes title to the equipment or deed to the property at the beginning of the lease. The lessor takes a security interest in the equipment or property as collateral. The lessee is responsible for the use, maintenance and insuring of the equipment or property.

The non-appropriation clause enables the lessee to account for the lease obligation as a current expense instead of debt. A non-appropriation clause enables the lessee to terminate the lease agreement at the end of the current appropriation period without further obligation or penalty. This can be done only in cases where the lessee is unable to obtain funding for future payment obligations on the lease. Typically, the clause will contain a ‘best efforts’ requirement whereby the lessee must use its best efforts to obtain the necessary appropriation for the lease payments.

Any personal property equipment or real property essential to the operations of the municipality.

No. We will finance most types of “essential use” equipment.

By tax-exempt, we mean the interest earnings on the financing are exempt from federal income tax per Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code. Because we do not pay income tax on the interest earned, the savings are passed on to the lessee in the form of lower interest rates. In contrast, a ‘tax certificate’ or ‘sales tax exemption certificate’ received by many nonprofit entities, refers to a ‘sales tax exemption’ and/or exemption from paying federal income tax, not the ability to finance equipment tax-exempt.