Why is a Municipal Lease/Purchase generally not considered debt?
A Municipal Lease/Purchase Agreement is a yearly obligation renewable at the option of the lessee. The obligation is subject to the annual appropriation of funds by the borrower. If funds are not appropriated in a given year, the Municipal Lease/Purchase Agreement may be terminated. While voter approval is generally not required for a public agency to enter into a Municipal Lease/Purchase Agreement, terms of the transaction are fully disclosed in their annual audited financial statements. Due to a non-appropriation clause in the contract, payments are considered an operating expense rather than debt.
