N.Y. General Municipal Law Section 120-P
Referendum in cities and villages

In any such city or village, whether acting severally or jointly, a copy of such contract, for construction mentioned in section one hundred twenty-c, with a copy of the determination required in section one hundred twenty-g, if the expenditures of such city or village to carry out such contracts are to be paid by taxes levied for the fiscal year in which such expenditures are to be made shall be published at least twice in one or more newspapers published therein, including the official newspaper or newspapers, if any, of such city or village, or posted in not less than five public places, and published at least twice in a newspaper circulating in such municipality if no newspaper is published therein. In the event that the municipality maintains a website, one of the posting requirements may be fulfilled by posting such information on the website. If, within fifteen days after the publication or posting of such contract and determination, a protest or protests against such contract shall be filed in the office of the clerk of such city or village signed either by not less than one-third of the governing body adopting such resolution or by a three per centum in number of the taxpayers thereof whose names appear on the last preceding assessment roll of real property, excluding special franchises, then such contract shall not become effective unless the governing body shall by a further resolution provide for the submission to the voters of a proposition to ratify such contract, nor unless, within sixty days after such publication or posting such proposition shall be adopted at a general election or at a special election to be called and held for that purpose, by a majority of the voters voting on such proposition. At any such election any person qualified to vote under the election law in general elections, who is a resident of the city or village, may vote. At least ten days’ notice of any election under this section shall be given by the clerk of the city or village by publication at least twice in one or more newspapers, including the official newspaper or newspapers, if any, of such city or village, or by posting in at least five public places, if no newspaper is published therein. Such election may be held and the result canvassed and certified as may be required by any general or special law applicable to an election upon a proposition in any such city or village, or in the absence of any such law as may be prescribed by any general ordinance. The voting shall be by ballot, prepared in the form prescribed by the election law. The facts as to the filing and sufficiency of any protests under this section, and as to the calling, holding or result of any election which may be required or held under this section or under any other statute with respect to the authorization of any such improvement or the ratification of any ordinance authorizing the same, and all facts affecting the validity of any contract mentioned in section one hundred twenty-c, including the organizations or acts of any town or sewer district shall, for the purpose of this section, be conclusively determined by a resolution of the governing body of any such city, town or village. A copy of such resolution shall be published twice in one or more newspapers, including the official newspaper or newspapers, if any, of such city, town or village, or posted in not less than five public places if no newspaper is published therein, and the facts therein stated shall not be disputed in any action commenced after the expiration of ten days after such publication or posting involving the validity of such contract, or of any tax, assessment or other charge to meet any payment thereunder, and such contract shall be conclusively deemed to be valid unless entered into in violation of this section, section one hundred twenty, or § 120-C (Obligations and privileges relating to sewerage contracts)section one hundred twenty-c of this chapter.

Source: Section 120-P — Referendum in cities and villages, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/GMU/120-P (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Feb. 28, 2026).

120
Contracts for purification of water and sewerage 120–A
Contracts for sewerage disposal 120–AA
Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials 120–B
Supervision of sewage system 120–BB
Town of Huntington solid waste management resource recovery facility 120–C
Obligations and privileges relating to sewerage contracts 120–CC
Enforcement of unpaid solid waste collection and/or disposal fee 120–D
Officers of meeting 120–E
By whom proposed district represented 120–F
Contract 120–G
Apportionment of cost 120–H
Further provisions as to apportionment of cost 120–I
Means of payment 120–K
Payments 120–L
Letting of contracts 120–M
Application of other laws to procedure 120–N
Maps and plans of sewers 120–O
Definitions 120–P
Referendum in cities and villages 120–Q
Rules and regulations 120–R
Cancellation of sewerage contracts for neglect 120–S
Joint meeting for acquisition and operation of property 120–T
Town and village may establish a joint water district 120–U
Mutual aid for water service 120–V
Contracts for disposal of sewage outside the state 120–W
Contracts and agreements for solid waste management, collection and disposal 120–X
Agreements for joint acquisition, construction and operation of public docks 120–Z
Sewer hook-ups by private contractors 121
Establishment and maintenance of free public baths 121–A
Creation of village and town police department in certain towns and villages 121–B
Care of children admitted to certain places of amusement in certain cities, villages and towns under a local law or ordinance 122
Refusal to take persons to hospital prohibited 122–B
General ambulance services 122–C
Transport of police work dogs injured in the line of duty 123
Erection and operation of life-saving apparatus 124
Inspection of building elevators in Nassau county 125
Issuance of building permits 125–A
Posting signs on dead-end roads 126
Establishment of public general hospitals 126–A
Joint hospitals for cities, towns or villages 126–B
Public hospitals for chronically ill 126–B*2
Establishment of Broome county nursing home 126–C
Appointment to board of managers of county hospital 127
Appointment and terms of office of managers 128
General powers and duties of managers 128–A
Petty cash fund 129
General powers and duties of superintendent 129–A
Erie county 130
Admission and maintenance of patients 131
Training school for nurses 132
Room for detention and examination of persons who are suspected of being mentally ill 133
Visitation and inspection 134
Existing county, town, city or village public general hospitals 135
Application of preceding sections 135–A
Workshops in connection with hospitals and facilities for the aged 135–B
Departments of occupational therapy in connection with public general hospitals and tuberculosis hospitals or sanatoria 135–C
Prenatal and maternity care 136
Regulation of automobile junk yards 139–C
Sheltered workshops 139–D
Storage and display of firearms, ammunition and explosives 139–E
Posting of sanitary inspection grade
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Feb. 28, 2026

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 120-P. Referendum in cities & villages's source at nysenate​.gov

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