5.__Extraordinary event.__Upon the affirmative vote of its governing body, a county may exceed its assessment limit in an amount necessary to comply with a court order or decree or to respond to an extraordinary event.__"Extraordinary event" includes any catastrophic event outside the control of the county commissioners, such as natural disasters, severe weather events, acts of God, acts of terrorism, fire, war and riots.__ "Extraordinary event" does not include changes in economic conditions, revenue shortfalls or increases in salaries or benefits.__An appropriation under this subsection may not cause the county's assessment limit to be adjusted for any future fiscal years and may not continue for longer than required to comply with the court order or decree or address the extraordinary event.

6.__Referendum.__A county may elect to raise its assessment limit by referendum upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the voters of the county voting at any regular or special election.__Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the referendum may be called only upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the county commissioners, and the referendum must be governed according to state law and any applicable charter.__The warrant for the referendum must set forth the question in the following form:__"Do you favor raising the levy limit of [name of county] for the purpose of [insert purpose]?"

7.__Treatment of surplus.__Any assessments collected by a county in any fiscal year in excess of its assessment limit, as determined by a final audited accounting, must be transferred to a property tax relief fund, which each county shall establish, and used to reduce assessments in subsequent fiscal years.__ Nothing in this subsection is intended to limit the ability of a county to maintain adequate reserves as permitted by law, provided that annual allocations or appropriations of funds to reserves are treated as appropriations subject to the appropriation limits set forth in subsection 1.