(a) If, by the time set for letting a contract under this chapter, a written petition with the required signatures is filed with the municipal secretary or clerk requesting the governing body of the municipality to order a referendum on the question of whether time warrants should be issued for an expenditure under the contract, the governing body may not authorize the expenditure or finally award the contract unless the question is approved by a majority of the votes received in the referendum. The petition must be signed by at least 10 percent of the qualified voters of the municipality whose names appear as property taxpayers on the municipality’s most recently approved tax rolls.
(b) If a petition is not filed, the governing body may finally award the contract and issue the time warrants. In the absence of a petition, the governing body may, at its discretion, order the referendum.

(c) The provisions of Subtitles A and C, Title 9, Government Code, relating to elections for the issuance of municipal bonds and to the issuance, approval, registration, and sale of bonds govern the referendum and the time warrants to the extent those provisions are consistent with this chapter. However, the time warrants may mature over a term exceeding 40 years only if the governing body finds that the financial condition of the municipality will not permit payment of warrants issued for a term of 40 years or less from taxes that are imposed substantially uniformly during the term of the warrants.
(d) This section does not supersede any additional rights provided by the charter of a special-law municipality and relating to a referendum.