For the purpose of allocating taxes pursuant to Section 33670 and subject to the provisions of this article, redevelopment project areas under the jurisdiction of the redevelopment agency of the Cities of Chula Vista, San Jose, and Santa Fe Springs, for which redevelopment plans have been adopted pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 33360) of this chapter, may be merged, irrespective of contiguity, by the amendment of each affected redevelopment plan as provided in Article 12 (commencing with Section 33450) of this chapter. Each constituent project area so merged shall continue under its own redevelopment plan, but, except as otherwise provided in this article, taxes attributable to each project area merged pursuant to this section which are allocated to the redevelopment agency pursuant to Section 33670 may be allocated, as provided in subdivision (b) of such section, to the entire merged project area for the purpose of paying the principal of and interest on loans, moneys advanced to, or indebtedness (whether funded, refunded, assumed, or otherwise) incurred by the redevelopment agency to finance or refinance, in whole or in part, such merged redevelopment project.