Armory Realty Co. v. Olsen

246 N.W. 513, 210 Wis. 281, 1933 Wisc. LEXIS 351
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 10, 1933
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 246 N.W. 513 (Armory Realty Co. v. Olsen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Armory Realty Co. v. Olsen, 246 N.W. 513, 210 Wis. 281, 1933 Wisc. LEXIS 351 (Wis. 1933).

Opinion

Nelson, J.

Two distinct controversies are involved in this appeal. The first controversy relates to the validity of tax certificates based upon general taxes levied upon the lands of plaintiff’s grantor, the Light Horse Squadron [284]*284Armory Association (hereafter called the Association), for the years 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925, and to the validity of certain general taxes levied or about to be levied upon the same lands by the village of Shorewood for the years 1926, 1927, and 1928. As to all,of these tax certificates and taxes it is contended that they are illegal and void because the lands were at all times mentioned exempt from taxation by virtue of the provisions of sec. 70.11 (16), Stats., which is as follows:

“The property in this section described is exempt from taxation, to wit: . . . (16) The armory owned by any regiment, battalion or company of the Wisconsin National Guard and used for military purposes by such organization; but such property shall be subject to local assessments for the improvement of streets or sidewalks, or for the construction and repair of sewers or drains.”

The second controversy relates to the validity of two tax certificates based upon special assessments against the lands of the association for (1) storm sewers laid by the village of Shorewood, and (2) planting trees on the boulevard portion of the street upon which the said lands abut. As to these certificates it is contended that they are null and void because the statutes under which the village of Shorewood proceeded in making the assessments are unconstitutional.

The facts are not in dispute. We content ourselves by reciting the material facts as found by the trial court. The facts relating to the first controversy are as follows: Prior to January 1, 1884, a troop of cavalry was organized in the city of Milwaukee which was known as the Light Horse Squadron. That organization, pursuant to the laws of this state, thereafter became a part of the National Guard and was known as Troop A, First Wisconsin Cavalry. In 1916 two troops, A and B, were organized out of Troop A and additional recruits. In 1917 a regiment of cavalry was organized in this state to which were assigned the officers and enlisted men of Troops A and B; In 1917 that regiment was drafted [285]*285into the service of the United States. In November, 1919, provisions were made for the maintenance of a regiment of cavalry and one separate squadron of cavalry in the state of Wisconsin. In January, 1920, Troop A, First Wisconsin Cavalry, was reorganized and remustered into the service of the state and reorganized as a unit of the National Guard. Out of said troop other cavalry units were formed which were thereafter redesignated as troops of the 105th Cavalry. During all of the years material to this controversy all of said troops were quartered upon the lands of the association, the taxation of which gives rise to this controversy.

In February, 1888, there was organized under the general corporation laws of this state a non-stock corporation known as the Light Horse Squadron Association. The purpose of such corporation, as stated in its articles of organization, was to acquire, hold, maintain, and dispose of real and personal property for military purposes and for such other purposes as may be lawfully carried on in connection therewith. The articles of organization provided that the membership of the association should consist of all persons who were active members of the Light Horse Squadron on January 1, 1884, and all who had thereafter enlisted therein down to the date of the execution of the articles, and also all persons who should thereafter enlist in such squadron during its existence and the existence of the corporation, except such persons as had theretofore or might thereafter be dishonorably discharged from the Wisconsin National Guard or expelled from membership in the squadron. Upon the organization of Troop A the articles were amended so as to provide that the members of Troop A should be members of the association. The articles further provided that the corporation shall not be dissolved so long as there remains a lawful minimum membership of the squadron; that in case of disbandment of the squadron the association shall not be dissolved except on the affirmative vote of two-thirds of its living [286]*286members; that in case of the dissolution of the corporation, the rights and interests of each member and the respective heirs of deceased members in the corporate property shall be determined by the length of his enlisted service in the squadron, and that an account of the military service of each member shall be kept. The articles further provided for honorary members who should have the privilege of the armory but no interest in the property or funds of the troop.

In the year 1884 the association purchased a piece of property located on Broadway in the city of Milwaukee and erected thereon an armory. This property was sold on contract to the city of Milwaukee in 1906 and some time thereafter the association purchased in Shorewood the tract of land involved herein upon which it erected an armory. The property of the association located on Broadway was never taxed by the city of Milwaukee. In the month of February, 1912, the board of directors of the association was authorized and directed to enter into an agreement with the commanding officers of the squadron then known as Troop A for the leasing of all of its buildings and grounds located in the village of Shorewood for the following rental, namely, an amount of money equal to the interest which the association was obliged to pay on its indebtedness, less the amount of interest which the association was receiving from the city of Milwaukee on its contract with the city of Milwaukee until the rental so figured shall amount to no more than $800.

By ch. 498 of the Laws of 1907 there was annually appropriated to the association the sum of $2,000 for the purposes of maintaining the buildings and grounds of the association, which appropriation carried the provision that within one year the association should cause to be erected upon its grounds suitable buildings to be used for military purposes and that the buildings and grounds be of a value of not less than $80,000. That law further provided that the state should at all times have the right to use the buildings and [287]*287grounds for the quartering of its troops in cases of riot, insurrection, or concentration of troops, in which case the property was to be under the control of the governor. In 1923 a new arrangement was made with the adjutant general under the terms of which there was to be paid to the association the annual sum of $7,000, the association to furnish and maintain its premises located in the village of Shorewood for the use of five units and as regimental headquarters of the 105th Cavalry, Wisconsin National Guard.

The title to the lands was at all times in the association, whose membership at the very beginning was identical or substantially identical with the membership of the troop. As the years passed, retirements from the troop took place by expiration of service and honorable discharges, so that at the time this controversy arose there were numerous members of the association who were not members of the troop, and there was consequently a wide spread between the membership in the association and the membership in the troop.

During all of the years prior to 1925 the village of Shore-wood did not tax the property of the association.

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Bluebook (online)
246 N.W. 513, 210 Wis. 281, 1933 Wisc. LEXIS 351, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/armory-realty-co-v-olsen-wis-1933.