City Commission of City of Springfield v. Bethel Township

69 Ohio St. 2d 500
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 3, 1982
DocketNos. 81-881 and 81-884
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 69 Ohio St. 2d 500 (City Commission of City of Springfield v. Bethel Township) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City Commission of City of Springfield v. Bethel Township, 69 Ohio St. 2d 500 (Ohio 1982).

Opinion

Per Curiam.

I.

In case No. 81-881, Springfield sets forth six propositions of law for our consideration. Each questions a separate calculation of the BTA and, except as otherwise noted, each will be discussed separately herein.

A.

In reviewing Springfield’s estimated total expenditures for 1976, the BTA noted that the sum of $540,448 was included in Springfield’s 1976 budget as a “Contingencies” account. The BTA held that this account was an “account for non-existent needs” and eliminated the same from Springfield’s 1976 disbursements. The BTA then treated this account as part of the unencumbered balance of Springfield’s general fund as of December 31, 1976. The effect of this action was to reduce Springfield’s “relative need” for 1977 by the sum of $540,448.3

Springfield contends that the decision of the BTA is unreasonable because there is neither evidence nor reasoning to support its decision. In Cleveland v. Budget Comm. (1976), 47 Ohio St. 2d 27, 31, we held that “allocation [of the local government fund] must be based upon some ascertainable and reasonable standard and upon the evidence presented.” Appellees do not argue that there was, in fact, evidence presented upon which [502]*502the BTA could base its decision. Rather, appellees argue that the amount included in the contingency account exceeded the statutory limits;4 therefore, the entire fund should be included as part of the unencumbered balance as of December 31, 1976.

Given the specific authorization for such accounts in the Revised Code and the absence of any evidence in the record as to the status of the funds in this account, we find that the BTA’s decision to deduct them in their entirety is unreasonable and unlawful. However, to the extent that this fund exceeded the statutory limit, Springfield should not be benefited thereby. Accordingly, the decision of the BTA in this regard is reversed.

B.

Springfield also takes issue with the BTA’s deduction of $452,800 from its estimated expenditures.

Springfield’s estimated 1977 budget included a fund denominated as the “Federal Grant & Program Funds.” The total receipts shown in this account were $4,728,000, of which $1,500,000 represented monies received from the federal government. The remaining monies in the account were derived from note sales and unspecified transfers. Also included on the federal grants page of Springfield’s budget was an expenditure of $452,800 for capital improvements.

The BTA, pursuant to R. C. 5747.51(D)(1),5 deducted the sum of $452,800 from Springfield’s estimated expenditures for 1977.

The BTA concluded that the monies received from the federal government were in the nature of “trust funds” and eliminated these amounts from both the expenditures and revenues calculation. Springfield, concedes the appropriateness of this action. However, it contends that since the federal grants are “trust funds,” they are not included in the budget, and, a [503]*503fortiori, expenditures therefrom for permanent improvements are not required to be deducted.

In reviewing the allocation of the local government fund by the BTA, this court will intervene “only when it is apparent that the board has proceeded in an unreasonable or unlawful manner.” Bd. of Co. Commrs. v. Willoughby Hills (1968), 14 Ohio St. 2d 163, 164; Cleveland v. Budget Comm. (1976), 47 Ohio St. 2d 27, 29. Here, we are not so convinced. Although the fund in question was called “Federal Grant & Program Funds,” it appears that only approximately one-third of the funds deposited therein were derived from the federal government. Thus, even if the federal funds were to be excluded, there were sufficient local revenues deposited in the fund to pay for the proposed capital improvements. Hence, it is far from clear that these improvements were to be paid from federal funds rather than local funds. Under these circumstances, we decline to hold that the BTA’s action in this regard was unreasonable or unlawful.

C.

In making its calculation of Springfield’s “relative need,” the Clark County budget commission deducted $881,900 from Springfield’s combined total of expenditures pursuant to R. C. 5747.51(E)(1).6 Upon appeal, the BTA adopted this figure without discussion. Springfield contends that this constitutes error.

Springfield was authorized to levy an inside millage of 3.3 mills. Had it done so, the amount so levied would have totaled $881,900. However, Springfield requested and, in fact, levied a tax of only 2.3 mills. Thus, it received only $614,658 from the tax levied. As a result, Springfield was credited with receipt of $267,242 more than it would actually receive. Its “relative need” was thus reduced by a corresponding amount.

Appellees concede that Springfield did not, in fact, levy a tax of 3.3 mills. Nevertheless, appellees argue that Springfield could lawfully have done so and, under the circumstances of this case, to allow Springfield to receive a larger allocation [504]*504from the local government fund constitutes a “gross inequity” and requires the fund’s other participants to “subsidize the city’s economy.” We are not unsympathetic towards appellees’ arguments. However, we believe that if there is a problem in this regard, the solution must come from the General Assembly and not this court.

“The definition of ‘levy’ in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary is ‘the imposition or collection of an assessment, tax. * * * ’ ” Grabler Mfg. Co. v. Kosydar (1973), 35 Ohio St. 2d 23, 33. Springfield neither imposed nor collected a tax of 3.3 mills. We hold that the phrase “[tjaxes levied within the ten-mill limitation” refers to those taxes actually imposed or collected, not those which may or could have been levied. Accordingly, the decision of the BTA in this regard is unreasonable and unlawful and is reversed.

D.

The issues raised in Springfield’s propositions of law Nos. 4 and 5 are closely related and are, therefore, discussed together herein.

It is undisputed that Springfield received $8,078,000 in income tax receipts and, in accordance with this court’s prior decision in this matter (61 Ohio St. 2d 132), only 30 percent of such amount was considered as “unvoted”. This revenue from the “unvoted” tax was deducted from estimated expenditures pursuant to R. C. 5747.51(E)(4).7

Upon receipt, all the income tax monies were deposited in an income tax fund. Thereafter, 80 percent of the income tax receipts was transferred to the general fund and 20 percent was transferred to the permanent improvement fund. In calcu[505]*505lating Springfield’s “relative need,” the BTA treated the entire amount so transferred as revenue to the funds receiving the transfers and as expenditures from the. income tax fund.

Springfield argues, first, that the BTA’s action constitutes a duplication of the deduction, thus reducing its “relative need” by the amount of the receipts — $8,078,000. Thus, Springfield argues that none of the funds so transferred should be deducted. In the alternative, Springfield urges that only that portion representing the “unvoted” taxes should be deducted.

Springfield’s first contention must fail simply because R. C.

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Bluebook (online)
69 Ohio St. 2d 500, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-commission-of-city-of-springfield-v-bethel-township-ohio-1982.