City of Chicago v. McDonough

184 N.E. 322, 351 Ill. 200
Illinois Supreme Court·Decided December 23, 1932·No. No. 21674. Cause transferred.·Published·Cited by 12 cases

Opinion

Mr. Justice Orr

delivered the opinion of the court:

Appellant seeks reversal of a judgment of the circuit court of Cook county denying, in part, its petition for payment to it of a balance of an award previously allowed by a jury in condemnation proceedings.

The undisputed facts are as follows: ■ A petition to condemn a block of land at 109th street and avenue “H,” in Chicago, for a school site, was filed February 8, 1929. Verdict was returned October 16, 1930, fixing the award at $49,530.25. Judgment was entered on this award November 1, 1930, giving the petitioner ninety days to pay the award and costs to the county treasurer of Cook county for the benefit of the owners and parties interested, and further ordering that upon proof' of payment having been so made petitioner might enter into possession. On January 12, 1931, the award and costs were deposited with the county treasurer and presumably the petitioner took possession of the property. On August 6, 1931, the county treasurer paid out of the funds in his hands $47,218.31 to various parties having tax-title and other interests in the land, and to the appellant, which was admitted to be the owner of the fee title. These payments were all made with appellant’s consent and are not questioned in any way. Of the total paid out, appellant received $7000. These payments left in the county treasurer’s hands $2323.94, out of which he claimed the right to pay the general taxes levied on the condemned lots after the filing of the petition to condemn and prior to the payment of the award to the treasurer; that is to say, the taxes which became liens on April 1, 1929, and April 1, 1930, respectively, amounting to $1135.70, and also an estimated expense of having canceled a large number of tax sale certificates delivered to the county treasurer by the city of Chicago when it received its share of the award. This item was $265.15. The treasurer also claimed the right to record several quitclaim deeds of tax interests at an expense of five dollars. In order to test the right of the county treasurer to retain the above items and apply them as indicated, the appellant on January 19, 1932, filed its petition for an order to pay the whole balance remaining in the treasurer’s hands to it, setting out the facts in detail. The county treasurer answered this petition, as slightly amended, setting up the balance still in his hands at $2323.94, and alleging that at the date the award was placed in his hands the general taxes of 1929 and 1930 were liens on the land condemned, and that by reason of the condemnation these liens attached to the fund in his hands and it was his duty to pay these liens out of the award. He also alleged that it was his duty “not only to pay all proper lienholders who have liens on a condemnation award in his hands, but also to have such documents executed and recorded and such other acts done as are necessary properly to show that the liens have been paid;” and this applies both to the cancellation of tax sale certificates, which ¡he alleges will cost $265.15, and recording quit-claim deeds of tax titles, which will cost five dollars. The circuit court sustained appellee on all controverted points and entered an order reciting the material facts in the case and ordering the county treasurer to deduct from the portion of the award still in his hands the general taxes on the lots for 1929 and 1930, amounting to $1135.70; to have canceled by the county clerk the tax sale certificates delivered to him by the city of Chicago and pay his fees, amounting to $265.15; to pay for recording the quit-claim deeds of tax interests delivered to him, amounting to five dollars, and to pay the balance of the fund, after said items have been deducted, to the appellant. From this order the present appeal was taken.

From the foregoing recital it must be obvious that neither a franchise, a freehold, the validity of a statute nor a construction of the constitution is here involved. The State was not made a party and is not interested within the meaning of the language of section 118 of the Practice act, for no matter what may be the outcome of this litigation, the State of Illinois, as such, cannot gain or lose. Nor can it be held that the case is one relating to the revenue, as we have repeatedly held that in order to give this court jurisdiction under the provisions of section 118 the case must relate to the revenue directly and not merely incidentally or remotely. (Wells v. Rogers, 196 Ill. 292; People v. Hendee, 199 id. 55; People v. Cermak, 317 id. 590; People v. Meyer, 328 id. 122.) The question of revenue can only be at issue when some recognized authority of the State, or some of its political subdivisions authorized by law to assess or collect taxes, are attempting to proceed under the law and questions arise between them and those from whom the taxes are demanded. (Reed v. Village of Chatsworth, 201 Ill. 480.) The issue presented here relates only to whether the appellant shall have possession of the entire sum remaining in the hands of the county treasurer or whether certain taxes and costs shall be paid and deducted therefrom. The revenue would not even be incidentally or remotely affected by the result except in point of time such taxes are paid.

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City of Chicago v. McDonough, 184 N.E. 322, 351 Ill. 200 (Ill. 1932).

184 N.E. 322 (City of Chicago v. McDonough) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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