City of San Diego v. Potter

95 P. 146, 153 Cal. 288, 1908 Cal. LEXIS 456
California Supreme Court·Decided March 28, 1908·No. S.F. No. 4975.·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

ANGELLOTTI, J.

This is an application for a writ of mandate to compel defendant to perform certain ministerial acts relative to certain municipal bonds of plaintiff. It is conceded that he is bound to perform these acts if the bonds are not void, and defendant’s refusal to so perform is based on the contention that they are void.

The bonds were issued under the act of the legislature enacted in the year 1901, entitled, “An act authorizing the incurring of indebtedness by cities, towns, and municipal corporations for municipal improvements, and regulating the acquisition, construction, or completion thereof” (Stats. 1901, p. 27,) and admittedly all the proceedings were in strict accord with the provisions of that act except as hereinafter noted.

Seventeen separate matters were specified in the resolution adopted by the common council expressing the determination of the council as to the public interest and necessity, with a statement of the estimated cost of each, and the ordinance subsequently adopted calling a special election submitted to-the electors seventeen separate propositions for incurring a bonded indebtedness, one proposition as to each of the matters specified in the former resolution. Each of fourteen of these propositions received at such special election the requisite number of votes to carry it, and the bonds were issued thereon. The other three propositions were defeated. It is claimed that among the seventeen propositions submitted at this election there were three which were not authorized to-be submitted by the provisions of the act (two of which were carried), and that the effect of including the same was to-render the election a nullity as to all the propositions submitted.

The propositions attacked are the following:—

“Fourth: Shall the city incur a bonded indebtedness of seventy thousand dollars other and different than any other indebtedness proposed in this ordinance, for the extension and improvement of the street and highway system of the *291 city, all as shown in this said resolution and in the recital thereof in the preamble of this ordinance?” In such resolution and preamble the matter is stated thus: “IY. The building, construction and acquisition of the following lines of boulevards in said city, namely:”—followed by a designation and general description of various boulevards, and a statement of the estimated cost of each.
“Fifth: Shall the city incur a bonded indebtedness of five thousand dollars other and different than any other indebtedness proposed in this ordinance, for the building, construction and acquisition of a road from the intersection of ‘M’ and Thirty-second streets to Mount Hope Cemetery, all as shown in the said resolution and in the recital thereof in the preamble of this resolution?” In such resolution and preamble the proposition is put in the same way, except that after the words “Mount Hope Cemetery” the following is stated: “together with the acquisition of the land on which such road may be located, according to the survey thereof made by the city engineer of said city, and filed with the city clerk thereof,” etc.
“Seventeen: Shall the city incur a bonded indebtedness of five thousand dollars, other and different than any other indebtedness proposed in the ordinance, for the construction of three public lavatories to be hereafter located in the city,” etc.

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City of San Diego v. Potter, 95 P. 146, 153 Cal. 288, 1908 Cal. LEXIS 456 (Cal. 1908).

95 P. 146 (City of San Diego v. Potter) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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