Department of Revenue v. Southern Union Gas Co.

582 P.2d 182, 119 Ariz. 536, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 853
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJune 21, 1977
DocketNo. 1 CA-CIV 3288
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 582 P.2d 182 (Department of Revenue v. Southern Union Gas Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Department of Revenue v. Southern Union Gas Co., 582 P.2d 182, 119 Ariz. 536, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 853 (Ark. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinions

OPINION

WREN, Acting Presiding Judge.

The Department of Revenue brings this appeal from the dismissal of its action against Southern Union Gas Co. and the State Board of Tax Appeals for failure to bring its case to trial within 90 days. The Department had filed a pleading entitled “Notice of Appeal and Complaint” contesting the Board of Tax Appeals’ reduction in the valuation of Southern Union Gas Co.’s utility property for the 1974 tax year. The dismissal was ordered pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-152 A.1

[538]*538The Department urges three grounds for reversal of the Superior Court’s judgment. It contends that the case is not entitled to the priority provision of A.R.S. § 42-152 A, that the failure to try a property tax appeal within 90 days does not require dismissal, and that Southern Union Gas Co. waived any right it had to the A.R.S. § 42-152 A priority.

The Department’s contention that the case was not entitled to priority is based upon the assertion that the action was brought under A.R.S. § 42-123 B(l) and B(6).2 The Department admits that an appeal under A.R.S. § 42-123 B(6) is entitled to priority but urges that priority is lost when a B(6) appeal is coupled with a complaint alleging illegality under B(l). By analogy, the appellant cites the authorities permitting a taxpayer to contest valuation by bringing an appeal under A.R.S. §§ 42-151 and 152 and thereby be entitled to priority or in the alternative to sue for a refund under A.R.S. § 42-204 C raising valuation questions but without the benefit of the priority granted in A.R.S. § 42-152 A. Department of Property Valuation v. Salt River Project Agri. Imp. and Power Dist., 113 Ariz. 472, 556 P.2d 1134 (1976); County of Maricopa v. Chatwin, 17 Ariz. App. 576, 499 P.2d 190 (1972).

In County of Maricopa v. Chatwin, supra, this Court noted that if the taxpayer appeals under the provisions of A.R.S §§ 42-151 and 152, he is limited to raising only issues relating to valuation and classification. A taxpayer wishing to raise other issues can proceed under A.R.S. § 42-204 C in a suit for refund. However, the Court went on to hold that the appeal procedure of A.R.S. §§ 42-151 and 152 was not the exclusive means by which a taxpayer can raise valuation and classification questions. These issues may also be raised in an A.R.S. § 42-204 C suit. This conclusion was based upon the Court’s belief that the enactment of the valuation and classification appeal procedure did not affect the previously existing remedies under A.R.S. § 42-204 C which had always encompassed valuation and classification questions. This reasoning was expressly approved by the Supreme Court in Department of Property Valuation v. Salt River Project Agri. Imp. and Power Dist., supra. However, it does not necessarily follow that the Department has a similar choice of procedures, as it contends.

[539]*539A.R.S. § 42-123 B(6) provides the specific method by which the Department can contest allegedly erroneous valuations and classifications. “[T]he director may appeal such decision to the superior court in the manner provided in A.R.S. § 42-151.” (Emphasis added.) It is the conclusion of this Court that A.R.S. § 42-123 B(6) provides the exclusive means by which the Department can appeal a valuation decision of the Board of Tax Appeals. It follows therefore that the procedures outlined in A.R.S. §§ 42-151 and 152 are applicable to all Department appeals, since no alternative method of raising valuation and classification is provided by statute for the Department. We hold that the issue of erroneous valuation alleged by the Department pursuant to A.R.S. § 42-123 B(6) must be heard pursuant to. the procedures of A.R.S. §§ 42-151 and 152 and therefore the 90 day priority provision was applicable.

Further, because A.R.S. § 42-152 limits the issues on appeal to valuation and classification, County of Maricopa v. Chatwin, supra, if appellant’s “Notice of Appeal and Complaint” raised any issues under A.R.S. § 42-123 B(l) they were properly dismissed.

A final issue relating to the matters pleaded by appellant is the assertion that the Board’s reduction in valuation was made without jurisdiction. This issue falls under the claim of erroneous valuation and is without merit. The date of transmittal of valuation by the Department as required by A.R.S. § 42-124.01 does not establish a time before which any appeal would be premature. Southern Union Gas Co. had received notice of the Department’s final valuation figure which was in fact transmitted. Southern Union Gas was justified in appealing to the Board upon receiving this notification and could presume that no further reductions would be made before the Department transmitted its valuations.

The appellant’s second contention is that the failure to try a case entitled to an A.R.S. § 42-152 A priority does not mandate dismissal if not tried within 90 days. Initially, we find no merit to appellant’s assertion that the responsibility to try the case within 90 days lies with the Court.

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Related

Department of Revenue v. Southern Union Gas Co.
582 P.2d 158 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1978)

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Bluebook (online)
582 P.2d 182, 119 Ariz. 536, 1977 Ariz. App. LEXIS 853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/department-of-revenue-v-southern-union-gas-co-arizctapp-1977.