Holt's Cigar Co. v. City of Philadelphia

10 A.3d 902, 608 Pa. 146, 2011 Pa. LEXIS 110
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 19, 2011
Docket27 EAP 2009, 28 EAP 2009
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 10 A.3d 902 (Holt's Cigar Co. v. City of Philadelphia) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holt's Cigar Co. v. City of Philadelphia, 10 A.3d 902, 608 Pa. 146, 2011 Pa. LEXIS 110 (Pa. 2011).

Opinions

OPINION

Justice McCAFFERY.

The issue presented in this case is whether a municipal ordinance regulating the sale of certain tobacco items and other potential drug paraphernalia is preempted by state law. We conclude that the ordinance is inconsistent with the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, and, accordingly, is preempted.

On January 23, 2007, the Philadelphia City Council enacted an ordinance to

[a]mend[ ] Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Service Businesses,” to add new provisions to prohibit the sale, from certain retail establishments, of “blunts,” “loosies,” cigarette papers, cigars and other items that may be otherwise legal but that are commonly used as drug paraphernalia, under certain terms and conditions.

City of Philadelphia Bill No. 060345-AAA, as amended on 11/30/06, at 1.

The ordinance was designed “to correct and control a[] growing trend among Philadelphia youth and others to purchase cigars, empty the tobacco from those cigars, and substitute marijuana and/or stronger illegal drugs into the cigar wrapping.” Memorandum of Law of the City of Philadelphia and Robert Solvibile in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for' a Preliminary Injunction, dated 2/21/07, at 2 (hereinafter “2/21/07 City Memorandum of Law”). To this end, the ordinance banned the sale of flavored cigars and other tobacco products that are preferred by illicit drug users as vehicles for smoking marijuana and other illegal drugs, and also banned the sale of cigars and other tobacco products in quantities of less than three. No mens rea provision was included in the [151]*151above ordinance; hence, the mere sale of the listed items constituted a violation, without regard to the seller’s intent or knowledge. In addition, the ordinance prohibited the sale of single or flavored tobacco products or of drug paraphernalia within 500 feet of a school, recreation center, day care center, church, or community center, “regardless of the intent as to use of the item.” Philadelphia Code §§ 9-622(5)(a) and 9-629(2); see also 2/21/07 City Memorandum of Law at 2-3. Violators of the ordinance were subject to a fine of up to $2,000, and to revocation of their business privilege license. Philadelphia Code §§ 9-622(6)(f) and 9-629(4).

On January 30, 2007, Holt’s Cigar Company and other tobacco retailers, manufacturers, and trade associations (hereinafter collectively “Holt’s Cigar”) challenged the ordinance by filing a complaint against the City of Philadelphia and Robert D. Solvibile, in his official capacity as acting commissioner of the Department of Licenses and Inspections (hereinafter the “City”). Holt’s Cigar sought, inter alia, a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the ordinance and a declaratory judgment that the ordinance was preempted by the drug paraphernalia provisions of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act (hereinafter the “Act”)1 which bars the delivery of drug paraphernalia under circumstances where the offender knew or reasonably should have known that the paraphernalia would be used to introduce a controlled substance into the human body in violation of the Act. See 35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(33). The trial court issued a consent order granting a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the ordinance, and the parties agreed to submit the case on the pleadings and certain stipulated facts and documents. On March 9, 2007, the court issued its final disposition, holding that the ordinance was preempted by the Act. See Trial Court Order, dated 3/9/07. More specifically, the trial court concluded that the ordinance was inconsistent with the Act [152]*152because the ordinance “converts a specific intent offense into a strict liability one.” Trial Court Opinion, dated 3/9/07, at 9.

The City filed a timely appeal to the Commonwealth Court. On June 23, 2008, a divided Commonwealth Court issued its ruling in a published opinion, affirming in part and reversing in part. Holt’s Cigar Company, Inc. v. City of Philadelphia, 952 A.2d 1199 (Pa.Cmwlth.2008) (en banc).2 The Commonwealth Court affirmed the trial court’s order insofar as it deemed preempted the ordinance provisions banning the sale of single or flavored cigars or other tobacco product. Id. at 1205-06. However, the Commonwealth Court further concluded that the ordinance’s provision banning the sale of certain tobacco products or other potential drug paraphernalia within 500 feet of a school or other community building was a zoning regulation, and hence was not preempted pursuant to the preemption clause of the Act. Id. at 1207-08; see text, infra.

Both parties petitioned this Court for allowance of appeal, and the petitions were granted and consolidated, with the City designated as Appellants and Cross-Appellees, and Holt’s Cigar designated as Cross-Appellants and Appellees. The sole issue was rephrased by this Court for clarity as follows:

Does the General Assembly’s inclusion of a scienter requirement in the crimes established by 35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(33) preempt Philadelphia Code §§ 9-622(5)(a) and 9-629(2), which impose civil penalties for the sale of enumerated products without requiring a showing of seller’s intent?

Holt’s Cigar Company, Inc. v. City of Philadelphia, 601 Pa. 572, 975 A.2d 1081 (2009).

[153]*153This case presents a pure question of law, for which our standard of review is de novo and our scope is plenary. See Nutter v. Dougherty, 595 Pa. 340, 938 A.2d 401, 412 n. 20 (2007). We must first consider the source of authority under which Philadelphia may exercise self-governance.

Municipalities “possess only such powers of government as are expressly granted to them and as are necessary to carry the same into effect.” Huntley & Huntley, Inc. v. Borough Council of the Borough of Oakmont, 600 Pa. 207, 964 A.2d 855, 862 (2009) (quoting City of Philadelphia v. Schweiker, 579 Pa. 591, 858 A.2d 75, 84 (2004)). As a city of the first class pursuant to the First Class City Home Rule Act,3 Philadelphia “may exercise all powers and authority of local self-government and shall have complete powers of legislation and administration in relation to its municipal functions.” 53 P.S. § 13131. Under the concept of home rule, the ability of a locality to exercise municipal functions is limited only by its home rule charter, the Pennsylvania Constitution, and enactments of the General Assembly. Schweiker, supra at 84; 53 Pa.C.S. § 2961. In addition, grants of municipal power to a home rule municipality are to be “liberally construed in favor of the municipality.” 53 Pa.C.S. § 2961. Thus, in analyzing a home rule municipality’s exercise of power, we resolve ambiguities in favor of the municipality. Nutter, supra at 411.

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Bluebook (online)
10 A.3d 902, 608 Pa. 146, 2011 Pa. LEXIS 110, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holts-cigar-co-v-city-of-philadelphia-pa-2011.