Ivey v. Housing Foundation of America, Inc.

6 Pa. D. & C.2d 13, 1955 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 426
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Luzerne County
DecidedNovember 9, 1955
Docketno. 9
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Pa. D. & C.2d 13 (Ivey v. Housing Foundation of America, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Luzerne County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ivey v. Housing Foundation of America, Inc., 6 Pa. D. & C.2d 13, 1955 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 426 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1955).

Opinion

Lewis, J.,

This matter comes before the court on audit of the first and final account of the receiver of the Housing Foundation of America, Inc., and the presentation of certain claims by creditors of the Housing Foundation of America, Inc.

The Housing Foundation of America, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, with its principal place of business in Wilkes-Barre, had been engaged in the business of building prefabricated houses until sometime in 1947 when it ceased to do business. The receiver was appointed by this court upon the application of creditors. The only asset of the corporation was a tract of unimproved land located in Dallas township, Luzerne County, which was sold at private sale by the receiver for $18,600.

The receiver filed his first and final account and, no exceptions having been filed, the same was confirmed absolutely. However, distribution by the receiver could not properly be ordered from the record. There [15]*15were many conflicting and varied claims by both, the State and Federal governments, wage claimants, secured creditors and general unsecured creditors. Accordingly, the court appointed an auditor for the purpose of taking the testimony of the interested parties.

After due notice to all known creditors, several hearings were held by the auditor, at which each creditor present or represented by counsel presented his claim. Subsequently the auditor filed his report in which he recommended that the balance in the hands of the receiver be paid to the State of Pennsylvania and to the United States.

We have considered the matter de novo and have given careful consideration to the testimony taken before the auditor. The record shows that there is little, if any, dispute of fact. No one has disputed the fact of any particular claim or the basis of it. The only disputed question is which creditors are entitled to distribution as a matter of law.

The claimants may be classified as follows:

1. United States Government for withholding taxes and for Federal insurance contributions.

2. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for domestic stock bonus tax and for contributions to the State unemployment compensation fund.

3. Lien creditors.

4. Wage claimants.

5. Unsecured creditors.

The claim of the Federal Government against defendant corporation was filed on December 17, 1946, for withholding taxes, and on January 21, 1947, for Federal insurance contributions.

Sections 3670 and 3671 of the Internal Revenue Code of February 10, 1939, 53 Stat. at L. 448, 26 United States Code sections 3670, 3671, (the Internal [16]*16Revenue Code of 1954 does not apply), provide that, upon failure to pay taxes owing to the government, the amount due shall be a lien upon any property, real or personal, of the delinquent taxpayer in favor of the United States, which lien shall arise at the time that the assessment list is received by the collector of internal revenue and continue until the liability has been ¡satisfied or becomes unenforcible. Section 3672 provides that such lien shall not be valid as against any mortgagee, pledgee, purchaser or judgment creditor until notice thereof has been filed by the collector under .applicable State laws.

The record shows these liens were filed first in time, which we find as a fact. The United States is entitled "to the full amount of its claim with interest to date. The only claimant which might object is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the basis of the Unemployment Compensation Law, Act of April 23, 1942, P. L. '60. Both the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania have ruled that a lien of the United States arising by reason of priority in time of filing, cannot be defeated by State law favoring subsequent liens. In Littlestown National Bank v. Penn Tile Works Company, 352 Pa. 238, the court in an opinion by Justice Stern, now Chief Justice Stern, said at page 242:

“We need not consider whether it was intended by this legislation to confer upon state taxes and unemployment compensation contributions priority not only over other claims and liens arising under the laws of the Commonwealth but also over liens of the United States, for, whatever may have been such intention and whatever interpretation may be given to these statutes, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that a priority in favor of the United States which arises from priority in the date of its lien can[17]*17not, without the consent of Congress, he impaired or superseded by state law in favor of subsequent liens imposed by authority of any law or judicial decision of the state. In Michigan v. United States, 317 U. S. 338, it was held that a tax lien securing a federal estate tax
“ ‘ “It is of the very nature and essence of a lien, that no matter into whose hands the property goes, it passes cum onere”. . . . Hence it is not debatable that a tax lien imposed by a law of Congress, as we have held the present lien is imposed, cannot, without the consent of Congress, be displaced by later liens imposed by [18]*18authority of any state law or judicial decision. United States v. Snyder, supra; United States v. Greenville, 118 F. 2d 963. Similarly we held that the priority of payment commanded by R. S. §3466 could not be set aside by state legislation. United States v. Texas, 314 U. S. 480, 486; Spokane County v. United States, 279 U. S. 80; New York v. Maclay, 288 U. S. 290; cf. Missouri v. Ross, 299 U. S. 72.’ ”

The Federal government has also filed claims for unpaid withholding and Federal insurance contribution taxes due by Corloch Construction Company and H. C. Spaulding Co., Inc., subsidiary companies of defendant corporation. These claims are not valid against defendant and are disallowed.

The Commonwealth has made a claim of $10,661.47 for unpaid domestic stock bonus taxes, and for unpaid unemployment compensation contributions.

The Fiscal Code of April 9, 1929, P. L. 343, sec. 1401, as amended, 72 PS §1401, provides:

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Related

United States v. Snyder
149 U.S. 210 (Supreme Court, 1893)
County of Spokane v. United States
279 U.S. 80 (Supreme Court, 1929)
New York v. MacLay
288 U.S. 290 (Supreme Court, 1933)
Missouri v. Ross
299 U.S. 72 (Supreme Court, 1936)
United States v. Texas
314 U.S. 480 (Supreme Court, 1941)
Detroit Bank v. United States
317 U.S. 329 (Supreme Court, 1943)
Michigan v. United States
317 U.S. 338 (Supreme Court, 1943)
United States v. City of Greenville
118 F.2d 963 (Fourth Circuit, 1941)
Littlestown National Bank v. Penn Tile Works Co.
42 A.2d 606 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1945)

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6 Pa. D. & C.2d 13, 1955 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 426, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ivey-v-housing-foundation-of-america-inc-pactcomplluzern-1955.