Kingsford Chemical Co. v. City of Kingsford

78 N.W.2d 587, 347 Mich. 91
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 1, 1956
DocketDocket 10, Calendar 46,671
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 78 N.W.2d 587 (Kingsford Chemical Co. v. City of Kingsford) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kingsford Chemical Co. v. City of Kingsford, 78 N.W.2d 587, 347 Mich. 91 (Mich. 1956).

Opinion

Kelly, J.

Plaintiff seeks the recovery of $36,-515.62, city taxes paid under protest to the defendant city. Plaintiff claims in this action of assumpsit that it was intentionally overassessed and discriminated against and that its properties were assessed at a higher rate than other properties upon the assessment rolls. A jury rejected plaintiff’s claim, and motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and motion for new trial were denied. Plaintiff appeals.

In 1951 Ford Motor Company abandoned further operations of its Kingsford plant, and on December 17th of that year it sold the plant in its entirety to the plaintiff for $2,338,000.

Almost immediately after purchase of the property from Ford, plaintiff requested a tax adjustment, as is evidenced by the following testimony of Owen Pyle, president and general manager of plaintiff company:

“I would guess that, the total. land . area- purchased from Ford Motor Company comprises about half of the total area of the city of Kingsford. We *95 bought this property on December 17, 1951, and about the first thing- we did was to come down and talk to the city officials about the tax situation. * * * I made the suggestion, which was carried out, that the city officials of Kingsford request the State tax commission to come in in an advisory capacity to assist us in determining the fair valuation. * * * They did meet with the city and I subsequently had another meeting with the city officials. I think that as a result of that meeting approximately $2,500,000 was cut off of the Kings-ford Chemical Company assessed valuation, as compared to the prior year assessment against Ford Motor Company. That was not what we asked for. I asked for a minimum of 50% reduction. I asked for the most reduction the city could possibly give and a minimum of 50%. In view of the assessment in 1951 against Ford Motor Company being approximately $5,500,000 and that we were granted a $2,500,000 reduction, is approximate the 50% reduction we requested as a minimum. I think that was in the latter part of December or January, 1952.”

On November 30, 1953, the State tax commission advised the plaintiff that it had determined the assessed value of the property described in plaintiff’s appeal, and had separated said property into 36 parts or parcels, giving the description of each part or parcel and the amount assessed to each. This report disclosed that on 31 of the 36 parcels the State tax commission had reduced the city’s 1953 assessed valuation from $2,588,700 to $2,230,900— a reduction of $357,800.

Included in the 36 parcels in the commission’s report to plaintiff was the main plant on which the commission reduced the city’s assessment from $1,-981,000 to $1,875,000, a reduction of $106,000. Assessments were made oh the main plant in 1951 and prior thereto in the amount of $3,562,000.

*96 Of the 36 parcels that the State tax commission placed an assessed valuation on, the assessment on only one parcel, namely, the main plant, is challenged in this appeal. Plaintiff challenges the taxes on the property of the main plant in the amount of $35,625, plus a penalty of $890.62, which, were paid under protest, and which plaintiff now seeks to recover.

The size of plaintiff’s main plant is partially brought into focus with the following facts:

215 acres of land with 36 structures;

The main operating units are: 3 body plants, a sawmill, a steam power house, a wood distillation and carbonization plant;

5,562 lineal feet of pavement;

5,730 feet of 6-foot cyclone fence;

43,250 feet of railroad track;

23,722 feet of water lines;

22,182 feet of sewer lines;

Total floor space of various units comprising main structure of over 1,000,000 square feet;

Estimated reproduction cost $12,802,745.

Plaintiff in this appeal attacks the integrity of the State tax commission, alleging that said assessment against plaintiff was “fraudulent and discriminatory.” Plaintiff claims that the trial court erred in denying plaintiff’s motion for a new trial because the verdict of the jury was contra to the overwhelming or great weight of the evidence, and, further, that in arriving “at the true cash value of plaintiff’s property, for the purpose of assessment, (the State tax commission) added to the cost-of property after depreciation, an arbitrary 10%,. which 10% was not added to other property in the city of Kingsf ord, not belonging to plaintiff.”

In the case of Island Mill Lumber Co. v. City of Alpena, 176 Mich 575, the facts established.that the assessed valuation of plaintiff’s real estate was in *97 creased by the State tax commission from $20,000 to $35,000; that the property was worth from $20,000 to $25,000; that the State tax commission raised the total assessed valuation of the city from $6,071,380 to $9,417,245. In finding that such proof was insufficient to show fraud or bad faith, this Court held that it will be presumed that the members of the tax commission honestly and to the best of their judgment performed their official duties; that the burden was on the plaintiff in an action to recover back taxes paid under protest to establish fraud; that fraud cannot be inferred from a mere difference in opinion. In its opinion this Court stated (p 578):

“If their testimony, taken at its strongest, had any probative force to establish fraudulent conduct on the part of the tax commission, it was for the jury to weigh. We must assume that they testified honestly, as they viewed the. matter, and gave their best judgment. The assumption of honesty and the exercise of their best judgment obtains also as to the members of the tax commission in the performance of their official duties, and with it goes extensive experience throughout the State in reviewing tax rolls and appraising property for taxation purposes. The burden is upon the plaintiff to prove to the contrary and show fraud.”

In Twenty-two Charlotte, Inc., v. City of Detroit, 294 Mich 275, 281, 282, this Court said:

“Under the Constitution and laws of this State, the ‘final arbiter of value for taxing purposes which, when it has jurisdiction, determines the same finally and conclusively, is the State tax commission.’ Hudson Motor Car Co. v. City of Detroit, 282 Mich 69, 81 (113 ALR 1472). Courts are slow to interpose their judgment to say that the assessment has transgressed reasonable limits. S. S. Kresge Co. v. City of Detroit, 276 Mich 565 (107 ALR 1258); Sloman-Polk Co. v. City of Detroit, 261 Mich 689 (87 ALR *98 1294); Rowley v. Chicago & Northwestern R. Co., 293 US 102 (55 S Ct 55, 79 L ed 222). In Newport Mining Co. v. City of Ironwood, 185 Mich 668, 685, reference was made to the statement of Mr. Justice Holmes in Chicago, B. & Q. R. Co. v. Babcock,

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Bluebook (online)
78 N.W.2d 587, 347 Mich. 91, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kingsford-chemical-co-v-city-of-kingsford-mich-1956.