Springfield v. Saunders

179 N.E.2d 392, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 586, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 144, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 317
CourtClark County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedMarch 21, 1961
DocketNo. 54374
StatusPublished

This text of 179 N.E.2d 392 (Springfield v. Saunders) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clark County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Springfield v. Saunders, 179 N.E.2d 392, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 586, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 144, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 317 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1961).

Opinion

Goldman, J.

This is an action for declaratory judgment, submitted to the Court for decision upon the pleadings, interrogatories and answers thereto, affidavits, exhibits and briefs filed by the respective parties.

Involved is a determination of the applicability of the Income Tax Ordinance of the City of Springfield, Ohio, to the income of the defendants in this action. The ordinance, the applicable provisions of which are set out in the petition, imposes a tax on the income of residents of the City of Springfield [588]*588and on non-residents for work done or services performed or rendered in the City of Springfield.

The defendants are residents of the City of Springfield, Ohio, members of the Air National Guard and employed full time as air technicians by the Air National Guard at Springfield Municipal Airport, for which services they receive wages in addition to any compensation provided for strictly military duties such as “drill pay” etc.

Defendants contend that they are exempt from the provisions of the tax by reason of Section 718.01, Bevised Code, which provides in part as follows:

“No municipal corporation shall tax the military pay or allowances of members of the Armed Forces of the United States.....etc.”

Defendants contend that this exemption applies to all of the income they receive resulting from both their membership in and employment by the Air National Guard.

The issue, therefore, is whether or not the plaintiff, City of Springfield, is taxing the “military pay or allowances of members of the Armed Forces of the United States,” in seeking to apply the provisions of the ordinance to any portion of defendants’ income.

Plaintiff admittedly does not seek to tax that portion of defendants’ income which is received for strictly military duty such as drill instruction, target practice, training, either at encampment or on maneuvers, etc., and concedes that the pay received for these services is in fact and in law “military pay” and therefore not subject to the municipal income tax by reason of Section 718.01, Bevised Code. Plaintiff contends, however, that that portion of defendants’ income derived from their employment as air technicians is for services other than strictly “military,” and is subject to the tax, and is not “military pay” within the meaning of the state statute.

In answer defendants argue that as members of the Air National Guard they are members of the Armed Forces of the United States and that there is no reason or cause to distinguish between drill duty or military duty, and any other duty involved in their employment by the Air National Guard, and that all of the income received as a result of their employment or association with the Guard is exempt from tax.

[589]*589There is little precedent dealing with the exact issue here involved, and the only Ohio authority cited which bears on this specific question is an opinion rendered by the Attorney General of the State of Ohio, on October 20,1959, on a fact pattern somewhat obscure and lacking in the significant essentials present in the instant case, in which the Attorney General held that a member of the Air National Guard is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and his military pay in such capacity is not subject to municipal income tax. (Emphasis by the court.)

For the purpose of this decision it may also be conceded that the defendants in the instant case are members of the Armed Forces of the United States by reason of their membership in the Air National Guard, but the opinion of the Attorney General is otherwise not helpful for it fails to indicate or define what the Attorney General considers to be “military pay” which is the primary issue here to be determined.

There appears to be lack of agreement as to the exact issue before this Court. Thus attention is directed to the second paragraph of defendant’s brief which is as follows:

“The issue involved in this dispute is whether or not the income of members of the Air National Guard is subject to the Springfield City Income Tax.”

The Court believes this to be an incorrect statement of the issue, for Section 718.01, Revised Code, does not exempt the “income” of members of the Air National Guard or the Armed Forces of the United States, but exempts only “the military pay or allowances of members of the Armed Forces,” which is altogether different.

That income received from civilian employment or service at a federal area may be taxed by a local taxing authority is clearly established by Federal Law. Title 4, U. S. C. A., Sec. 106, enacted in 1947 is as follows:

“ (a) No person shall be relieved from liability for any income tax levied by any State, of by any duly constituted taxing authority therein, having jurisdiction to levy such a tax, by reason of his residing within a Federal area or receiving income from transactions occurring or services performed in such area; and such State or taxing authority shall have full’ [590]*590jurisdiction and power to levy "and collect such tax in any Federal Area within such State to the same extent and with the same effect as though such area was not a Federal Area....”

Thus the sole question or issue before this Court is whether or not the income sought to be taxed in the instant case is “military pay,” or income for civilian services performed in the employment of the Air National Guard and thus within the provisions of the above law as well as the Springfield Income Tax Ordinance. (It is undisputed that none of the income received by the defendants are “allowances.”)

Is all of the income derived by defendants as a result of their employment “military pay” merely because the defendants are admittedly members of the Air National Guard?

Let us consider some of the significant facts and circumstances attending this employment. An examination of the record discloses that:

(1) The defendants are employed as air technicians.

(2) The income sought to be taxed is subject to the State Retirement System.

(3) The defendants may resign their positions and terminate their employment for which they receive the income in question at their pleasure and they may accept employment elsewhere in another public or private position, without losing their status as members of the Air National Guard or otherwise affecting their enlistment.

(4) The income sought to be taxed is computed on an hourly-based wage scale determined by the average scale paid government workers in this area.

It also appears that as a condition of their employment as air technicians it was necessary that the defendants first be members of the Air National Guard. However the Court is of the opinion that this qualification and requirement of employment does not of itself stamp all their earnings “military pay,” anymore than a like condition required by a private employer would necessarily make such private employment “military” and the income derived therefrom “military pay.” The mere fact that an employee must be a member of the Air National Guard in order to obtain his position is not conclusive as to either the nature of the employment or the pay derived [591]*591therefrom. This point was recognized by the Supreme Court of the U. S. in the case of Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Connelly, 338 U.

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Related

Commissioner v. Connelly
338 U.S. 258 (Supreme Court, 1949)
Kiker v. Philadelphia
31 A.2d 289 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1943)

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Bluebook (online)
179 N.E.2d 392, 87 Ohio Law. Abs. 586, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 144, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/springfield-v-saunders-ohctcomplclark-1961.