State ex rel. Ransom v. Irey

60 N.W. 601, 42 Neb. 186, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 439
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 16, 1894
DocketNo. 7068
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 60 N.W. 601 (State ex rel. Ransom v. Irey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Ransom v. Irey, 60 N.W. 601, 42 Neb. 186, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 439 (Neb. 1894).

Opinion

Norval, C. J.

This'is an original application for a peremptory writ of mandamus by the state, on the relation of Frank T< Ransom, against H. B. Irey, treasurer of Douglas county, to [189]*189compel defendant to accept and receive from relator the amount of paving taxes assessed by the city of Omaha against the west 34J feet of the north 90 feet of lot 19 in John I. Redick’s Addition to Omaha, to sell said real estate to relator at private sale, and to make and issue to him the usual statutory certificate of sale. The cause is submitted upon a general demurrer to the application.

It will not be necessary to set out a copy of the petition in this opinion, or to give even a synopsis thereof, since but a single question is raised by the record for our consideration, namely: Has the treasurer of Douglas county the power or authority to sell real estate for delinquent special paving assessments legally imposed by the city authorities of Omaha, there being no delinquent state, county, or general municipal taxes of any kind against the property upon which such special assessment was levied and is 'delinquent? This question is a new one, it being now fpr the first time presented to this court for adjudication, and, in order to reach a correct decision, it will be necessary to examine and construe certain provisions of the act of the legislature governing cities of the metropolitan class. At the outset we remark that it is a well settled doctrine that a municipal corporation possesses only such powers as are expressly conferred upon it by the legislature, or are necessary to carry into effect some enumerated power; and this principle applies in the matter of levying municipal taxes and making local assessments, and extends as well to the mode of their collection. (2 Dillon Municipal Corporations [4th ed.], secs. 763, 769, 815; Hanscom, v. City of Omaha, 11 Neb., 44; City of St. Louis v. Russell, 9 Mo., 507; Sharp v. Speir, 4 Hill [N. Y.], 76; Merriam v. Moody, 25 Ia., 163; Mays v. City of Cincinnati, 1 O. St., 268; City of Leavenworth v. Norton, 1 Kan., 432; Burnes v. City of Atchison, 2 Kan., 455; Paine v. Spratley, 5 Kan., 525; Doe v. Chunn, 1 Blackf. [Ind.], 336.) In Sharp v. Speir, supra, Bronson J., observes: “A corpora[190]*190tion must show a grant, either in terms or by necessary implication, for all the powers which it attempts to exercise; and especially must this be done when it claims the right, by taxing or otherwise, to divest individuals of their property without their consent.” In 2 Dillon, Municipal Corporations, at section 763, the author lays down this rule: “It is a principle universally declared and admitted that municipal corporations can levy no taxes, general or special, upon the inhabitants or their property unless the power be plainly and unmistakably conferred. It has, indeed, often been said that it must be specifically granted in terms; but all courts agree that the authority must be given either in express words or by necessary or unmistakable implication, and that it cannot be collected by doubtful inferences from other powers, or powers relating to other subjects, nor can it be deduced from any consideration of convenience or advantage. * * * It is important to bear in mind that the authority to municipalities to impose burdens of any character upon persons or property is wholly statutory, and, as its exercise may result in a divestiture and transfer of property, it must be clearly given, and strictly pursued. This rule applies, as we have already seen, to proceedings by municipal corporations under the delegated right of eminent domain, and it extends equally to proceedings under the taxing power, including special assessments for local improvements.” This court in Hanscom v. City of Omaha, supra, in discussing the powers vested in municipal officers to levy or impose special assessments, uses this languageTheir authority is derived wholly from the statute, and they have no powers except such as are expressly given or are incidentally neces-ary to carry the same into effect;, and their actions in excess of such powers are absolutely null and void.”

In the light of the doctrine announced in the foregoing authorities let us examine the various provisions of the act [191]*191governing cities of tbe metropolitan class, known as the “Omaha Charter,” which bear upon the question under consideration.

By section 69, chapter 12a, Compiled Statutes, 1893, it is provided : “The mayor and council shall have power to open, extend, widen, narrow, grade, curb, and gutter, park, beautify, or otherwise improve and keep in good repair, or cause the same to be done in any manner they may deem proper, any street, avenue, or alley within the limits of the city, and may grade partially or to the established grade, or park or otherwise improve any width or part of any such street, avenue, or alley, and may also construct and repair, or cause and compel the construction and repair of sidewalks in such city, of such material and in such manner as they may deem proper and necessary; and to defray the cost and expense of improvements, or any of them, the mayor and council of such city shall have power and authority to levy and collect special taxes and assessments upon the lots and pieces of ground adjacent to or abutting upon the street, avenue, alley, or sidewalk thus in whole or in part opened, widened, curbed, and guttered, graded, parked, extended, constructed, or otherwise improved or repaired, or which may be especially benefited by any of said improvements; Provided, That the above provisions shall not apply to ordinary repairs of streets or alleys, and one-half of the expense of bringing streets, avenues, alleys, or parts thereof, to the established grade shall be paid out of the general fund of the city, except as otherwise hereinafter provided; Provided, That where any street is to be graded under the provisions provided by this section, but not to the established grade, it shall be done only after the owners representing a majority of the front feet of the property abutting on the part of such street to be so partially graded shall have petitioned the city council for such work to be done; Provided further, That whenever the owners of the lots [192]*192abutting upon any street or alley, or part thereof, within said city i’epresenting three-fifths (•§•) of the feet front abutting upon such street or alley desired to be graded shall petition the council to grade such street or alley, or part thereof, without charge to the city, the mayor or the council may order the grading done, and assess the cost thereof against the property abutting upon such street or alley, or such part thereof so graded. The total cost of such grading shall be levied and collected in a single payment upon the completion of such work; or, upon petition of not less than three-fifths (•§) of the feet front along the street or alley so graded, the cost may be made payable in ten (10) equal installments extending over a period of nine years, in the same manner, at the same rate, and subject to the same conditions as are payments for paving, curbing, guttering, and like improvements hereinafter specified. In case of such installment payment the mayor and council shall by ordinance create districts embracing the property represented by such petition, and abutting or which said grading was done, to be known as grading districts and numbered consecutively.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 N.W. 601, 42 Neb. 186, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-ransom-v-irey-neb-1894.