§ 4 — Investigation of expenditures of towns and villages

§ 4. Investigation of expenditures of towns and villages. If\ntwenty-five freeholders in any town or village shall present to a\njustice of the supreme court of the judicial district in which such town\nor village is situated, an affidavit, stating that they are freeholders\nand have paid taxes on real property within such town or village within\none year, that they have reason to believe that the moneys of such town\nor village are being unlawfully or corruptly expended, and the grounds\nof their belief, such justice, upon ten days' notice to the supervisor,\nand the officers of the town disbursing the funds to which such moneys\nbelong, or the trustees and treasurer of the village, shall make a\nsummary investigation into the financial affairs of such town or\nvillage, and the accounts of such officers, and, in his discretion, may\nappoint experts to make such investigation, and may cause the result\nthereof to be published in such manner as he may deem proper.\n The costs incurred in such investigation shall be taxed by the\njustice, and paid, upon his order, by the officers whose expenditures\nare investigated, if the facts in such affidavit be substantially\nproved, and otherwise, by the freeholders making such affidavit. If such\njustice shall be satisfied that any of the moneys of such town or\nvillage are being unlawfully or corruptly expended, or are being\nappropriated for purposes to which they are not properly applicable, or\nare improvidently squandered or wasted, he shall forthwith grant an\norder restraining such unlawful or corrupt expenditure, or such other\nimproper use of such moneys.\n