Reid v. Montezuma Valley Irrigation District
Reid v. Montezuma Valley Irrigation District
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court:
The only argument is directed to the unconstitutionality of the proviso to sec. 3460, Rev. St. ’08, which is sec.'
“Provided, Said county treasurer shall receive as his sole compensation for the collection of such taxes, such amount as the board of directors may allow, to be not less than twenty-five (25) dollars, nor more than one hundred (100) dollars, which compensation shall be considered as a part of the regular salary of such county treasurer as provided by law.”
It is claimed that this proviso is in contravention of sec. 15 of art. XIV and sec. 14 of art. II of the constitution of the state. The unconstitutionality of this proviso was raised in case No. 7532, Board of Co. Commissioners of Otero Co. v. Otero Irrigation Dist., ante, 515 139 Pac. 546, and it was there held that the reasons urged to show its unconstitutionality were not sufficient. If we understand the brief correctly, the reason assigned in this - case why the proviso is obnoxious to sec. 15 of art. XIV is that it • provides the basis for the fee of the county treasurer in a lump sum, instead of a commission upon the moneys handled. The section of the constitution referred to says that laws classifying counties for the purpose of providing for and regulating the compensation of county'officers shall establish scales of fees to be charged and collected by county officers, but it does not say what form these fees shall take, whether lump sums for collection of moneys or percentages in the form of commissions. This is a matter for the legislature. We take it from the brief that if the proviso had been that a certain percentage of the money collected by the treasurer should be retained by him as a commission then it is conceded the proviso would be constitutional. If the general assembly had the power to regulate or establish the fee in the Irrigation District Act, either in the form of percentage or otherwise, the amount and form thereof was in its dis
Judgment affirmed.
Decision en banc.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Reid, Treasurer of Montezuma County v. Montezuma Valley Irrigation District
- Status
- Published