Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Board of County Commissioners
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Board of County Commissioners
Opinion of the Court
The railway company appeals from a judgment denying an injunction to prevent the collection of a tax to pay for a certain levee ordered by the defendant drainage district, a demurrer to the evidence having been sustained.
It is contended that no benefits were conferred on the company by the construction of the levee, and hence its property was about to be taken for public use without just compensation; that its property was fraudulently assessed greatly in excess of its actual and proportional value, and that some of its property not liable to special assessment was nevertheless included. A fourth complaint, said by the defense to be made here for the first time,' is that the district laid out a system of levees which would cost more than ten per cent of the taxable property liable therefor, and was adopting the subterfuge of constructing simply one portion of such system without any legal authority.
. We have examined each matter complained, of but are impelled to the conclusion that they are not properly before us for determination. One section of the drainage act provides that “no suit to set aside any general or special tax or assessment or to enjoin the making or collection of any assessment or installment thereof, and no defense of any kind to the validity of. any improvement bond or assessment to pay the same, shall be allowed unless brought within thirty days after the confirmation of the assessors’ report.” (Gen. Stat. 1909, § 3034.) The report was confirmed April 19, 1911. It is stated in the brief of the district and not controverted by the plaintiff that on April 27, 1911, the district board met as a board of equalization, proper notice having been given, and that no appearance or complaint was made by the plaintiff. This suit was not brought until December 19, 1911.
The last complaint is that the board was attempting by subterfuge to construct a part of a complete system of levees, the cost of which would exceed the statutory limit, and hence was acting ultra vires. It is forcibly argued by counsel that when the board assumes to act without jurisdiction it may be enjoined regardless of the thirty-day limitation found in the statute fixing the limits of such jurisdiction. Were this question actually presented it may be assumed without so deciding that within the decision in Rockwell v. Junction City, 92 Kan. 513, 141 Pac. 299, and cases cited, the thirty-day statute would have to be deemed controlling, for it was there said of a similar provision of a paving statute, “This limitation is valid and covers all irregularities and defects in the proceedings. ... It has been ruled that the statute applies and cuts off defenses that the improvement proceedings are void by reason of fraud or other defects.” (p. 515.) It would seem that if proceedings are void by reason of fraud a board would be as completely without jurisdiction as if it were proceeding to exceed the statutory limit of expense.
From the record, however, we can not say that the board was thus attempting to exceed the limit fixed by the statute, for while the cost of the original complete
From the foregoing it appears, therefore, that the last contention of the plaintiff is not supported by the record, and that the others are foreclosed by its failure to proceed within the time fixed by the statute.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company v. The Board of County Commissioners of the County of Montgomery
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Drainage — Jurisdiction and Duties of Drainage Boards. The legislature when enacting the drainage act' of 1905 (■Gen. Stat. 1909, §§ 3000-3056) intended that the people of each drainage district should exercise sufficient police power to prevent, if possible, a recurrence of the calamities suffered from floods and high waters during the two preceding years, and that their boards, not the courts, should settle and determine all matters within their power and jurisdiction. 2. Same — Assessments Ascertained — Injunction Proceedings— Limitation of Actions. That no benefits will inure to the owner of property taxed to pay for a levee, that his property was fraudulently and disproportionately assessed beyond its actual value, and that the assessment included certain property not liable therefor, are matters to be presented to and determined by the board, and if a resort to the courts be desired the action must be begun within thirty days from such determination. 3. Same — Drainage Board May Construct Part Only of System of Levees Surveyed. The fact that a board has procured a survey and report of an entire system of levees the cost of which would exceed the statutory limit does not preclude the subsequent construction of a portion of such system, the cost of such portion falling below the statutory limit.