Township of Texas v. Wager
Township of Texas v. Wager
Opinion of the Court
The only question here presented is, whether, by the statutes in force in the years 1861 and 1862, the township treasurer collecting the tax of 1861 had a right to retain four per cent for collection, when the electors, at the township meeting, had neglected to fix the amount, and the supervisor had added but two and a half per cent to the roll for that purpose, and, in his warrant, authorized him to retain only the latter amount.
By the act of 1858, § 33 (Comp. L. § 815), the supervisor is required to assess the amount of taxes for state, county and township purposes, “adding thereto and to all other taxes required by law to be assessed by him, not more than four nor less than two per cent for collection expenses, upon the taxable property of the township,” &c.
No tribunal or mode is provided by this statute for fixing the percentage for collection between the extremes of two and four per cent: under this statute, therefore, the supervisor alone, we think, had the power to fix the amount between these limits.
But by the amendment of 1858 (Laws of 1858, p. 182), which applies to the present case, after the words, “not more than four, nor less than two per cent,” the following words are inserted: “as shall be determined by the electors at their annual meeting, at the same time and in the same manner that overseers of highways are elected.”
By section fifty-nine of the act of 1853 [Comp. L. § 841), which was not amended by the act of 1858, “the town
The vote of the electors could alone give him the right to a higher rate of compensation than that fixed by the supervisor, and by him added to the taxes.
The judgment of the Circuit Court was, we think,, correct, and it must be affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Township of Texas v. Henry Wager
- Status
- Published