Lum v. City of Vicksburg
Lum v. City of Vicksburg
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Sections 80 and 88 of the present constitution are so clearly prospective in their operation as to make unnecessary any discussion touching the supposed unconstitutionality of § 3035,
As to the other contention touching the supposed unconstitutionality of § 3035, code 1892 — viz., that the power to legislate was conferred on the municipal authorities of Vicksburg by that portion of § 3035, code 1892, which left any existing municipality, in the mode and within the time prescribed by the section, to elect to continue its existence under its then charter, or, more exactly, not to come under the provisions of the general law of which said § 3035 was a part — we have to say that a law may become operative upon the happening of a future event, although that contingency may be the result of an election by the people, and that this is too well settled, generally, and in this state particularly, to be now again considered by us.
It is, furthermore, contended with great earnestness by counsel for appellant that, in several particulars pointed out in their brief, there was a failure of the municipal authorities, in its
The absence of the seal of the municipality from the notice given appellant of the time of the contemplated consideration of the report of the assessor as to the undervaluation of his property by appellant, was immaterial. The purposed action of the municipal authorities was not to be had in a suit to which appellant was a party; and, if it had been, the failure of the clerk to affix his seal or to sign his name, would have been an irregularity amendable on motion. But it was not a suit in which the appellant was required to be summoned. The board of mayor and aldermen were to sit to revise and adopt the assessment roll, and the charter only required that such notice as the board might fix should be given. Of course, ample notice, and fair as to time, is necessarily implied, and such notice appellant had, as abundantly appears from the order of the board to its clerk, directing him to notify persons whose property had been reported as undervalued, of the meeting to be held on July 5, to consider the assessor’s report and to hear objections thereto, and from the full and explicit notice actually given the appellant on June 9.
It is urged, further, along this line of exception to the legality
It is insisted, however,'that the time fixed was July 5, and that the board finally considered and acted upon the assessor’s report on July 12, seven clays after the time fixed by the resolution of the board and its notice tp appellant. A brief reference to the record in the case and to § 23 of the charter will disclose the unsoundness of appellant’s position. On July 5 the board met pursuant to its resolution and the notice given appellant. Many property owners appeared and filed their objections to the assessor’s recommendations to raise their assessments, but appellant was not of the number, and it is proper here to say that he did not appear before the board at all, or pay any attention whatever to the notice given him. At the meeting July 5 the board read the petitions of property owners who protested against raising their assessments, and heard the
Under § 481, code 1892, upon dissolution of an injunction restraining the collection of taxes, the state, county or munici
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- W. S. Lum v. The City of Vicksburg
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. CONSTITUTION 1890, ?¿$ 80, 88. Prospectwe municipalities. 1 3035. Constitutionality. Code 1892, Sections 80, 88, constitution 1890, among other things providing for general laws to create and govern municipal corporations, are prospective in operation, and do not repeal existing municipal charters. Therefore, $ 3035, code 1892, recognizing the continued existence of such charters, is not unconstitutional. 2. Constitutional Law. Code 1892, § 3035. Validity. Municipalities. It is within the legislative power to enact a law to become operative upon the happening of a future event. Section 3035, code 1892, providing that existing municipalities, by resolution of the authorities, may elect not to come under the operation of the code chapter relating to such corporations, is constitutional. 3. Taxation. Valuation of property. Notice. .Municipalities. Under the charter of Vicksburg, providing- that notice of the assessor’s report of undervaluations of property shall he given to the owners before consideration of the report, only such notice, fair as to time, as the municipal authorities may fix, is required. A written notice given by the clerk to the owner June 9, requiring* him to appear before the board July f>, is sufficient. 4. CORPORATE Seat.. Absence of. Notice not invalidated. Failure to affix the corporate seal does not affect the validity of the notice. 5. Mttnicipat. Authorities. Action of. Adjournment over. Taxation. Under a provision authorizing' the board of mayor and aldermen to hold special meetings, and, at any meeting, to adjourn from time to time, it is not irregular, when notice is given that the report of undervaluations in assessments will .be considered at a certain time named in the notice, to refer the matter to the finance committee of the board at that time, and adjourn to a later day, and then act on the report of the committee. After notice given, the owner is deemed to be present and aware of the adjournment over, and he is bound by what is done.