Eikenbary v. Porter
Eikenbary v. Porter
Opinion of the Court
At an annual meeting of the voters of School District No. 3, of Cass county a motion was made and carried to build a new schoolhouse, and that a tax of ten mills on the dollar valuation be levied on all taxable property in the district for such purpose. An injunction was sued out by certain taxpayers of the district, by which it was
Section 12, subdivision 2, chapter 79, Compiled Statutes of 1899, relative to the annual meeting of a school district, provides: “The legal voters may also, at such [annual] meeting, determine the number of mills, not exceeding ten mills on the dollar of assessed valuation, which shall be expended for the building, purchase, or lease of school house in said district, when there are no bonds voted for such purpose, which amount shall be reported levied and collected as in the preceding section: Provided, that the aggregate number of mills voted shall not exceed twenty-five (25) mills.”
On the hearing, evidence was submitted by the plaintiffs tending to establish the fact that the school building then in use was a well built, well preserved structure, and sufficient in all respects for the needs of the district. From the evidence, it may be said that the building had been in use for school purposes from twenty-three to twenty-five years; that it was a well built structure, had been repaired and kept in fair condition, and, as expressed by several witnesses, compared favorably with other schoolhouses throughout the county. It was provided with modern appliances, such as seats, desks, blackboards, etc., and had connected with it outbuildings
It is urged that the levy complained of is unjust and oppressive, and was made because of a failure on the part of the electors to relocate the school site. The sentiment for relocation favored the removal of the school building near to a small railroad station located in the school district, but some distance from the site of the present building. A two-thirds vote being required for that purpose, and that number not voting in the affirmative, the motion was declared lost. On motion to levy the building tax, it appears that out of about fifty voters, thirty favored the motion and twenty opposed it. We are disposed to the opinion that the question of relocating the site, and that of constructing a new building, were, independently of each other, within the discretion of the electors, and that favorable action upon the former was not a necessary condition to favorable action upon the latter. The question of constructing a new building was one proper to be determined in either event, with or without a change of site, followed by a levy as provided by statute. There seems to be no question as to the legality of the meeting at which the tax was voted, the regularity of the proceedings, or the authority of the electors present, in any proper case, to levy such a tax. In Cooley, Taxation [1st ed.], page 247, the author
The legislature has vested in the electors of a school district the power and authority to levy a tax for building purposes. It has limited and thrown restrictions around their actions regarding such matters for the protection of all taxpayers, and to prevent unjust and oppressive levies. In the exercise of the powers and authority given, and within the limitations defined by statute, the courts can not interfere solely on the ground that such action may be regarded as unwise or improvi
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Henry Eikenbary v. William B. Porter, Jr.
- Status
- Published