McGuire v. Philadelphia
McGuire v. Philadelphia
Dissenting Opinion
Dissenting Opinion by
Counsel on both sides agree that if the authorized loan of $8,600,000 be declared invalid, the loan of $12,900,000 to be voted on at the special election called for the purpose is within the borrowing capacity of the city. The loan voted on in November, 1913; was based upon the assessment for that year, but subsequently the assessment for 1914 was completed, and this assessment very largely increased the borrowing, capacity of the city. We
The published notice charged the city with the loan of $8,600,000.00 authorized by vote of the electors last November, and claimed a deduction of $6,382,842.88, the balance of the debt assumed by the school district; but even when these items are adjusted in accordance with the present decision of this court, the figures on their face show an increase in the borrowing capacity of the city of $2,217,157.12 more than was claimed in the notice which is now condemned on the ground that it does not meet the legal requirements. When the loan of $8,600,000.00 was stricken down, and the city was charged with the item of $6,382,824.88 without any deduction, its borrowing capacity was ample to sustain the loan of $12,900,-000.00 to be voted on at the special election. The primary purpose of publishing the notice is to give the voters the facts as they are so that they may know what the indebtedness is and what borrowing capacity the city
In addition it may be suggested that the question of the borrowing capacity of the city, involving the deduction of the indebtedness assumed by the school district, was passed upon by Court of Common Pleas No. 4, in Philadelphia v. Walton, 22 Pa. D. R. 301, wherein it was held by the learned president judge of that court, prior to the election in November, 1913, that the indebtedness asstimed by the school district should be deducted from the municipal indebtedness, and if so, even under the old assessment the city had a borrowing capacity sufficient to authorize the loan. No appeal was taken from that judgment and the city authorities were bound to respect that decision in all subsequent proceedings, or at least until the law was otherwise declared by an appellate court. The election notice followed in every particular the law as declared at the time it was published, and since the notice gave the facts just as they were, and nothing contained therein could possibly have misled the voters as to the power of the city to authorize the loan within the constitutional limit, I cannot agree that the election should be enjoined on the sole ground of a defective published notice.
In this case I would also sustain the position of the learned city solicitor and dismiss the bill.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
By an ordinance of the select and common councils of
The last assessed valuation of taxable real property in the City of Philadelphia preceding the ordinance of February 21,1914, was $1,641,316,027, and it is conceded by learned counsel for complainant that if the loan of $8,-600,000 — the subject of the other bill — was not validly authorized, the city’s borrowing capacity was not exceeded in authorizing the loan of $12,900,000. As the said proposed loan of $8,600,000 has been declared invalid, the city’s right to make the proposed loan of $12,-900,000 is not to be questioned; but, as the defendants aver in their answer that the city had a largely increased borrowing capacity based upon the last assessed valuation of personal property, we deem it proper to pass upon that question, though the determination of it is not essential in view of the undoubted borrowing capacity of the city, based upon the valuation of real property alone. Our reason for now passing upon the question is, as was said by the chief justice at the argument, that it is “sure to arise in the near future and until it is finally settled,
The last assessed valuation of personal property preceding February 21, 1914, was $571,539,535.75, and the authority of the city to make it part of the basis of its borrowing capacity is found in the Act of June 17,1913, P. L. 507. But it is said — though not argued with much seriousness — that the Act of 1913 is unconstitutional because the title to it contains more than one subject, and is, therefore, violative of Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, which provides that “no bill, except general appropriation bills, shall be passed containing more than one subject, yhich shall be clearly expressed in its title.” There is to be found in the title to the Act of 1913 but one subject, and that is the imposition of taxes upon certain classes of personal property for the purpose of providing revenues for the State, counties and for cities and counties when coextensive. The one main subject of the act is taxation upon certain classes of personal property. This is so clearly expressed in the title as to give notice to every owner of any kind of personal property that the provisions of the act may affect him. The title, therefore, led to an inquiry into what was contained in the body of the bill. Everything appearing in the title is germane to the one main subject, and the same is true of the several provisions in the bill itself. They relate to and are the means of carrying out the one general purpose of the act. It is not necessary to show this by discussing those provisions in detail. Among the authorities sustaining the constitutionality of the act are Reber’s Petition, 235 Pa. 622, and Booth & Flinn Ltd. v. Miller, 237 Pa. 297. We now declare it to be valid legislation.
As the city was clearly within its borrowing capacity in passing the ordinance approved February 21,1914, so much of our decree of March 30, 1914, as declared the same invalid is now vacated. But, for a reason to be
Reference
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- Municipalities — Increase of indebtedness — Increase based on taxable personal property — Election—Notice of election — Publication of amount of indebtedness — Act of June 17,1913, P. L. 507— Constitutional law — Title of acts. 1. The Act of June 17, 1913, P. L. 507, imposing taxes upon certain classes of personal property for city and county purposes in cities coextensive with counties, is constitutional. It is not in violation of Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution, providing that “no bill, except general appropriation bills, shall be passed containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title.” 2. The provisions of the said Act of June 17, 1913, P. L. 507, are effective to increase the borrowing capacity of the City of Philadelphia by seven per centum of the last assessed valuation of personal property, preceding the date of the loan. 3. The statutory requirement relating to public notice to be given by advertisement of an election to be held for the purpose of submitting to electors the question of a proposed increase of municipal indebtedness, is that it shall contain, inter alia, “the amount of the existing debt” of the municipality. This provision is to enable the elector to act not only intelligently but prudently in casting his ballot for or against a- proposed increase of the indebtedness of his municipality, and it is mandatory upon the public authorities. 4. The corporate authorities of the City of Philadelphia, in giviug public notice of an election to be held for the purpose of authorizing an increase of indebtedness, deducted from the gross indebtedness of the city a sum which had been assumed by a school district coincident with the city, and published only the balance of the debt after such deduction. Held, this deduction was unlawfully made, and, therefore, the publication of the amount of the indebtedness was inaccurate, and an injunction was issued restraining the election. Mr. Justice Elkin dissents.