Source: http://courts.mrsc.org/supreme/099wn2d/099wn2d0339.htm
Timestamp: 2019-10-20 04:13:10
Document Index: 417602816

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 11', 'art. 2', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 2', 'art. 1', 'art. 11']

99 Wn.2d 339, CITIZENS v. SPOKANE
CITE: 99 Wn.2d 339, 662 P.2d 845
CAUSE NUMBER: 47859-7
CASE TITLE: Citizens for Financially Responsible Government,
et al, Appellants, v. The City of Spokane,
[1] Constitutional Law - Construction - Intent of Drafters. A constitutional provision will not be given an interpretation which limits activities beyond the scope of the manifest purpose for which it was adopted.
[2] Municipal Corporations - Taxation - Local Tax - Referendum - Applicability. RCW 35.22.280, which generally grants taxation power directly to CITIES of the first class, and Const. art. 11, 12, which gives the Legislature the power to vest in municipal CORPORATE AUTHORITIES the power to collect taxes, do not restrict the taxation authority to local legislative bodies and do not exempt taxes enacted by local legislative bodies from the referendum process.
[3] Statutes - Referendum - Legislative Action - Test. For purposes of the limitation of the referendum power to legislative matters, an action is legislative rather than administrative if it relates to a subject of a permanent and general, as contrasted to a temporary and special, character or if it makes new law rather than executes a preexisting law.
[4] Taxation - Statutes - Referendum - Legislative Action Extension of Business Tax. Extending a tax which formerly applied only to a particular type of business to all businesses for an indefinite period constitutes a legislative act which is subject to a referendum.
[5] Statutes - Referendum - Exceptions - Support of Government - Local Tax. The exemption from the referendum process for legislation necessary for the support of STATE government (Const. art. 2, 1(b)) does not apply to local taxes supporting local governments.
[6] Appeal and Error - Review - Issues Not Raised in Trial Court - In General. An issue which the parties agreed was not to be decided by the trial court will not be considered on appeal.
[7] Statutes - Referendum - Statutory Amendment - Mootness of Referendum Issue. An issue involving a referendum to a legislative enactment is not rendered moot by a subsequent amendment which is not complete in itself and does not have the effect of repealing the enactment.
[8] Appeal and Error - Decisions Reviewable - Moot Questions - In General. A moot issue of a public nature may be reviewed if it is likely to recur and involves a matter of continuing and substantial interest.
NAMES OF CONCURRING OR DISSENTING JUDGES: Dore, J., dissents by separate opinion; Pearson, J., did not participate in the disposition of this case.
NATURE OF ACTION: The sponsors of a referendum regarding a municipal business and occupation tax sought a writ of mandamus to compel the City to accept their petitions.
Superior Court: The Superior Court for Spokane County, No. 80-2-04645-9, John J. Ripple, J., on March 13, 1981, denied the application for the writ.
Supreme Court: Holding that neither legislation nor the constitution restricted municipal taxing powers to local legislative bodies, that the taxation ordinance was legislative in nature, and that the ordinance was not exempt from a referendum as necessary for the support of state government, the court REVERSES the judgment and GRANTS the writ of mandamus.
COUNSEL: HEMOVICH & NAPPI, by MICHAEL J. HEMOVICH and JONATHAN C. RASCOFF, for appellants.
MAJORITY OPINION: The main question is whether a city ordinance enacting a business and occupation (B & O) tax is subject to referendum. It is.
A group of Spokane citizens sought a writ of mandamus to compel the City of Spokane to accept for filing certain referendum petitions. The purpose of the petitions was the repeal of, or in the alternative, a referendum on city ordinance C-25792, an ordinance relating to and providing for a B & O tax upon businesses, occupational pursuits and privileges within the city. The city clerk refused to accept the petitions for filing because of the city attorney's opinion that ordinance C-25792 was not subject to referendum.
Shortly after the enactment of ordinance C-25792, Citizens for Financially Responsible Government, an organization composed of businessmen of the city of Spokane and other interested citizens, began circulating petitions calling for the repeal of the ordinance by the city council, or for a referendum election pursuant to section 83 of the Charter of the City of Spokane. These petitions, containing about 19,000 signatures, were delivered to the city clerk of Spokane for filing. The corporation counsel advised the city clerk that ordinance C-25792 was not subject to referendum, and that the petitions should therefore be refused for filing. Thereafter, Citizens for Financially Responsible Government sought a writ of mandamus directing the city clerk to accept the tendered referendum petitions.
" All power of the city, unless otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be exercised by the mayor, city council and city manager. They shall be subject to the control and direction of the people at all times by the initiative, referendum and recall provided for in this Charter. Article 9, section 83 of the Spokane City Charter sets forth the procedure to be followed in subjecting an ordinance to the referendum process. «1»
«1» Article 9, section 83 states:
The charter is perfectly clear. No limitations on the right to referendum are specified therein or in other sections of the charter. Citizens for Financially Responsible Government followed the proper procedure in its attempt to file the petitions against ordinance C-25792. The City of Spokane contends, however, that the right to referendum in this context is limited by state law.
[1, 2] The general rule is municipalities possess, with respect to taxation, only such power as has been granted to them by the constitution or the general laws of the state. 16 E. McQuillin, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS 44.05 (3d ed. 1981). Where there is a conflict between a general law enacted by the state Legislature and any charter provision, the general law is superior to and supersedes the charter provisions. STATE EX REL. GUTHRIE v. RICHLAND, 80 Wn.2d 382, 384, 494 P.2d 990 (1972). Our state laws do not, however, conflict with Spokane's referendum provisions.
" Any city of the first class shall have power:
(32) To grant licenses for any lawful purpose, and to fix by ordinance the amount to be paid therefor, and to provide for revoking the same . . .
Cities of the first class are also granted all of the powers that are granted by RCW Title 35 and those that are usually exercised by municipal corporations of like character and degree. RCW 35.22.570. Such grants of power to first class cities are to be liberally construed to carry out the objectives of RCW 35.22. RCW 35.22.900. Thus, there is clear legislative authority for cities to enact a tax such as that in ordinance C-25792. The authority to tax is given to the city in general, not exclusively to the legislative body. Therefore, we conclude the Legislature has not sought to limit the referendum right of citizens of first class cities in the context of taxing and licensing ordinances.
" This court has repeatedly recognized the distinction between a grant of authority by the legislature to a city as a corporate entity and to its legislative and other corporate authorities.
In the context of STATUTORY interpretation, we have previously held that a city's "corporate authority", also referred to as a "legislative authority", means exclusively the mayor and city council. STATE EX REL. HAAS v. POMEROY, SUPRA (construing the term "corporate authorities"); STATE EX REL. WALKER v. SUPERIOR COURT, 87 Wash. 582, 152 P. 11 (1915) (construing the term "legislative authority"); NEILS v. SEATTLE, 185 Wash. 269, 53 P.2d 848 (1936) (construing the term "legislative authority"); STATE EX REL. BOWEN v. KRUEGEL, 67 Wn.2d 673, 409 P.2d 458 (1965) (construing the term "legislative body"). Therefore, a statutory grant of power to a legislative authority does not generally permit delegation to the voters through an initiative or referendum. NEILS v. SEATTLE, 185 Wash. 269, 277, 53 P.2d 848 (1936) and cases cited therein. Here, however, the statutory grant is to "[a]ny CITY of the first class". (Italics ours.) RCW 35.22.280. Therefore, this line of cases focusing on statutory grants of authority is not germane.
" Several of our decisions . . . reviewed at length in NEILS v. SEATTLE, 185 Wash. 269, 53 P. (2d) 848, refer to the phrase legislative authority, as used in the constitution and statutes of this state, as meaning the mayor and city council. IN NONE OF THESE CASES WAS THE MEANING OR SCOPE OF THESE WORDS, AS CONTAINED IN . . . THE CONSTITUTION . . . BEFORE THE COURT FOR CONSTRUCTION. . . . The matter of the meaning of the phrase referred to, as contained in certain statutes, was before the court, but STATUTES CANNOT CONTROL THE CONSTITUTION. . . . [T]HE ACT OF THE PEOPLE OF A MUNICIPALITY IN ADOPTING A CITY CHARTER AND IN AMENDING THE SAME ARE LEGISLATIVE ACTS, and . . . that authority under the constitution remains in the people. OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE PEOPLE PERFORM A LEGISLATIVE ACT, THEY ARE EXERCISING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.
The Washington Constitution begins with the statement that:
" All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed . . .
Const. art. 1, 1. In light of this forthright commitment to democratic principles, we refuse to narrowly interpret article 11, section 12 for the purpose of restricting the people's right to referendum.
"It was doubtless recognized by the framers of the constitution, as it must be by every one, that in the conduct of municipal affairs, it would be impracticable to do without the presence of a local legislative body of some kind, which should possess such powers in that behalf as might be granted to it, and that such a body would exist in every municipality.
THE WORDS "LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY" . . . WERE NOT INTENDED TO DEFINE THE POWERS OF THAT BODY, OR PLACE IT IN A POSITION WHERE IT WOULD BE BEYOND RESTRICTIONS BY THE ORGANIC ACT OF THE CITY.
LINN stands for the basic proposition that a constitution should not receive too narrow or too literal an interpretation, but should be construed to give effect to the manifest purpose for which it was adopted. LINN, at 143-45; SEE GENERALLY 16 C.J.S. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 16 (1956). The focus of article 11, section 12 is to restrict the STATE from imposing taxes on municipal corporations or inhabitants or property therein, for municipal purposes. Its focus is not the designation of a particular municipal entity as the exclusive taxing authority.
In sum, article 11, section 12 of the constitution does NOT restrict the right of referendum in the context of taxing ordinances passed by municipal, legislative authorities. Consistent with this fact, the state Legislature delegated taxing powers to "any city", not exclusively to a legislative body. RCW 35.22.280. Furthermore, Spokane's charter subjects "all power of the city" to the direction of the people by referendum. Hence, the people's right to referendum in this situation is unrestricted by any of these authorities. Our holding is virtually dictated by the language of the charter.
[3] Next, it is contended that ordinance C-25792 embodies an administrative, not a legislative act, and is therefore not subject to referendum. The rule is that the referendum power extends only to matters legislative in character and not to merely administrative acts. LEONARD v. BOTHELL, 87 Wn.2d 847, 557 P.2d 1306 (1976); RUANO v. SPELLMAN, 81 Wn.2d 820, 505 P.2d 447 (1973); 5 E. McQuillin, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS 16.55 (3d rev. ed. 1981). In distinguishing between the two, several criteria have been used:
" Actions relating to subjects of a permanent and general character are usually regarded as legislative, and those providing for subjects of a temporary and special character are regarded as administrative.
5 E. McQuillin, 16.55, at 194. Another test has been whether the proposition is one to make new law or to execute law already in existence.
"The power to be exercised is legislative in its nature if it prescribes a new policy or plan; whereas, it is administrative in its nature if it merely pursues a plan already adopted by the legislative body itself, or some power superior to it.
5 E. McQuillin, 16.55, at 194; DUROCHER v. KING CY., 80 Wn.2d 139, 152-53, 492 P.2d 547 (1972); RUANO v. SPELLMAN, SUPRA at 823.
[4] Under either of these tests, ordinance C-25792 is legislative in character. Whereas the 1971 tax on all businesses for the specified purpose of raising funds for Expo '74 was designated as a "one-time tax", this ordinance was not similarly limited. As it applies to all businesses, its general and more permanent nature cannot reasonably be questioned.
" There is hereby levied upon and there shall be collected from every person as hereinafter provided, for the act or privilege of engaging in business activities, a tax . . .
. . . [u]pon every person engaging within the City in business . . .
Ordinance C-25792, 8.11.140(a).
The City's argument that the ordinance only modifies the METHOD used to collect the tax, and therefore is administrative in character, is unsupportable. As stated above, the tax reflects a new policy of imposing a B & O tax on all businesses. Moreover, a change in methodology may in fact represent a new policy and be characterized as a legislative act. CF. BALLASIOTES v. GARDNER, 97 Wn.2d 191, 642 P.2d 397 (1982) (conversion and funding of voting system from lever machines to punch card voting/ computer tallying system, held by a plurality to be legislative in character). In short, the enactment of this ordinance was a legislative act under any applicable test.
It is also contended that this ordinance is exempt from referendum by article 2, section 1(b) of the Washington State Constitution. This provision exempts from the power of referendum
"such laws as may be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, [or] support of the state government and its existing public institutions . . .
Const. art. 2, 1(b).
[5] Article 2, section 1(b) exempts from referendum those laws necessary for the support of STATE government, not municipal government. Therefore, by its terms, this exemption is not applicable to ordinance C-25792, which exacted a tax to provide revenue to the municipality of Spokane. Moreover, the purpose of article 2 is to define the legislative, initiative and referendum powers of STATE government; there is no evidence of any intent by the framers of the constitution that it be applied to other levels of government. SEE Const. art. 2, 1. Cases construing this provision have been limited to those concerning the state budget or state agencies. SEE, E.G., STATE EX REL. HELM v. KRAMER, 82 Wn.2d 307, 510 P.2d 1110 (1973); STATE EX REL. BLAKESLEE v. CLAUSEN, 85 Wash. 260, 148 P. 28 (1915). In contrast, the purpose of ordinance C-25792 was to raise revenue for the support of the City of Spokane not the State of Washington. Therefore, article 2, section 1 has no application here.
" All power of the city . . . exercised by the mayor [or] city council . . . [is] subject to the control and direction of the people at all times by . . . referendum . . .
Spokane City Charter art. 1, 4. This grant of referendum power over municipal actions is unequivocal and without exception.
[6] Two other issues raised by the City deserve a brief analysis. First, it is contended that the signatures on the referendum petition were not properly certified; therefore, even if the right to referendum existed, the deficiencies in the petition would preclude exercise of the right in this instance. This issue was not raised at trial. Instead, the matter was presented to the court as a joint motion for summary judgment, and the court specifically found there were no issues of material fact. The trial court also found counsel had agreed that the sole issue before the court would be the right of referendum. Given these findings, we refuse to consider the issue on appeal. SEE BEGGS v. PASCO, 93 Wn.2d 682, 611 P.2d 1252 (1980); SEATTLE-FIRST NAT'L BANK v. SHORELINE CONCRETE CO., 91 Wn.2d 230, 588 P.2d 1308 (1978).
Moreover, we find persuasive the dissent's argument in HUZA that a repealing and reenacting procedure by a legislative body should not be allowed to frustrate the initiative/ referendum process. YAKIMA v. HUZA, SUPRA at 362 (Hill, J., dissenting). Because we distinguish HUZA on its facts, and it should be limited to its facts, it is not necessary to reconsider its holding at this time. We note, however, that deliberate efforts by a legislative body to circumvent the initiative or referendum rights of an electorate will not be looked upon favorably by this court.
CONCURRING JUDGES: Williams, C.J., and Rosellini, Stafford, Utter, Dolliver, and Dimmick, JJ., concur.
DISSENTING OPINION: I believe the enactment of the City of Spokane's business and occupation tax ordinance C-25792 is not subject to referendum, as it is an administrative act. Additionally, the ordinance falls under the "support of government" exception to the referendum power. For these reasons, I dissent.
" Several criteria have been suggested for determining whether an act is legislative or administrative. One such is whether the subject is of a permanent and general character (legislative) or of temporary and special character (administrative). 5 E. McQuillin, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS 16.55 (3d ed. rev. 1969). We believe a preferable standard, at least for this case, to be WHETHER THE PROPOSITION IS ONE TO MAKE NEW LAW OR DECLARE A NEW POLICY, OR MERELY TO CARRY OUT AND EXECUTE LAW OR POLICY ALREADY IN EXISTENCE. PEOPLE v. CENTRALIA, 1 Ill. App. 2d 228, 117 N.E.2d 410 (1953); HEIDER v. COMMON COUNCIL, 37 Wis. 2d 466, 155 N.W.2d 17 (1967).
5 E. McQuillin, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS 16.55, at 194 (3d rev. ed. 1981); DUROCHER v. KING CY., 80 Wn.2d 139, 152-53, 492 P.2d 547 (1972).
Even if the ordinance could be classified as a "legislative" action, however, it falls under the "support of government" exception to the referendum power.
Article 2, section 1(b) of our state constitution excepts from the power of referendum "such laws as may be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, [or] support of the state government and its existing public institutions, . . ." A city of the first class has legislative powers as broad as those granted under article 2, except when restricted by the general laws of the state. Const. art. 11, 10 (amend. 40); WINKENWERDER v. YAKIMA, 52 Wn.2d 617, 328 P.2d 873 (1958). Thus, the limitations the people of the state of Washington have placed upon their own right of referendum also apply to enactments of the City Council of the City of Spokane.
POST-OPINION INFORMATION: Reconsideration denied June 20, 1983.