Case Name: The People ex rel. Edwin Nordstrom, County Collector, Appellee, vs. Maurice E. Barry et al., Appellants
Court: Illinois Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Illinois
Decision Date: 1957-03-20
Citations: 11 Ill. 2d 259
Docket Number: No. 34213
Parties: The People ex rel. Edwin Nordstrom, County Collector, Appellee, vs. Maurice E. Barry et al., Appellants.
Judges: 
Reporter: Illinois Reports, Second Series
Volume: 11
Pages: 259–265

Head Matter:
(No. 34213.
The People ex rel. Edwin Nordstrom, County Collector, Appellee, vs. Maurice E. Barry et al., Appellants.
Opinion filed March 20, 1957
Rehearing denied May 20, 1957.
Davis, J., dissenting.
Brian & Wilson, of Toulon, for appellants.
Calhoun W. J. Phelps, of Princeton, for appellee.

Opinion:
Mr. Chiee Justice Klingbiel
delivered the opinion of the court:
Certain 1954 school tax objections of appellants were overruled by the county court of Bureau County. The objectors are among the residents of a 2 sections area of land which was a part of Buda Community High School District No. 506. On October 26, 1953, pursuant to petition, notice and hearing, the county board of school trustees of Stark County ordered this land detached from the Buda district and annexed to another district. November 30, 1953, this administrative order was appealed to the circuit court of Stark County which affirmed the administrative order March 4, 1955. An appeal from the circuit court order was properly effected but later dismissed June 14, 1955, due to lack of prosecution. In 1954 a $210,000 building bond issue was voted and approved, bonds were issued and taxes levied for their payment by the Buda dis trict. The usual educational and building taxes were also levied in 1954 by the Buda district. Objectors contend they were not subject to these taxes by reason of the detachment order entered in 1953, urging that they were not a part of the Buda district in 1954.
It is true that the Buda district would have no power to tax the lands or property not within its boundaries. (People ex rel. Shrout v. Long, 328 Ill. 297.) The issue involved is whether the appeal of the administrative order of detachment had the effect of maintaining the original status quo of the Buda district until the matter reached final disposition. Section 4B—5 of the Illinois School Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1953, chap. 122, par. 4B—5) provided, inter alia, that "The commencement of any action for review shall operate as a supersedeas, and no further proceedings shall be had until final disposition of such review."
Our examination of the cases, cited by objectors, concerning the rules of law governing the effect of a supersedeas on judgments that are self-executing and otherwise, reveals that they lend no support to the contentions of objectors. The cited cases are generally distinguishable from the particular point in question. This court declared in People ex rel. McDonnell v. Thompson, 316 Ill. 11, at page 15, "The law is, in the absence of a special statute to the contrary, that an appeal or supersedeas bond or writ of error will not operate to suspend such a judgment." (Emphasis supplied.) Assuming, without deciding, that this is the rule today, we are of the opinion that the legislature in cases of administrative review of school matters did provide such a special statute. It evidently had a purpose in mind in employing the particular language to the effect that no further proceedings should be had until final disposition of the review. It is quite understandable that the legislature would deem it desirable to maintain the original status quo of the school districts of this State when territorial and boundary questions arose for the purpose of giving stability and certainty to these matters instead of confusion and uncertainty where public education and public funds are concerned. Were it otherwise an annexing district might levy a tax right after an administrative order of detachment. Upon administrative review, shortly thereafter, the circuit court might reverse the detachment order and thereupon the original district would levy its tax. Upon subsequent review in the higher courts the difficulty and confusion becomes obvious. Courts are bound to presume that absurd consequences were not contemplated by the legislature, and a construction should be adopted which it is reasonable to presume was contemplated. Burns v. Industrial Com. 356 Ill. 602; Patterson Pure Food Pie Co. v. Industrial Com. 335 Ill. 476; Louisville and Nashville Railroad Co. v. Industrial Board, 282 Ill. 136; Zelkovich v. Industrial Com. 8 Ill.2d 146.
We conclude that the original status quo of the Buda district was maintained until the final disposition of the review in accordance with the provisions of the statute discussed and that the county court correctly overruled the tax objections. Accordingly, the judgment of the county court of Bureau County is affirmed.
ludgment affirmed.