Opinion ID: 1857813
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: police powers

Text: The Village contends that the assessment of a garbage fee on Jackson is nevertheless proper as an exercise of its police powers. In support of this contention, the Village cites Neb.Rev.Stat. § 17-505 (Reissue 1991), which provides in pertinent part: In addition to their special powers, second-class cities and villages shall have the power to make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations and resolutions, not inconsistent with the laws of the state, as may be expedient for maintaining the peace, good government and welfare of the corporation, and its trade, commerce and manufactories.... (Emphasis supplied.) As a general matter, municipalities may, in the exercise of a valid police power, protect the public health through ordinances. Village of Brady v. Melcher, 243 Neb. 728, 502 N.W.2d 458 (1993). However, to be valid such ordinances must operate within legislative limits. Id. We have addressed the authority of a municipality to regulate garbage under the auspices of its police power on previous occasions. In Urbach v. City of Omaha, 101 Neb. 314, 163 N.W. 307 (1917), this court upheld as a valid exercise of the municipality's police power the enactment of an ordinance making it illegal for a resident to move or haul garbage through the streets. In so holding, the court stated that `[t]he removal and disposal of garbage, offal, and other refuse matter is recognized as a proper subject for the exercise of the power of a municipality to pass ordinances to promote the public health, comfort and safety....' Id. at 316, 163 N.W. at 308. In State v. Austin, 209 Neb. 174, 306 N.W.2d 861 (1981), the defendant was charged with violating a city ordinance that prohibited the dumping of refuse within 3 miles of the city. This court upheld the ordinance, noting that the Legislature had granted specific authority for the city to pass ordinances regulating persons within 3 miles of the city as necessary to promote the public health and welfare. While acknowledging the ability of a municipality to regulate garbage under the police power, provided the municipality acts within legislative limits, we have not directly examined whether this power allows a municipality to assess a garbage fee on an individual that does not use the service. Courts in other jurisdictions have concluded that the imposition of a garbage fee on a nonuser is a valid exercise of police power. See, e.g., Stone v. Town of Mexico Beach, 348 So.2d 40 (Fla.App.1977) (a town may impose a flat rate, regardless of use, for the collection and disposal of garbage); City of Glendale v. Trondsen, 48 Cal.2d 93, 308 P.2d 1 (1957) (ordinance imposing service charge for garbage collection upon residents could be upheld as police measure, even though residents were required to pay charges without regard to whether they used collection service). While insightful, these cases are not determinative of the issue before us. Unique to the present situation is this state's Act, which explicitly grants the Village the authority to create a garbage service. To state that the Village has the inherent ability to enact an ordinance charging all residents a garbage fee regardless of use is incorrect, for a municipality's police powers can operate only within legislative limits. Village of Brady v. Melcher, supra ; Howard v. City of Lincoln, 243 Neb. 5, 497 N.W.2d 53 (1993). The Village's reliance on the general powers granted to it under § 17-505 is misplaced, for, as stated therein, the authority to enact rules and regulations cannot be inconsistent with any law of this state. Unlike the broad and sweeping reach of § 17-505, the Act deals specifically with the establishment of a garbage service by a municipality. To the extent there is conflict between two statutes on the same subject, the specific statute controls over the general statute. State ex rel. Stenberg v. Murphy, 247 Neb. 358, 527 N.W.2d 185 (1995). Accordingly, the specific dictates of the Act that allow the imposition of a garbage fee on only those residents who actually use the services prevail over the general powers enunciated in § 17-505. Thus, we conclude that the Village does not possess the authority under its police powers to charge a garbage fee on those residents who do not use the service.