Opinion ID: 2233517
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Shared Power

Text: Article IV, sec. 22 of the Wisconsin Constitution provides the legislature may confer upon the boards of supervisors of the several counties such powers of a local, legislative and administrative character as the legislature shall from time to time prescribe. The plaintiff contends that the constitution allows delegation of local power only to county boards, and a veto power, therefore, cannot be simultaneously delegated to town boards, as it diffuses their legislative authority. The plaintiff relies on Marshall v. Dane County Board of Supervisors, 236 Wis. 57, 294 N.W. 496 (1940) and Meade v. Dane County, 155 Wis. 632, 145 N.W. 239 (1914). The Meade court struck down a statute providing for a veto referendum of any county ordinance and held Wisconsin Constitution Article IV, sec. 22 prohibits delegating to the electors the powers which sec. 22 requires be delegated to a county board. Id. at 644. Applying Meade, the Marshall court struck down a statute providing that when presented with a petition signed by fifteen percent of the voters, the county board must establish a civil service system and pension system or submit the question to a referendum. 236 Wis. at 59. Neither Meade nor Marshall are controlling precedent applicable inferentially or otherwise for the resolution of the instant issue. The Meade and Marshall cases concerned the repeal of legislation by vote of electors, not another body of elected representatives. The constitution does not provide for the delegation of legislative power to the electors as it does to the town board under article IV, sec. 23. Here, the legislature has affirmatively bestowed the power to act upon both the elected members of the county board and town board concurrently. [3] The county planning and zoning statute, sec. 59.97, Stats., part of which is challenged, provides towns with a role in the zoning process. In sec. 59.97(5) (c) [6] a town has the power to approve or disapprove the initial county zoning ordinance which will affect the town. Section 59.97(5) (e)6, grants towns the power to approve or disapprove amendments to the county zoning ordinance. The town board's power to approve or disapprove amendments follows logically from the power to approve or disapprove the original or initial zoning ordinance. [S]ince zoning is a legislative function, judicial review is limited and judicial interference restricted to cases of abuse of discretion, excess of power, or error of law. Buhler, 33 Wis. 2d at 146. Because article IV, sec. 22 of this state's constitution does not prevent the legislature from authorizing a town to veto a county zoning ordinance, we find no abuse of discretion, excess of power or error of law on the part of the town board's action. The delegated power shared by the town and the county does not violate the constitution. The doctrine of shared powers in this state is well recognized as permissible between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government. See J.F. Ahern Co. v. Building Commission, 114 Wis. 2d 69, 103, 336 N.W.2d 679 (Ct. App. 1983). There is no prohibition in the state constitution against the legislature providing for shared powers between state created county and town government. Moreover, there is certainly a reasonable basis for the exercise of the towns' legislative power under sec. 59.97(5) (e)6, Stats., which provides the town board of the town affected may approve or disapprove a county board adopted amendment. It is reasonable to believe on the face of this statute that the legislature intends the town boards to serve as a political check on the otherwise unfettered discretion of the county board in wielding its legislative zoning power. Elected by the residents of the town, the town board operates with its mandate, to preserve and protect the best interests of its constituents.