Opinion ID: 1925525
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was the city a qualified owner entitled to sign the annexation petition,

Text: We have held a city is an owner within the meaning of sec. 66.021 (1) (a), Stats., and may sign a petition for direct annexation of territory to itself under sec. 66.021. Town of Madison v. City of Madison (1960), 12 Wis. (2d) 100, 106 N. W. (2d) 264. Plaintiffs do not challenge the city's record title but do contend the city is not a qualified owner as required by sec. 66.021 (6). This section provides the qualifications of electors and owners for the purpose of the petition shall be determined as of the date of the filing of the petition. The section further provides, Residence and ownership must be bona fide and not acquired for the purpose of defeating or invalidating the annexation proceedings. The statute is silent on the acquisition of land for the purpose of commencing or aiding an annexation proceeding. The plaintiffs would have this court construe the words bona fide as prohibiting the acquisition of land for the purpose of furthering or supporting an annexation proceeding. The statute requires two elements, bona fides and the absence of the purpose of defeating the annexation proceeding by the acquisition of ownership or residence. Bona fide means the owner, defined in sec. 66.021 (1) (a), Stats., as the holder of record of an estate in possession in fee simple or of a lesser estate, is in fact what the record purports him to be. Many owners of record are not in fact owners. Form without substance does not meet the test of a qualified elector or an owner under sec. 66.021. There is no question the city is in fact the owner of the property in the annexed area of which it is the record owner. The trial court correctly held the motives of the city in acquiring the property were irrelevant on the issue of bona fides.