187 P. 843 | Or. | 1920
When this special proceeding was brought a doubt existed in the minds of some of the state officials, who were charged with duties connected with the construction of roads, concerning the right and authority to sell bonds in order to secure funds with which to comply with the offer of the federal government to assist in road construction; and the real purpose of the parties to this proceeding was to secure a judicial interpretation of the road legislation which
There are eleven separate statutes which daim our. attention. Two of these were enacted by Congress while the remaining nine were adopted by the legislative department of this state. Eight of these nine statutes were enacted in 1917 and 1919, while the ninth was adopted at the special session of the legislature held in January, 1920. Each of these statutes, except the one adopted in 1920, is discussed in one or both of the briefs filed by the litigants, and for that reason we shall refer to all of them. The federal enactments include an act, commonly known as the Sliakelford Bill, which was approved July 11,1916 (U. S. Comp. Stats., §§ 7477a-7477i), and another act which was approved February 28, 1919 (Chapter 69, 40 Stat. 1189), and is entitled:
“An act making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30,1920, and for other purposes.”
The eight state statutes adopted in 1917 and 1919 include the following: Chapter 175, Laws 1917, commonly known as the Bean-Barrett Bill; Chapter 194, Laws 1917, sometimes referred to as the Motor Yehicle Act; Chapter 237, Laws’ 1917, known as the Oregon Highway Law; Chapter 423, Laws 19.17, usually mentioned as the Six Million Dollar Boad Bonding Act; Chapter 159, Laws 1919, an act imposing a license tax on gasoline and other motor vehicle fuels; Chapter 173, Laws 1919, known as the Ten Million Dollar Boad Bonding Act; Chapter 399, Laws 1919, an act licensing motor vehicles; and Chapter 403, Laws 1919, an act “to further define and protect the state highway fund.”
The federal act which was approved February 28, 1919, purports to amend certain sections of the Shakelford Bill, and for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Shakelford Bill as amended, the act of 1919 enlarges the appropriation for the construction of rural post roads and materially increases the allotments for the fiscal years ending in 1919, 1920 and 1921. The federal act of 1919 also enlarges the appropriation for the construction of forest roads under co-operative agreements between the Secretary of Agriculture and the proper officials of the several states. In addition to the total sum of $1,820,386.50 which is payable to Oregon under the terms of the Shakelford Bill as originally enacted, this state is entitled by force of the provisions of the federal act of 1919 to the further sum of $3,150,761.77 for rural post roads and the further sum of $638,970, for forest roads, or a total additional sum of $3,789,731.77. In other words, the grand total of the federal funds set aside by the Shakelford Bill as originally adopted in 1916 and as subsequently amended in 1919 for aid in road construction in this •state is $5,610,118.27.
The State of Oregon, through its legislature, accepted the terms of the Shakelford Bill by enacting Chapter 175, Laws 1917, otherwise known as the Bean-Barrett Bill. By the terms of Section 2 of this act, the officers having control of the state highways are
“to raise enough money which, taken together with any money available from appropriations from other funds of the state of Oregon, if any there he, to equal the amount required of the state of Oregon in order to fully meet the requirements, conditions and provisions” of the Shakelford Bill; “provided, however that such bonds shall not be issued unless necessary to enable the state of Oregon to avail itself of the Federal aid as provided hereinabove, or any other aid hereafter furnished by the United States.”
Pursuant to the authority granted in the Bean-Barrett Bill, the State Board of Control has sold bonds aggregating $1,200,000, and whenever additional bonds to the amount of $620,386.50 are sold then the State Board of Control will have sold a total of $1,820,386.50, or the full amount available to this state under the Bean-Barrett Bill as originally enacted. The State Highway Commission has requested the Board of Control to sell additional bonds to the amount of $1,000,000, since that sum is required in order to secure to this state its full share of the moneys which have been apportioned to it under the Shakelford Bill and the amendatory act of 1919.
Chapter 194, Laws 1917, a motor vehicle act, provides for the collection of license fees from owners of motor vehicles. This statute is of interest only to the extent that it furnished-possible funds which could be used to meet the requirements of the Shakelford Bill.
“in payment of the interest and principal as same shall become due upon bonded indebtedness of the State of Oregon, contracted for road purposes under the provisions of this Act or the provisions of Chapter 175, Laws 1917.”
Chapter 237, Laws 1917, which became effective on February 19, 1917, and is known as the Oregon highway law, creates the State Highway Commission, again assents to the Shakelford Bill, requires the State Tax Commission each year to make a state levy equal to one fourth of a mill on each dollar of assessable property, directs that this tax when collected ‘ ‘ shall with any and all road funds, become a part of the state (highway fund,” and apportions the highway fund by directing the State Highway Commission to set aside from the highway fund: (1) An amount sufficient for the salaries and expenses of the state highway department; (2) a sufficient amount to cover the cost of operating and maintaining state highways which have been constructed; (3) sufficient funds to meet “the federal government appropriation and requirements” of the Shakelford Bill ‘ ‘ or any federal appropriation
Chapter 423, Laws 1917, known as the Six Million Dollar Eoad Bonding Act, was submitted to the people and approved by them at an election held June 4,1917. The State Highway Commission is by Section 3 of this act authorized to issue bonds “for' the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act in an amount not exceeding $6,000,000.” Section 5 prescribed that the moneys arising from the sale of these bonds shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of a special fund “which shall be used in carrying into effect the provisions of this act.” Section 6 designates certain roads as hard surfaced roads; and Section 7 names certain highways as post'roads. Section 6 opens by declaring that the highways described in Sections 6 and 7 ‘ ‘ are hereby' determined to be the highways of first importance to the general public of the State of Oregon,” and by the next sentence “it is hereby determined’ ’ that eight several highways should be permanently constructed and finished with a hard surface. Section 8, after enumerating five different roads as forest roads, declares that “the funds with which, to pay the portion of the expense of construction of said post roads * * payable by the State of Oregon, shall be secured from the sale of bonds as is provided in” Chapter 175, Laws 1917. Section 10 is to the effect that all funds required for finishing and hard surfacing •the enumerated hard surface roads “shall be derived from the sale of said bonds, provided for in Section 3.” The State Highway Commission is directed by Section 11 to
“pay the interest upon said bonds as the same shall become due, from any funds subject to its control, from whatever source the same may come, and the payments upon the principal of said bonds, as the same shall be*257 come due, shall he paid by the State Highway Commission from any funds within its control, without regard to the original of said funds.”
Chapter 159, Laws 1919, which became effective February 25, 1919, provides for a license tax on gasoline and other motor vehicle fuels.
Chapter 173, Laws 1919, known as the Ten Million Dollar Road Bonding Act, became effective on February 26, 1919. Section 1 of this act declares that “the state highway fund shall hereafter consist of all moneys and revenues derived”: (1) under Chapter 423, Laws 1917; (2) under Chapter 175, Laws 1917; (3) under Chapter 339, Laws 1913 (this chapter was expressly repealed by Section 17, Chapter 237, Laws 1917); (4) from the one-fourth mill tax provided for in Chapter 237, Laws 1917; (5) from all moneys accruing from licensing motor vehicles and chauffeurs and by law authorized to be diverted for road purposes; (6) from moneys derived from license tax levied on gasoline or motor vehicle fuels; (7) from the moneys derived “under the provisions of this act and acts amendatory thereof”; (8) from all moneys received from all other sources which by law are diverted for the improvement of the roads of the state; and (9) from the moneys derived from the operation of all laws which are hereafter enacted, and direct that moneys shall be used in the construction of roads. Section 4 authorizes the State Highway Commission
“during the next five years, to sell in addition to the bonds heretofore authorized, the bonds of the State of Oregon as hereinafter provided, in an amount not to exceed the sum of ten million dollars, ($10,000,000).”
Section 8 states that
‘ ‘ the money arising from the sale of each issue of bonds shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of*258 the state highway fund, which shall be used in carrying into effect the provisions of this act.”
This section further provides that “the moneys derived from the sale of the bonds herein provided for shall be disbursed as follows”: (1) Seventy-five per cent shall be used in the construction of pavement and the betterment of hard surfaced highways designated in Chapter 423, Laws 1917; and (2) the remaining 25 per cent shall be expended in the discretion of the State Highway Commission (a) in the construction of other roads of any class included in the highway system set forth in Chapter 423, Laws 1917, and (b) in preparing and assisting counties in preparing grades, bridges and culverts. It is also provided, however, that “nothing contained in this section shall prevent the highway commission from expending any of the said highway fund in carrying out the provisions of Section 15 of this act.” Section 12 provides that any unexpended balance of fees received under Chapter 194, Laws 1917, remaining after the payment of expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of the act and “remaining after the appropriation of so much of said funds as has been or shall hereafter be made to make effective and carry out the provisions ’ ’ of Chapter 423, Laws 1917, shall be transferred to the highway fund to be expended under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Commission in payment of interest and principal upon the bonded indebtedness of the State of Oregon contracted for road purposes “under the provisions of this act and prior highway legislation.” Section 15 authorizes the State Highway Commission
“to use any moneys derived under the provisions of this act and to meet any sum or sums heretofore or hereafter apportioned to the State of Oregon by federal enactment for the construction, betterment or im
and the commission is authorized to do any act necessary to meet the requirements of the United States “and the officers acting under such federal statute.”
Chapter 399, Laws 1919, is a motor vehicle act, and became effective March 4,1919. This act provides for licensing motor vehicles and chauffeurs. Section 37 provides that the moneys remaining after the payment of the cost of administering the act shall be disposed of as follows: Three fourths shall be transferred to the state highway fund “for such purposes as are provided by law” and one fourth shall be remitted to the county treasurers.
Chapter 403, Laws 1919, is entitled an act “to further define and protect the state highway fund.” This statute declares that nothing contained in Chapter 173, Laws 1919, “shall be construed to prevent issuance and sale of bonds of the State of Oregon for the purpose of meeting the conditions of the act of Congress set forth” in Chapter 175, Laws 1917, “but said bonds shall be issued as in said chapter provided, and no part of the state highway fund provided for” in Chapter 173, Laws 1919, “shall be used to meet any of said federal appropriation other than such portion of said fund as shall be derived from the sale of said bonds issued under the provisions of said Chapter 175.”
The act of 1920 will not be discussed until the other statutes have first been disposed of.
Presumably there are no funds now remaining in the state highway fund which originated in Chapter 194, Laws 1917; and if there were any such funds they would not be available for matching federal aid, notwithstanding the fact that the act itself provides- that, if the state accepts the Shakelford Bill, any balance in the “motor vehicle fund” on December 31, “shall be used for the purposes thereof.” Section 2, Chapter
Chapter 399, Laws 1919, the Motor Vehicle Act now in force, directs that three fourths of the balance remaining after paying the expenses of administering the act shall be transferred to the state highway fund “for such purposes as are provided by law”; and since we must look to some other law to ascertain the “such purposes as are provided by law,” we may with propriety dismiss Chapter 399, Laws 1919, from further notice.
Chapter 159, Laws 1919, merely provides for a license tax on motor vehicle fuels, without giving any specific directions concerning the expenditure of the funds. While such of these moneys as are diverted for road purposes are drawn to the state highway fund by force of Chapter 173, Laws 1919, still we need not longer consider Chapter 159, Laws 1919, and may now discard it.
We shall assume, without deciding, that Chapter 237, Laws 1917, stands alone, and that it is not in any particular affected by any other statute except to the extent that the tax levied under its authority is carried into the state highway fund by means of Chapter 173,
Chapter 423, Laws 1917, does not relieve the emergency. This statute, it is true, outlines a road program by designating certain roads as hard surfaced roads, by naming others as post roads and by classifying others as forest roads. This statute, it is true, empowers the State Highway Commission to issue bonds to the amount of $6,000,000 and directs, by the terms of Section 5, that the fund's derived from the sale of those bonds shall be deposited in the state treasury “to the credit of a special fund, which shall be used in carrying into effect the provisions of this act.” But it is also true that this statute further provides in Section 8, that—
*263 ‘ ‘ The funds with which to pay the portion of the expense of construction of said post roads and forest roads payable by the State of Oregon, shall be secured by the sale of bonds as is provided for in House Bill No. 21 (Chapter 175, Laws 1917) passed by the present legislative session.”
Chapter 423, Laws 1917, may also be eliminated from further discussion.
By a process of elimination five of the statutes have been laid aside, and only three of the statutes in force on December 4, 1919, now remain for consideration. These three remaining statutes include Chapter 175, Laws 1917 (the Bean-Barrett Bill), Chapter 173, Laws 1919 (the Ten Million Dollar Boad Bonding Act), and Chapter 403, Laws 1919. The legislation enacted in 1917 and 1919 does not authorize the sale of bonds to take advantage of the federal aid provided for by the federal act of February 28, 1919, unless it can be said that the authority is conferred by one or more of these three state enactments.
“Every act shall embrace but one subject, and matters properly connected therewith, which subject shall be expressed in the title. But if any subject shall be embraced in an act which shall not be expressed in the title, such act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall not be expressed in the title.”
Turning now to the title of Chapter 175, Laws 1917, we find that it is entitled:
“An act to accept the benefits of the Act passed by the Sixty-fourth Congress of the United States, entitled ‘An Act to provide that the United States shall aid the states in the construction of rural post roads, and for other purposes,’ and to provide for the issuance of bonds of the State of Oregon to raise such money as may be required to meet the requirements of said Federal statute, and to authorize the State Board of Control to take such action and perform such duties as may be necessary to meet the requirements of said Federal Act and Federal officials acting under said Act.”
The Shakelford Bill appropriated a definite sum of money to be apportioned among the states, and although the amount available to a given state might be increased from year to year by reason of the failure
Treating the federal aid offered by the act of February 28, 1919, as “other aid” or additional aid, it is manifest that the Bean-Barrett Bill does not authorize the sale of bonds to match such “other aid” for the reason that the title of the Bean-Barrett Bill is not broad enough to embrace such ‘ ‘ other aid, ’ ’ and therefore does not support that part of the body of the act. This conclusion, however, does not completely dispose of the contentions made by the plaintiff, for it is further urged that the Bean-Barrett Bill, by adopting the Shakelford Bill, as it existed in 1917, also adopted any changes that were afterwards made in it by amendment, and that, therefore, since the federal act of February 28, 1919, amends the Shakelford Bill, the amendment is adopted along with the Shakelford Bill.
The legislature recently convened in a special session, which was held after the commencement of this proceeding, but before the hearing of the case, enacted a measure which has partially, if not largely, rendered the discussion of prior state legislation academic rather than practical. A bill for an act, known as House Bill No. 74, was passed by the House on January 16th, and by the Senate on January 17, 1920, and became an effective law on January 20,1920, the date of its approval by the Governor. This statute again avows the state’s acceptance of the Shakelford Bill, and it also expressly accepts the federal act of February 28, 1919. Section 2 of this act is as follows:
“The state highway commission of (or) officers having control of the state highways of the state of Oregon shall, out of the money received in the state highway funds of the state of Oregon each year from any and all sources, first set aside, if deemed necessary or expedient, a sufficient amount to comply with the terms of said federal acts and any other aid hereafter furnished by the United States for the construction of roads and highways or to match such federal aid; or if by reason thereof there will be any deficiency in said state highway funds in the judgment of such state highway commission or officers having control of the state highways and the said funds by reason thereof will be insufficient to take care of the construction of roads and pay interest on outstanding bonds in any such year or years, or if such state highway commission shall deem it necessary and expedient and for the best interests of the state of Oregon, to match and secure such federal aid under the provisions of said statutes of the United States hereinbefore mentioned or other federal aid hereafter furnished by the United States to the*270 state of Oreg-on for roads, then the state board of control of the state of Oregon is hereby authorized, empowered in its discretion each year to sell the bonds of the state of Oregon in such denomination as in its judgment will be most marketable and in an amount sufficient to raise enough money to equal the amount required of the state of Oregon, in order to fully meet the requirements, conditions and provisions of said federal statutes and the federal officials operating under said statutes or any other aid hereafter furnished by the United States for the construction of roads and highways. ’ ’
In view of the language found in the act of 1920 it is difficult to conceive of a situation which would authorize the issuance of a writ peremptorily commanding the State Board of Control to sell bonds. If, however, such a situation is possible it is not presented here; for the record before us cannot support an order for a peremptory writ of mandamus. The demurrer to the alternative writ is therefore sustained.
Demurrer Sustained.