Commonwealth ex rel. Hines, Appellant, v. Winfree.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
June 28, 1962
408 Pa. 128
Costs to be paid by defendant.
CONCURRING OPINION BY MR. JUSTICE COHEN:
By the Act of 1961, the legislature sought to require that the assessed valuation be obtained in a certain manner and if not so obtained, then the market values established by the State Tax Equalization Board were to be used in determining the amount of debt which a municipality could incur. There is no constitutional grant that permits the market valuation as determined by the State Tax Equalization Board to be used; hence, an act utilizing such market valuation as the base in the creation of a municipal debt limit is unconstitutional.
Mr. Justice BENJAMIN R. JONES joins in this concurring opinion.
No argument was made nor brief submitted for appellee.
OPINION BY MR. JUSTICE BENJAMIN R. JONES, June 28, 1962:
This appeal challenges the validity of an ordinance of the City of Chester which prohibits the making of unnecessary noises and regulates the use of sound trucks and sound amplifying machines on or about the highways of that municipality.
On September 26, 1950, the City Council of Chester passed an ordinance entitled “An ordinance to prohibit the making of unnecessary noises and regulating the use of sound amplifying machines“. That ordinance, in pertinent part, provides: “SECTION 2. No person, persons, firm or corporation shall play, use, operate, or knowingly permit to be played, used or operated any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, sound amplifier, loud speaker, or other machine or device for the reproduction of sound, upon property (real or personal) or premises owned, occupied or used by him, them, or it, which is not measured and regulated by decibels so that the sound coming from such machine cannot be audibly heard at a
On December 22, 1955, the Council of Chester amended Section 3 of the ordinance to provide for an increase in the amount of the permit fee from $1 to $25 per diem.
On August 3, 1959, during a political campaign, the Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman applied
On August 28, 1959, Harry V. Hines, Democratic candidate for mayor, addressed a political rally in Chester from a sound truck using sound amplifying equipment without a permit* and, thereafter, a summons was issued to Hines to appear before a magistrate on September 3, 1959. After a hearing, Hines was found guilty of a violation of the ordinance and sentenced to pay a fine of $50 and costs. On advice of counsel, Hines refused to pay the fine and costs and was committed to jail.
Hines then petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus alleging the ordinance is invalid and unconstitutional: (a) the terms of the ordinance are vague, indefinite and impossible to comply with; (b) it is impossible to comply with Section 3(i) because it is scientifically impossible to regulate sound equipment by decibels so that sound cannot be heard audibly at a distance of more than 100 feet from the sound truck; (c) the ordinance requirement that a permit be issued only for one day at a time is oppressive and bears no relationship to the health, welfare and good morals of the community; (d) the $25 permit fee is excessive and bears no
In this area of the law certain principles are well settled: (1) freedom of speech is a fundamental right which is not subject to impairment by state action1 (Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652; 1621, Inc. v. Wilson, 402 Pa. 94, 102, 103, 166 A. 2d 271); (2) such right of speech does not, however, prohibit a municipality, in the exercise of its police power for the safety, convenience, health and well being of its citizens, from reasonably regulating the use of sound trucks and other voice amplifying equipment on its highways2 (Kovacs v. Cooper, 336 U.S. 77, 69 S. Ct. 448; Com. v. Geuss, 168 Pa. Superior Ct. 22, 76 A. 2d 500, aff‘d. 368 Pa. 290, 81 A. 2d 553, appeal dismissed 342 U.S. 912, 72 S. Ct. 360); (3) a municipal ordinance is presumptively valid (Archbishop O‘Hara‘s Appeal, 389 Pa. 35, 50, 131 A. 2d 587; Lutz v. Armour, 395 Pa. 576, 578,
First, Hines contends that the ordinance is invalid because it is “vague, indefinite or uncertain“. There can be no doubt that, if a statute or an ordinance is so “vague, indefinite or uncertain” that the courts are unable to determine, with any reasonable degree of certainty, the intent of the legislative body, such statute or ordinance is invalid: Murray v. Philadelphia, 364 Pa. 157, 176, 71 A. 2d 280; Willcox v. Penn Mutual Life Ins. Co., 357 Pa. 581, 595, 55 A. 2d 521; Miller v. Belmont Packing & Rubber Co., 268 Pa. 51, 63, 110 A. 802. The test is whether the language of the legislation clearly reveals the intent of the legislative body and the instant ordinance certainly meets that test. This ordinance clearly shows that it was the intent of the councilmanic body to protect the citizens of Chester from such “unnecessary noises and sounds” as would occasion them discomfort and annoyance and to regulate the use of sound trucks and sound amplifying equipment in and about the public highways so as to decrease accident hazards, insure the orderly movement of traffic and avoid traffic congestion on such highways. This ordinance does not prohibit sound trucks and sound amplifying equipment in and about the highways; on the contrary, this ordinance permits the use
Hines next urges that the requirement in the ordinance that a permit be issued on a per diem basis is so unreasonable as to invalidate the ordinance. Ordinances which are regulatory in nature must be reasonable: Lutz v. Armour, 395 Pa. 576, 151 A. 2d 108; Warren v. Philadelphia, 382 Pa. 380, 115 A. 2d 218; Adams v. New Kensington, 357 Pa. 557, 55 A. 2d 392. The instant ordinance does not limit or restrict a permit to only one day of the week, the month or the year; it simply provides that each permit will be issued on a per diem basis and, if additional permits are required, such permits will be issued on a per diem basis. The proper enforcement of this ordinance requires that the police be alerted to the exact date or dates and the hours on each date when the sound trucks and sound amplifying equipment will be used in or about the public highways so that additional police can be directed to the area where the sound trucks and sound amplifying equipment will be used. For instance, the use of such sound trucks and sound amplifying equipment on days or at hours when the traffic is normally heavier than on other days or hours will
Hines’ next argument is that the permit fee of $25 per diem is excessive and bears no reasonable relationship to the cost of enforcement of the ordinance. In American Baseball Club v. Philadelphia, supra (p. 316), we stated: “A license fee is valid if the amount thereof is reasonably commensurate with the actual cost to the municipality for special services rendered: [citing cases]“. Judge (later Chief Justice) HORACE STERN, speaking of a license fee in Arronson v. Phila., 16 Pa. D. & C. 427, aptly said: “Such a charge is not regarded as in any sense a revenue-producing measure or as the imposition of a tax. It is merely making the person who causes the expense pay for it.” In determining the reasonableness of the amount of a license fee two principles must be borne in mind: (a) the party who claims that the amount of a license fee is unreasonable has the burden of so proving5 and (b) in matters of this character municipalities must be given reasonable latitude in fixing charges to cover anticipated expenses to be incurred in the enforcement of the
In the court below Hines offered no evidence to show that the $25 daily fee was unreasonable whereas the City offered evidence in support of the reasonableness of the fee. After hearing, the court below, in this respect, made the following findings of fact: “11. When permits are issued, notice of issuance is forwarded to the police department to alert police cars in all districts to supervise and check the operations of the sound truck and to answer complaints of annoyance from the public. 12. All policemen supervising sound truck operations must leave their regular duties for this purpose; and a patrol car of two men must remain with the truck the entire permit time of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. requiring constant policing. 13. Policing sound trucks has required not only the services of patrolmen, but sergeants, captains, the chief of police, desk sergeants and radio operators. 14. Each patrolman earns $2 per hour salary, and at 13 hours for two patrolmen; the expense to the City is Fifty-two ($52) Dollars per permit day not considering the cost of gasoline, oil, the use of the patrol car, services of the City Clerk in issuing the permit, the radio operator alerting the patrolmen, and any superior officers who are involved in enforcing the Ordinance. 15. The enforcement of the Sound Truck Ordinance requires more time and effort by the police than any other City Ordinance. 16. Four regular police and additional auxiliary police were required to be present when [Hines] used sound truck equipment without a permit on the occasion when he was found guilty.”
The findings of fact of a trial court, approved by the court en banc, unless arbitrarily made or manifestly erroneous or improper, are binding upon us unless such findings lack sufficient evidentiary support: Lerch Estate, 399 Pa. 59, 159 A. 2d 506; Claughton v. Bear Stearns & Co., 397 Pa. 480, 488, 156 A. 2d 314.
Hines further argues that the ordinance was so discriminatorily administered and enforced as to deprive him of his right to due process. Hines contends that from April 17, 1958 to September 9, 1959 only eight permits were issued under this ordinance but that, during that same period, various religious and charitable organizations, such as the Salvation Army, used sound amplifying equipment without securing a permit and without being arrested.
Hines points out in his brief that a “police regulation is subject to the equal protection of laws clause” (Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Vosburg, 238 U. S. 56) and that arbitrary “discrimination between persons in similar circumstances is a denial of due process of law” (Wallace v. Currin, 95 F. 2d 856). With those principles we agree. He then contends that the instant situation is ruled by Yick Wo
Even if the Salvation Army, various churches and charitable organizations did violate this ordinance without prosecution therefor, such fact would not aid Hines for he clearly violated this ordinance and the defense that others had violated this ordinance with impunity cannot avail Hines: Commonwealth v. Grochowiak, 184 Pa. Superior Ct. 522, 527, 136 A. 2d 145. Furthermore, even if there were proof, which there is not in the case at bar, that the police in arresting Hines and in not arresting others were improperly motivated, such would not aid Hines insofar as the validity of the ordinance is concerned.
In Commonwealth v. Bauder, 14 Pa. D. & C. 571, aff‘d. per curiam, 188 Pa. Superior Ct. 424, 145 A. 2d 915, it was contended, inter alia, that enforcement of a state statute was discriminatory in that others were allowed to violate the law without prosecution and the court held that such fact, even if true, did not render invalid the statute.
Several other contentions made by Hines have been fully considered and found without merit.
In view of Hines’ contention that his constitutional right to freedom of speech has been impaired or
Order affirmed. Costs on Hines.
Mr. Justice EAGEN took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.
DISSENTING OPINION BY MR. JUSTICE COHEN:
In Saia v. People of State of New York, 334 U. S. 558, 92 L. Ed. 1574, 68 S. Ct. 1148 (1948), the United States Supreme Court in a five to four decision held the ordinance therein invalid because it failed to provide any standard or any other criteria for the chief of police in exercising his discretion in granting or refusing the permit, thereby making it unconstitutional on its face.
Shortly thereafter, the United States Supreme Court had before it an ordinance which prohibited the use of sound trucks making “loud and raucous noises” on the public streets. It was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in Kovacs v. Cooper, 336 U. S. 77, 93 L. Ed. 513, 69 S. Ct. 448 (1949). Three of the majority upheld its constitutionality because the intent was to prevent “loud and raucous noises” from conflicting with the peace and quiet of the citizens and was not intended to suppress any individual‘s right of free speech. One justice concurred because he thought
I recognize that in matters such as this, one is required to balance the various community interests, but I am most mindful of the impact of the
The fact that the City of Chester produced testimony to the effect that the $25 license fee did not cover the cost of enforcement of the ordinance is not material. The privilege of exercising a constitutional right should not be evaluated on a cost plus basis. Police power legislation is not designed to provide a profit for government. Here, the $25 a day license fee effectively deprives the defendant of his
It is distasteful to think that candidates for both high and low offices are required both to cater to the whims and caprice of the chief of police and to pay $25 a day in order to pursue their campaigns. My conclusion makes it unnecessary to discuss the other valid contentions of the appellant such as the scientific impossibility to comply with the ordinance (see 58 Yale