235 Pa. Super. 266 | Pa. Super. Ct. | 1975
Opinion by
In May of 1966 the appellant was working on property owned by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of. Philadelphia when a fire escape collapsed. The appellant commenced this trespass action to recover damages for his personal injuries and permanent disability which resulted from the accident. Over eight years later as the case was listed for trial, the Redevelopment Authority filed a motion for summary judgment
The sole issue presented in this case and a companion case involving the Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh decided this same day
The decisions of our Supreme Court have repeatedly chronicled the origin, development, faltering vitality
The distinction between those local units of government to which the governmental-proprietary concept applied, and the Commonwealth was not enunciated as “governmental immunity” versus “sovereign immunity” until the Supreme Court’s decisions in Ayala and Brown.
It is clear from the statutory and case law that an authority is termed an agent of the Commonwealth and not of the local governing body. “An authority shall constitute a public body, corporate and politic, exercising public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency thereof . . .;” id. §1709, it “shall in no way be deemed to be an instrumentality of such city or county, or engaged in the performance of a municipal function.” Id. §1704(a). “The Authority is a public body exercising public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency thereof.” Schwartz v. Urban Redevelopment Auth., 411 Pa. 530, 536, 192 A.2d 371, 374 (1963); see Belovsky v. Redevelopment
Reviewing the language used prior to the crystallization of the immunity doctrines in Brown and Ayala, however, we find it singularly unpersuasive. For instance, the Court in Anderson Appeal, 408 Pa. 179, 182 A.2d 514 (1962) in holding the Delaware River Port Authority immune from suit, described it as “a vital arm of the Commonwealth.” Id. at 184, 182 A.2d at 517. Justice EAGEN, concurring in Dillon v. York City School District, 422 Pa. 103, 220 A.2d 896 (1966) held that “[a] school district is both constitutionally and legislatively an arm of the Commonwealth itself... As such, the defendant school district is shielded by the sovereign immunity of the Commonwealth, as well as the doctrine of governmental immunity.” Id. at 108, 220 A.2d at 898-99. Dillon was specifically overruled by Ayala, whereas Anderson retains its vitality.
“The notion that the immunity of the school district is linked to the sovereign immunity of the Commonwealth ... is a notion without present vitality. Underlying this assumption is the theory that there is a distinction between municipal corporations and*275 quasi-corporations, the latter being agents of the Commonwealth and, thus, entitled to the sovereign immunity enjoyed by the Commonwealth.
“We expressly rejected this theory in Morris v. Mount Lebanon Township School District.. ,26
“Thus, municipal corporations and quasi-corporations are on an equal level with regard to immunity.” Id. at 601 n. 8, 305 A.2d at 885 n. 8 (citation omitted; footnote added).
Municipal, corporations are not agencies of the Commonwealth in the sense that that term applies to quasi-corporations. Id. Nevertheless, in many cases discussing the immunity question, the Court has termed them State “agencies.”
In another case decided the same year, Anderson Appeal, 408 Pa. 179, 182 A.2d 514 (1962), the Court was again presented with the issue of whether a governmental entity would be identified with the Commonwealth or its
It is apparent that utilizing the factors found to be determinative in Rader and Anderson, the Redevelopment Authority can be distinguished readily from the turnpike commission and the Port Authority. The essentially localized nature of the redevelopment authorities has been noted before.
*280 “[A] 11 the powers given to the Authority ... are subject to the approval of the city council or the county commissioners, and only after all the details of the particular project are formulated is the ultimate decision made by those governing bodies ... The planning necessary to accomplish the purposes of the act must necessarily vary from place to place within the same city or county and from city to city and county to county.” Belovsky v. Redevelopment Auth., 357 Pa. 329, 342, 54 A.2d 277, 283 (1947).
The Court in Schenck v. Pittsburgh, 364 Pa. 31, 70 A.2d 612 (1950) described the procedures by which each authority proposal must be reviewed by the local governing body. “[T]he Urban Redevelopment Law was obviously intended to give wide scope to municipalities in redesigning and rebuilding such areas within their limits as ... no longer meet the economic and social needs of modern city life and progress ... It is for the Authority ... to decide upon the terms of their contract and for the City Council to approve or reject it...” Id. at 37-38, 70 A.2d at 615. Thus, in actions against local redevelopment authorities it is the local governing body, not the Commonwealth, which is an indispensable party to the action. Schwartz v. Urban Redevelopment Auth., 411 Pa. 530, 192 A.2d 371 (1963).
A municipal authority is an entity distinct from both the Commonwealth and a political subdivision; it is a “municipal corporation,” Commonwealth v. Erie Met. Transit Auth., 444 Pa. 345, 350, 281 A.2d 882, 885 (1971), and a redevelopment authority is similar to a housing authority
Our Supreme Court has repeatedly urged the legislature to undertake a comprehensive review of the immunity question. See e.g., Brown, supra at 571 n. 6, 305 A.2d at 870 n. 6. Without such review the courts will be compelled to continue refining the nature of immunity on a piecemeal case-by-case basis such as this. We hold that the Redevelopment Authority, by all indicia of substance rather than form, is not cloaked with the Commonwealth’s garments of sovereign immunity, and that it must stand in court to defend the plaintiff’s claim.
Judgment reversed.
. Pa.R.C.P. 1035, based upon an affirmative defense properly asserted in its answer.
. 453 Pa. 566, 305 A.2d 868 (1973) [hereinafter cited as Brown].
. 453 Pa. 584, 305 A.2d 877 (1973) [hereinafter cited as Ayala].
. School District v. Trumbull Corp., 235 Pa. Superior Ct. 412, 341 A.2d 528 (1975).
. See, e.g., Biello v. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd., 454 Pa. 179, 301 A.2d 849 (1973) (dissenting opinion of Justice Nix); Laughner v. Allegheny County, 436 Pa. 572, 261 A.2d 607 (1970) (dissenting opinions of Justices Roberts and Pomeroy).
. See, e.g., Ayala v. Philadelphia Bd. of Public Educ., 453 Pa. 584, 305 A.2d 877 (1973) (“governmental immunity”); Falco v. Pados, 444 Pa. 372, 282 A.2d 351 (1971) (abolishing parentchild immunity); Flagiello v. Pennsylvania Hosp., 417 Pa. 486, 208 A.2d 193 (1965) (abolishing charitable immunity).
. See Black v. Rempublicam, 1 Yeates 140 (Pa. 1792); Respublica v. Sparhawk, 1 Dallas 357 (Pa. 1788).
. It is possible to ascribe an earlier origin to the doctrine of immunity for governmental units. Lord Kenyon, Chief Justice, writing the decision in Men of Devon, referred to a case cited in Brooke’s Abridgment:
“Therefore, I think that this experiment ought not to be encouraged; there is no law or reason for supporting the action; and there is precedent against it in Brooke; though even without that authority I should be of the opinion that this action cannot be maintained.”
100 Eng. Rep. 359, 362 (K.B. 1788). The precedent referred to in Brooke is of early origin. Brooke died in 1558. See Maffei v. Incorporated Town of Kemmerer, 80 Wyo. 33, 338 P.2d 808 (1959); Comment, Judicial Abrogation of Governmental and Sovereign Immunity: A National Trend With A Pennsylvania Perspective, 78 Dick.L.Rev. 365 (1973).
. Mower v. Inhabitants of Leicester, 9 Mass. 247, 250 (1812) (“quasi-corporations, created by the legislature for purposes of public policy, are subject, by the common law, to an indictment for the negligence of duties enjoined on them; but they are nqt liable to an action for such neglect, unless the action be given by some statute ...”) (citing Russell v. Men of Devon); see Riddle v. Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Merrimac River, 7 Mass. 169 (1810) (dicta).
. The Court in Ayala cites Ford v. Kendall Borough School Dist., 121 Pa. 543, 15 A. 812 (1888), as establishing the doctrine in Pennsylvania. See also, as contributing to the development of the doctrine in the Commonwealth, Fox v. Northern Liberties, 3 W. & S. 103 (Pa. 1841) (act of employee far outside’scope pf authority); Carr v. Northern Liberties, 35 Pa. 324 (1860) (liability not imposed on tortious performance of discretionary function); Alcorn v. City of Philadelphia, 44 Pa. 348 (1863) (doctrine of respondeat superior held not to apply to appointed officers of municipal corporations); Elliott v. City of Philadelphia, 75 Pa. 347 (1874)
. Dean v. New Milford Twp., 5 W. & S. 545 (Pa. 1843).
. Rapho v. Moore, 68 Pa. 404 (1871).
. McCormick v. Allegheny County, 263 Pa. 146, 106 A. 203 (1919).
. Prior to Ayala and Brown the terms had been used interchangeably. In Conrad v. Commonwealth, 441 Pa. 530, 272 A.2d 470 (1971), Chief Justice Bell, writing for a unanimous Court, identified the immunity enjoyed by the Commonwealth Department of Highways as “governmental immunity,” and brought within its perimeters not only those cases clearly (and in one instance specifically) overruled by Ayala, hut also cases falling within the Brown concept of “sovereign immunity.” See Sweigard v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Transp., 454 Pa. 32, 309 A.2d 374 (1973) (immunity of Commonwealth departments is “sovereign immunity.”) Similarly, Justice Nix, dissenting in Biello v. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd., 454 Pa. 179, 301 A.2d 849 (1973), included with his
. Laughlin v. Pittsburgh, 226 Pa. Superior Ct. 431, 310 A.2d 289 (1973). Smeltz v. City of Harrisburg, 440 Pa. 224, 269 A.2d 466 (1970), was specifically overruled by Ayala.
. Kitchen v. Wilkinsburg School Dist., 455 Pa. 633, 306 A.2d 294 (1973); Ayala, which involved the Philadelphia Board of Pub. Educ., specifically overruled Dillon v. York County School Dist., 422 Pa. 103, 220 A.2d 896 (1966) and other similar cases.
. Klein v. Cheltenham Township, 309 A.2d 353 (1973). Boorse v. Springfield Township, 377 Pa. 109, 103 A.2d 708 (1954) was specifically overruled by Ayala.
. Edwell v. Allegheny County, 226 Pa. Superior Ct. 429, 310 A.2d 340 (1973).
. Hall v. Power, 455 Pa. 645, 311 A.2d 612 (1973), aff’g 6 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 544, 296 A.2d 535 (1972) ; Brown (National Guard employee).
. Sweigard v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Transp., 454 Pa. 32, 309 A.2d 374 (1973); Williams v. Commonwealth, 12 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 384, 316 A.2d 685 (1974) (Department of Labor and Industry and Department of Health); see DuBree v. Commonwealth, 8 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 567, 303 A.2d 530 (1973) (Department of Highways) (decided prior to Brown,).
. Koynok v. Commonwealth, 12 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 375, 316 A.2d 118 (1974) (State Board of Private Academic Schools) ; see Biello v. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd., 454 Pa. 179, 301 A.2d 849 (1973) (decided prior to Brown); McCoy v. Liquor Con
. Kreider v. Commonwealth, 9 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 491, 308 A.2d 642 (1973) (Pa. Human Relations Comm’n) (decided after Brown, but without citation thereto).
. Brungard v. Hartman, 12 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 477, 315 A.2d 913 (1974) (Mansfield State College).
. Act of May 24, 1945, P.L. 991, §1 et seq., as amended, 35 P.S. §1701 et seq. (1964).
. See Yancoskie v. Delaware River Port Auth., 235 Pa. Superior Ct. 263, 340 A.2d 533 (1975); Enoch v. Food Fair Stores, Inc., 232 Pa. Superior Ct. 1, 331 A.2d 912 (1974).
. The Court in Morris v. Mount Lebanon Twp. School Dist., 393 Pa. 633, 144 A.2d 737 (1958) (specifically overruled by Ayala) held that a school district as an agency of the Commonwealth would be held liable to the same extent as a municipality. In Hill v. Allentown Housing Authority, 373 Pa. 92, 95 A.2d 519 (1953), cited in Morris, supra, the Allentown Housing Authority, held to be an “agency” of the Commonwealth, was nevertheless held liable to the extent of a municipality.
. E.g., Shirk v. Lancaster City, 313 Pa. 158, 162 n. 1, 169 A. 557, 559 n. 1 (1933); Scibilia v. Philadelphia, 279 Pa. 549, 553, 124 A. 273, 274 (1924).
. Id.
. E.g., Dillon v. York City School Dist., 422 Pa. 103, 220 A.2d 896 (1966) (specifically overruled by Ayala) (“a school district is both constitutionally and legislatively an arm of the Commonwealth itself”); Slippery Rock Area Joint School System v. Franklin Twp. School Dist., 389 Pa. 435, 138 A.2d 848 (1957) (“an agency of the State, created by law for the purpose of promoting education, deriving all of its powers from the statute, and discharging only such duties as are imposed upon it by statute”); Carlo v. Scranton School Dist., 319 Pa. 417, 179 A. 561 (1935)
. E.g., Chester County v. Philadelphia Elec. Co., 420 Pa. 422, 218 A.2d 331 (1966) (“merely a political subdivision of the Commonwealth; not a municipal corporation”); Pennsylvania Turnpike Comm’n Land Condemnation Case, 347 Pa. 643, 32 A.2d 910 (1943) (counties are “state agencies performing governmental functions”).
. E.g., Plum Twp. Annexation Case, 178 Pa. Superior Ct. 376, 116 A.2d 260 (1955) (“all municipalities are agents of the state”).
. E.g., Darby v. Sharon Hill, 112 Pa. 66, 4 A. 722 (1886) (“merely an agency instituted by the sovereign”).
. E.g., Simon Appeal, 408 Pa. 464, 184 A.2d 695 (1962) (“an independent agency of the Commonwealth”).
. Act of May 28, 1937, P.L. 955, §10, as amended, 35 P.S. §1550 (1964) (“exercising public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency thereof”).
. Act of June 5, 1947, P.L. 458, §5, as amended, 53 P.S. §345 (a) (1974) (“exercising public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency thereof”).
. If an authority is nominally an agent of the Commonwealth, municipal taxes cannot be levied. Wilkinsburg Borough v. Wilkinsburg Borough School Dist., 365 Pa. 254, 74 A.2d 138 (1950). Nor will an authority be bound by statutes and debt limitations applying to its incorporated municipality. Simon Appeal, 408 Pa. 464, 184 A.2d 695 (1962). Further, as nominal agents of the state, authorities can have a taxing power independent of the municipality. Whitemarsh Twp. Auth. v. Elwert, 413 Pa. 329, 196
. There are five opinions in Brown, two in Ayala.
. The majority opinion in Brown, authored by Chief Justice Jones, speaks only of the “Commonwealth.” However, the Chief Justice cites Stouffer v. Morrison, 400 Pa. 497, 162 A.2d 378 (1960), which in turn relied upon Boorse v. Springfield Twp., 377 Pa. 109, 103 A.2d 708 (1954) which was specifically overruled by Ayala. Justice Pomeroy, concurring in Brown, refers to “the Commonwealth and its agencies (sovereign immunity), Brown at 573, 305 A.2d at 872, but also speaks of “units of local government (governmental immunity),” id., and “sovereign immunity (i.e., the immunity of the states as distinguished from that of political subdivisions).” Id. at 575, 305 A.2d at 873. Justice Pomeroy cites the Restatement (Second) of Torts §895B (Tent. Draft No. 19, 1973) another section of which refers to the “unique dual character” of the “local government entity.”
“On the one hand it is a subdivision of the state, endowed with governmental functions and responsibilities. On the other hand it is a corporate body, capable of much the same acts as a private corporation, and having much the same special and local interests and relations, not shared by the state at large. It is, in other words, at the same time a government and a corporation.” Id. at §895C, comment b.
Justice Pomeroy cast the deciding vote in Brown and Ayala, and clearly enunciated his views on the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Brown at 575, 305 A.2d at 873. Had he intended in his opinion in Brown to limit his use of the term “political subdivision” to include only a distinct list of local governmental units it may be assumed that he would have done so. See Commonwealth v. Erie Met. Transit Auth., 444 Pa. 345, 348 n. 4, 281 A.2d 882, 884 n. 4 (1971).
Justice Roberts, writing the majority opinion in Ayala, excludes from consideration “the sovereign immunity of the Com
. See Biello v. Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd., 454 Pa. 179, 183-84, 301 A.2d 849, 851 (1973) (“The question of whether a particular action is one against the Commonwealth is not' to be determined solely by reference to the nominal parties to the record.”).
. Act of May 21, 1937, P.L. 774, §4, 36 P.S. §652d (1961).
. In Rader v. Pennsylvania Turnpike Comm’n, 407 Pa. 609, 182 A.2d 199 (1962) the issue was whether the turnpike commission was liable for negligence in maintaining the highway as a municipality would be, see Dean v. New Milford Twp., supra n. 11, or immune as is the Commonwealth. In Anderson Appeal, 408 Pa. 179, 182 A.2d 514 (1962), the issue was whether the Delaware River Port Authority was liable in eminent domain proceedings for consequential damages as are municipalities oi¡ not liable as is the Commonwealth.
. Anderson Appeal, supra n. 41 at 184, 182 A.2d at 517, referring to the governors of the Commonwealth and the State of New Jersey.
. See n. 25 supra.
. Act of June 12, 1931, P.L. 575, §1, as amended, 36 P.S. §3503, art. II (Supp. 1974-75).
. The Housing Authorities Law, supra n. 33, §1, et seq., 35 P.S. §1541 et seq. (1964) [herein. HA] and the Urban Redevelopment Law, supra n. 24 [herein UR] are substantially identical in pertinent respects. Compare HA §1542 with UR §1702; HA §1543 with UR §1703; HA §1544 with UR §1704; HA §1545 with UR §1705; HA §1546 with UR §1706; HA §1547 with UR §1707;
. The Parking Authority Law, supra n. 35, §1 et seq., 53 P.S. §341 et seq. (1974) [herein PA] “created” parking authorities which could only become operative by proper resolution of the local governing body, compare PA §344 (a) with UR §1704 (b); provided for appointment of members by the head of the local governing unit, compare PA §348 (a) with UR §1705; and provided for a power of eminent domain coextensive with that of municipalities. Compare PA §349 with UR §1712.
. Ayala.