The plaintiff, by this action, seeks relief from the taxes and assessment represented by the roll made by the assessors
The plaintiff’s grievance, to some extent, may have arisen from the fact that, prior to the construction of the Clifford street sewer,, a public sewer had been constructed along near the premises in question, and was adequate for them; and, after direction had been given for the construction of the Clifford street sewer, the executive board of the defendant promised that no part of the expense of it other than a mere nominal sum should be assessed against such premises. This promise was not within the powers conferred upon the executive board, and therefore is ineffectual for any purpose in behalf of the plaintiff.
The question is raised upon the fact that the personality of the assessors who made the assessment was other than that directed by the resolution of the common council of October, 1882. By that resolution, David McKay, William Maher, and V. Fleckenstien, the
The plaintiff’s counsel raises a question upon the effect of the insertion in the roll of 1887 of the city tax of $11 for water. The assessors erroneously included that against the plaintiff, as it was not for water used upon her premises, but for water taken and used by H. B. Hooker on a lot south of Mill street, and opposite the plaintiff’s premises. Some reduction was made, but it does not appear that this item was included in it. It may be stated as a rule that, when any substantial portion of the amount for which assessment is made by a municipal corporation is void, the entire assessment may be so treated. But the water tax was not void. While it was properly assessable, the item in question was erroneously assessed to the plaintiff or as against her premisés. This, I think, could not have the effect to invalidate the entire assessment on the roll against her. It was the subject for correction, within the power and direction given-by the provisions of the city charter to the common council. It seems very evident from what appears that the principal complaint of the plaintiff had relation to the sewer assessment. She made some application to the common council on the subject after 1886, and before 1891; and in December of that year the plaintiff, in her petition presented to the common council, stated that she had ever been, and then was, ready and willing to pay, and had tendered to the city treasurer, all the taxes and assessments against her on the roll of 1887, except the said sewer assessment, which she asked to have canceled for reasons stated by her, to the effect that it was injurious to the health of her family; that, before it was constructed, she was advised that her property would not be assessed for it more than a nominal sum, for the reason that a public sewer, previously constructed along near her premises, was adequate for them; and that Clifford street sewer was not constructed in Mill street, but in and along her private property. While the grievance expressed by the plaintiff in her petition related solely to the sewer assessment, and no fault is there manifested as to anything else in it, she is not necessarily denied the right to assert in this action such other objection as may be made against the validity of the charges made in the assessment roll against her and her property.
Another question arises upon the verification of the roll made by the oath of the assessors. The proceedings to be observed and pursued in directing and causing improvements to be made in the city by its officers, and in making assessments to defray the expenses of them, are defined by the statute known as the “Charter,” Laws
It is urged that the roll was not properly sworn to by the assessors, and for that reason the assessment cannot be sustained. They did annex to the roll their affidavit that it was made by them in pursuance of an ordinance of the common council (which ordinance was referred to as annexed to the affidavit), and was, according to the best of their “knowledge and belief, a just and true assessment against the persons or parties to be benefited, according to the benefit derived.” The criticism is that the sworn statement of the assessors related only to the persons or parties benefited, when they should, to verify it, have referred to the property of the designated district, as it was their duty to assess all the parcels of it in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the advantage which each should deem to receive from the improvement. It evidently was contemplated by the statutory direction to swear to the roll that the assessors should so verify it as to make it appear that they had faithfully performed their duty in making the assessment; and, if they had used the word “property” in place of that of “parties” in the affidavit, there would have been no reasonable occasion to criticise it. If the statute had prescribed the form of the affidavit, or stated what it should contain, the omission to do so may have been fatal to the assessment. Van Rensselaer v. Witbeck, 7 N. Y. 517; Johnson v. Elwood, 53 N. Y. 431; Brevoort v. City of Brooklyn, 89 N. Y. 128; Shattuck v. Bascom, 105 N. Y. 39, 12 N. E. 283; Stebbins v. Kay, 123 N. Y. 31, 25 N. E. 207; Inman v. Coleman, 37 Hun, 170; O’Donnell v. McIntyre, Id. 615, 116 N. Y. 663, 22 N. E. 1134. But, as has been seen, the charter of the city of Rochester does not provide what the affidavit shall contain. It merely directs that the assessment roll shall be certified and sworn
The plaintiff’s counsel says in his argument that the assessors who made the assessment did not swear that neither of them was not interested in any of the property which they were directed to assess, and not of kin to any person so interested; and it is urged that such fact should affirmatively appear in support of the assessment. There is no evidence of such omission, and no reason to sustain such contention in the present case. The statute provides that the assessors shall take such oath before they proceed to make an assessment; and, further, that they will faithfully and impartially discharge the duty imposed upon them by the order of the common council. Laws 1880, c. 14, § 200. It may be assumed that this oath was taken until the contrary appears, as the plaintiff has the burden of proving the omission to do what is essential to the validity of the assessment to be done. It would be otherwise if the city were seeking to justify or support the assessment for any purpose. Then, except so far as it was relieved by the statute from proving that it was the result of proceedings legally conducted, the city would be required to show that everything jurisdictionally requisite had been done to support any claim founded upon the assessment. In the case at bar the defendant is merely resisting the attack made by the plaintiff upon the legality of the assessment; and therefore the argument about the presumption of want of jurisdiction is not necessarily applicable to it to the extent claimed on the part of the plaintiff.
Upon the facts, as represented by the evidence, I am unable to see any ground to support the action for the relief sought by it. The complaint should therefore be dismissed.
Sections 109 and 215 give the common council of the city of Rochester authority to correct errors in the description of lands on which an assessment is levied.
