Beckstrom v. Kornsi, 425
Decision Date | 07 May 1974 |
Docket Number | No. 425,425 |
Citation | 217 N.W.2d 283,63 Wis.2d 375 |
Parties | In re Recall of Miles Beckstrom, Mayor of Montreal. Miles BECKSTROM, Appellant, v. Wayne J. KORNSI et al., Respondents. |
Court | Wisconsin Supreme Court |
Wartman & Wartman, Ashland, for appellant; Robert L. Swanson, Ashland, of counsel.
Alex J. Raineri, Hurley, for respondents.
We are of the opinion that the following issues are dispositive of this appeal:
1. Whether a circuit court can determine a recall petition states good and sufficient reason for the recall of a municipal official without permitting that official to offer proof disputing the allegations contained therein?
2. Whether the affidavit of the circulators of each petition for recall was sufficient under sec. 8.15(4)(a), Stats.?
TRUTH OF FALSITY OF ALLEGATIONS OF PETITION.
As contrasted with the companion case of Mueller v. Jensen, 1 in the instant case the appellant did not argue in the trial court that the allegations of recall were insufficient. Instead, the appellant sought to offer proof that the allegations were untrue.
The circuit court ordered a hearing pursuant to the recall statute, sec. 9.10(4)(a), Stats., which provides as follows:
At the hearing, the appellant endeavored to present proof that the majority of the allegations of the petition were substantially incorrect. The court was of the opinion that sec. 9.10(4)(a), Stats., made the taking of testimony discretionary with the court. After ascertaining that the parties intended to offer testimony concerning the truth and falsity of the allegations, the court concluded that this '. . . is a political and not a judicial matter . . .' and refused to entertain such testimony. The court held that the petition was sufficient to warrant a recall election and, without determining the truth of the allegations of the petition, concluded that the veracity of these allegations was a matter for the electors of Montreal. The appellant contends that he should not have been precluded from offering proof that the allegations of the petitions were untrue.
The Wisconsin State Constitution provides for the recall of certain public officials. Article XIII, sec. 12, provides in part as follows:
Sec. 9.10, Stats., provides statutory guidance for the recall of public officials. Sec. 9.10(1) and (2)(a), provide as follows:
(Emphasis supplied.)
The additional requirement for the petition for recall for a city official to contain a specific statement of good and sufficient reason is constitutionally permissible in view of the fact that art. XIII, sec. 12, guaranteeing the right of qualified electors of the state, county, congressional, judicial or legislative district to recall any elective officer, does not apply to municipal officials. It is generally recognized, as follows:
(Emphasis supplied.) 63 Am.Jur.2d, Public Offices and Employees, p. 770, sec. 238.
The recall of city officials in Wisconsin is of statutory origin. Sec. 9.10(7), Stats., provides:
'The purpose of this section is to facilitate the operation of article XIII, section 12, of the constitution and to extend similar rights to city electors.' (Emphasis supplied.)
Article XIII, sec. 12, does not require a determination that the petition states 'good and sufficient reason' for recall. The statutory requirement in Wisconsin that the petition state sufficient reasons for recall of municipal officers is for the purpose of focusing the attention of the electors upon the specific reasons for recalling the official.
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Citizens Committee to Recall Rizzo v. Board of Elections of City and County of Philadelphia
... ... the petition.' 217 N.W.2d at 283. See also In re ... Recall Petition of Miles Beckstrom, Mayor of Montreal, ... etc., 63 Wis.2d 375, 217 N.W.2d 283 (1974) ... These and ... ...
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Citizens Committee to Recall Rizzo v. Board of Elections of City and County of Philadelphia, 90
... ... See also In re Recall Petition of Miles Beckstrom, Mayor of Montreal, etc., 63 Wis.2d 375, 217 N.W.2d 283 (1974) ... These and ... ...
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Stahovic v. Rajchel
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