Schnepel v. Board of Education — 302 N.Y. 94

Majority

p. 94

Thelma B. Schnepel et al., Appellants, v. Board of Education of the City of Rochester, Respondent.

Argued November 20, 1950;

decided January 18, 1951.

p. 95

Ruben A. Dankoff for appellants.

A taxpayers’ action may properly be brought against this defendant. (Lewis v. Board of Educ. of City of N. Y., 258 N. Y. 117 ; Rees v. Teachers’ Retirement Bd., 247 N. Y. 372 ; Matter of Hirschfield v. Cook, 227 N. Y. 297 ; Warnock v. Wray, 194 N. Y. S. 396 .)

William H. Emerson, Corporation Counsel (James H. Boomer of counsel), for respondent.

A taxpayers’ action may not be maintained against the board of education. (Olmsted v. Meahl, 219 N. Y. 270 ; Blackburn v. Clements, 297 N. Y. 971 ; Divisich v. Marshall, 281 N. Y. 170 ; People ex rel. Elkind v. Rosenblum, 184 Misc. 916 , 269 App. Div. 859 , 295 N. Y. 929 ; Brooks v. Wyman, 246 N. Y. 534 .)

Section 51 of the General Municipal Law authorizes actions by taxpayers against illegal acts of £< all officers, agents, commissioners and other persons acting, or who have acted, for and on behalf of any county, town, village or municipal corporation in this state ”. Section 2 of the same statute defines a “ municipal corporation ” as including ££ only a county, town, city and village.”

A board of education is not a municipal corporation within the meaning of the above provisions (see Hamilton v. Baker,

p. 96

243 N. Y. 578 ; Brooks v. Wyman, 246 N. Y. 534 ; Blackburn v. Clements, 297 N. Y. 971 ). Suggestion of a contrary viewpoint may be found in Lewis v. Board of Educ. of City of N. Y. ( 258 N. Y. 117 ) but, in our opinion, should not be accepted.

The judgment should be affirmed, with costs.

Loughban, Oh. J., Lewis, Conway, Desmond, Dye, Fuld and and Froessel, JJ., concur.

Judgment affirmed.

Cases cited

Lewis v. Board of Education 258 N. Y. 117 N.Y. 1932-01-05 p. 95, p. 96
Rees v. Teachers' Retirement Board 247 N. Y. 372 N.Y. 1928-02-14 p. 95
Hirshfield v. Cook 227 N. Y. 297 N.Y. 1919-12-02 p. 95
Olmsted v. Meahl 219 N. Y. 270 N.Y. 1916-11-21 p. 95
Blackburn v. Clements 297 N. Y. 971 N.Y. 1948-05-20 p. 95, p. 96
Divisich v. Marshall 281 N. Y. 170 N.Y. 1939-07-11 p. 95
People ex rel. Elkind v. Rosenblum 184 Misc. 916 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1945-02-21 p. 95
People ex rel. Elkind v. Rosenblum 295 N. Y. 929 N.Y. 1946-05-29 p. 95
Brooks v. Wyman 246 N. Y. 534 N.Y. 1927-10-11 p. 95, p. 96
Hamilton v. Baker 243 N. Y. 578 N.Y. 1926-07-09 p. 96

Statutes and regulations cited

General Municipal Law p. 95