Slater, Claude K.

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University of Florida Levin College of Law

Florida Law Review Volume 2 Issue 3 Article 11 January 1949 Florida Constitutional Law: Validity of County Utility Board Claude K. Slater Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/flr  Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Claude K. Slater, Florida Constitutional Law: Validity of County Utility Board, 2 Fla. L. Rev. 435 (1949). Available at: https://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/flr/vol2/iss3/11 This Case Comment is brought to you for free and open access by UF Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Florida Law Review by an authorized editor of UF Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact kaleita@law.ufl.edu. CASE COMMENTSFLORIDA CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: VALIDITYOF COUNTY UTILITY BOARDFlorida Power Corporation v. Pinellas Utility Board,40 So2d 350 (Fla. 1949)A Special Act of 19471 created the Pinellas Utility Board for PinellasCounty, Florida; provided for the regulation of sale and service of elec-tricity within the county; granted the Board power, after hearings, to fixrates; and provided that the Board of County Commissioners should pro-vide funds for the operation of the Utility Board. The Florida PowerCorporation challenged the constitutionality of this act, and a decree wasentered finding the equities of the cause with the defendants and dismiss-ing the bill of complaint. On appeal, HELD, the act does not violate theprovisions of either the Florida or the Federal Constitution. Decree af-firmed, Justices Terrell and Thomas dissenting.The function of regulation of public utilities is vested in the StateLegislature by the Florida Constitution.2 Hence, the basic issue in theinstant case is whether the Florida Legislature can delegate this function3to a county board without constitutional violation. This regulatory powermay be exercised by the Legislature itself or delegated to a state commissionor board.4 There is also little question regarding the propriety of dele-gating this function to a municipality.5 The validity of using county taxfunds has been the usual basis for contesting the legality of a delegationof such a legislative function to a county board. 6 The Florida Constitu-tion expressly prescribes that the Legislature shall authorize counties andState v. City of Elizabeth, 56 N. J. L. 71, 28 AUt. 51 (1894). But see Riley v. Sweat,110 Fla. 362, 368, 149 So. 48, 51 (1933).'Fla. Laws, Special Acts of 1947, c. 24815.2Fi. CoNsT. Art. XVI, §30; Miami Bridge Co. v. Miami Beach Ry., 152 Fla. 458,12 So.2d 438 (1943).3FLA. CONSr. Art. XVI, §30.'Cooper v. Tampa Elec. Co., 154 Fla. 410, 17 So.2d 785 (1944); Miami BridgeCo. v. Miami Beach Ry., 152 Fla. 458, 12 So.2d 348 (1943); State ex rel. RailroadComm'rs v. Southern Tel. & Constr. Co., 65 Fla. 270, 61 So. 506 (1913).'Morin v. City of Stuart, 111 F.2d 773 (C. C. A. Sth 1940); Pine Bluff v. ArkansasTraveler Bus Co., 171 Ark. 727, 285 S. W. 375 (1926); Miami Bridge Co. v. MiamiBeach Ry., 152 Fla. 458, 12 So.2d 438 (1943); State ex re. Buford v. Pinellas CountyPower Co., 87 Fla. 243, 100 So. 504 (1924).'State v. County of Monroe, 148 Fla. 111, 3 So.2d 754 (1941); County Comm'rsEscambia County v. Pilot Comm'rs, 52 Fia. 197, 42 So. 697 (1906).1Slater: Florida Constitutional Law: Validity of County Utility BoardPublished by UF Law Scholarship Repository, 1949UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LAW REVIEWincorporated cities or towns to assess and impose taxes for county andmunicipal purposes only.7 The term "county purposes" is not, however,defined or amplified by the Constitution.8 It is within the province ofthe Legislature, by proper enactment, to designate such objectives; 9 andthe courts are not authorized to render such determination ineffectualunless either the Constitution is violated or the particular enactment hasabsolutely no legal or practical relation to any county purpose. 10 If anenactment is not clearly in conflict with the Constitution, legislative intentas expressed therein should be sustained."l The function of the judiciaryis to confine the legislature and the county authorities within constitutionallimits but not to restrain the exercise of discretion within these limits.1 2What constitutes a county purpose is not static and inflexible.13 Ac-tivities that have been held to be pursuant to county purposes are widelyvaried, for instance: building bridges;' 4 supervising and protecting har-bors;15 maintaining free county schools;1 6 supervising county welfareboards;' 7 conducting a free county fair;' 8 building county hospitals;",paying state militia called to aid county authorities in enforcing the law;2 0providing an armory; 2 1 providing a franchise for a toll bridge; 2 2 regulat-ing ferries, toll bridges, and their rates; 2 3 improving navigation; 2 4 build-'FLA. CONST. Art. IX, §5.'Jackson Lumber Co. v. Walton County, 95 Fla. 632, 116 So. 771 (1928); Earlev. Dade County, 92 Fla. 432, 109 So. 331 (1926); Jordan v. Duval County, 68 Fla.48, 66 So. 298 (1914).9State ex rel. Board of Public Instr'n v. Lee, 146 Fla. 392, 1 So.2d 166 (1941);Jordan v. Duval County, 68 Fla. 48, 66 So. 298 (1914)."See note 8 supra."County Comm'rs Escambia County v. Pilot Cornm'rs, 52 Fla. 197, 42 So. 697(1906)."Stockton v. Powell, 29 Fla. 1, 10 So. 688 (1892)."State v. County of Monroe, 148 Fla. 111, 3 So.2d 754 (1941)."Skinner v. Henderson, 26 Fla. 121, 7 So. 464 (1890)."County Comm'rs Escambia County v. Pilot Comm'rs, 52 Fla. 197, 42 So. 697(1906)."State ex rel. Board of Public Instr'n v. Lee, 146 Fla. 392, 1 So.2d 166 (1941)."State ex rel. Buford v. Daniel, 87 Fla. 270, 99 So. 804 (1924)."Earle v. Dade County, 92 Fla. 432, 109 So. 331 (1926)."State v. Walton County, 97 Fla. 59, 119 So. 865 (1929)."Rushton v. State ex rel. Collins, 75 Fla. 422, 78 So. 345 (1918)."Jordan v. Duval County, 68 Fla. 48, 66 So. 298 (1914)."Carlton v. Constitution Indemnity Co., 117 Fla. 143, 157 So. 431 (1934).2State ex rel. Young v. Duval County, 76 Fla. 180, 79 So. 692 (1918)."Stockton v. Powell, 29 Fla. 1, 10 So. 688 (1892).2Florida Law Review, Vol. 2, Iss. 3 [1949], Art. 11https://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/flr/vol2/iss3/11

Florida Constitutional Law: Validity of County Utility Board

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Florida Constitutional Law: Validity of County Utility Board

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