Country Joe, Inc. v. City of Eagan
Minnesota Supreme Court
560 N.W.2d 681 (1997)
- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
In order to compensate a shortfall of road funding in light of new development, in 1978 the City of Eagan (defendant) imposed a road-unit-connection charge as a prerequisite for the issuance of any building permit. Revenue from the charge was placed into a city account and not earmarked for any particular road project. Similarly, the city did not connect its actual road expenditures to any particular funds. When the charge was first adopted, the engineering plan recommended that the city review the charge annually and revise it every five years to account for changes in costs, revenues, and land-use patterns. In 1979, the city increased its estimated costs and thus increased the charge. The city, however, did not update its plan or amend the fee again until contractors (plaintiffs) sued the city in 1994. The contractors claimed that the charge was an unlawful tax. The court of appeals agreed and invalidated the charge. The city appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Keith, C.J.)
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