County Commissioners' Petition for the Construction of a Public Highway Tunnel

Citations

• 255 Pa. 88
• 99 A. 225
• 1916 Pa. LEXIS 532

Syllabus

<p>Constitutional law — Constitution of Pennsylvania, Article III, Sections S and 7 — Statutes—Titles—Local laws — Act of May 11, 1909, P. L. S06 — Validity.</p> <p>1. The legislature may not impose new burdens upon counties unless the intention so to do is clearly indicated in the title of the statute imposing the new burden.</p> <p>2. The Act‘of May 11, 1909, P. L. 506, providing for the construction, operation and maintenance of public highways, bridges and tunnels in the several counties of this Commonwealth, discloses the legislative intent to confer upon county commissioners powers theretofore exclusively vested in the officials of cities, and also indicates that it would effect the transfer of financial burdens from municipalities to counties, without such intent or effect being disclosed in the title of the act, is violative of Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, relating to the titles of statutes, and is void.</p> <p>3. Not decided whether the act would be a local law forbidden by Article III, Section 7, of the Constitution, if it authorized the construction of tunnels, etc., in cities, or in and between, cities, townships and boroughs, and. not at any other place in the several counties of the State.</p>