Public Purpose Doctrine

200 Florida cases classified under this topic · sorted by citation count · see the citation graph · browse and sort

• Thornber v. City OF Fort Walton Beach
  568 So. 2d 914· Fla.· 1990-10-11 ·cited 195×
  The Florida Supreme Court held that city council members are entitled to recover attorney's fees from the city for defending against a recall petition under common law principles, even though they cannot recover under the statutory framework of section 111.07. The court also affi
• Hunter v. Owens
  80 Fla. 812· Fla.· 1920-12-08 ·cited 160×
  Hunter, a Palm Beach County taxpayer, challenged the constitutionality of a 1915 Florida statute creating the South Lake Worth Inlet District and authorizing ad valorem taxation to fund an inlet construction project. The Florida Supreme Court upheld the statute as a valid exercis
• State v. Miami Beach Redev. Agency
  392 So. 2d 875· Fla.· 1980-12-11 ·cited 94×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Chapter 163, Florida's Community Redevelopment Act, and validated $380 million in bonds issued by the Miami Beach Redevelopment Agency to finance the acquisition, clearance, and redevelopment of a blighted area in South Be
• Gate City Garage, Inc. v. City of Jacksonville
  66 So. 2d 653· Fla.· 1953-07-10 ·cited 88×
  Gate City Garage challenges the validity of municipal parking revenue bonds issued by Jacksonville under special legislative acts authorizing off-street parking facilities financed by net revenues from parking lots and a pledge of on-street parking meter revenues. The Florida Sup
• State of Fla. & the taxpayers v. Inter-American Ctr. Auth.
  84 So. 2d 9· Fla.· 1955-12-13 ·cited 86×
  Florida Supreme Court upheld the validation of $70 million in revenue bonds issued by the Inter-American Center Authority for constructing an Inter-American Cultural and Trade Center in Miami. The court rejected constitutional challenges arguing the project lacked public purpose,
• Consol. Land Co. v. Tyler
  88 Fla. 14· Fla.· 1924-05-15 ·cited 86×
  Florida Supreme Court held that while the legislature has broad authority to create special tax districts for public improvements, a district's formation must have a substantial and rational relation to benefits that will accrue to the taxed property. Where a district arbitrarily
• Straughn v. Lindley M. Camp
  293 So. 2d 689· Fla.· 1974-03-07 ·cited 81×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision that exempted from ad valorem taxation certain leasehold interests granted by Escambia County and the Santa Rosa Island Authority to private lessees. The court held that the 1971 tax reform legislation (Chapter 71-133) val
• Panama City v. State
  93 So. 2d 608· Fla.· 1957-03-13 ·cited 80×
  Panama City appealed a circuit court's refusal to validate $7 million in revenue bonds for two waterfront marina projects with concession buildings. The Florida Supreme Court reversed and validated the bonds, holding that the City had statutory authority to construct the marinas
• Nohrr v. Brevard Cnty. Educ. Facilities Auth.
  247 So. 2d 304· Fla.· 1971-04-21 ·cited 79×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the validity of revenue bonds issued by the Brevard County Educational Facilities Authority to finance a dormitory-cafeteria at a private higher education institution, but struck the mortgage provision and foreclosure remedy from the trust indentu
• Bailey v. City of Tampa
  111 So. 119· Fla.· 1926-12-07 ·cited 74×
  The court affirmed a lower court's decision dismissing a lawsuit that sought to prevent the City of Tampa from conveying land to the Tampa Board of Trade. The lawsuit argued the conveyance violated a state constitutional provision prohibiting cities from loaning credit to private
• West v. Town of Lake Placid
  97 Fla. 127· Fla.· 1929-02-06 ·cited 72×
  This case validates $195,000 in general improvement bonds issued by the Town of Lake Placid for street improvements, a water system, electric lights, a golf course, and a fire truck. The Florida Supreme Court rejected challenges from taxpayers claiming the bonds were issued for t
• State v. Daytona Beach Racing & Recreational Facilities Dist.
  89 So. 2d 34· Fla.· 1956-08-01 ·cited 68×
  Florida Supreme Court upheld the validation of $2.9 million revenue bonds issued by the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities District for construction of a racing and recreational facility. The Court rejected the State's arguments that the District was invalid due to
• Marvin v. Hous. Auth. of Jacksonville
  133 Fla. 590· Fla.· 1938-07-27 ·cited 65×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Housing Authorities Law (Chapter 17981, Acts of 1937), rejecting a taxpayer's challenge to Jacksonville's low-cost housing project. The court held that slum clearance and low-cost housing constitute a valid public purp
• Hillsborough Cnty. Aviation Auth. v. Walden
  210 So. 2d 193· Fla.· 1968-04-24 ·cited 57×
  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed an interlocutory decree holding that property owned and controlled by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority loses its tax exemption when leased to private businesses for profit, and that F.S. Section 192.62(2)(c) is unconstitutional as appl
• Burnett v. C. W. Greene & Robert A. Meier
  97 Fla. 1007· Fla.· 1929-05-29 ·cited 57×
  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed an injunction restraining collection of drainage taxes on lands included in the Interbay Drainage District, holding that the statutory scheme for organizing drainage districts violates the state constitution by improperly delegating legislative
• Saunders v. City OF Jacksonville
  157 Fla. 240· Fla.· 1946-04-02 ·cited 56×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld a statute exempting municipally owned electric utility property from ad valorem taxation even when located outside the city's corporate limits. The court held that the Legislature has constitutional authority to exempt municipal property used for
• State of Fla. & the Taxpayers v. Hous. Fin. Auth. OF Polk Cnty.
  376 So. 2d 1158· Fla.· 1979-11-01 ·cited 54×
  Florida's Supreme Court upheld the validity of revenue bonds issued by the Housing Finance Authority of Polk County, rejecting the state's challenge that the bonds served no proper public purpose. The court found that legislative findings regarding housing shortages and the publi
• Daytona Beach Racing & Recreational Facilities Dist. v. Paul
  179 So. 2d 349· Fla.· 1965-06-30 ·cited 53×
  The Florida Supreme Court held that the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities District's leased property used for the International Speedway is exempt from property taxation because it serves a valid public purpose, reversing the District Court of Appeal's affirmance o
• Orlando Utils. Comm'n v. Milligan
  229 So. 2d 262· Fla. 4th DCA· 1969-10-31 ·cited 50×
  The Orlando Utilities Commission appealed a trial court judgment denying tax exemption for recreational property it owned and operated exclusively for its employees. The court affirmed, holding that property owned by a municipal utility must be held and used exclusively for munic
• State v. Hoyt B. Cotney
  104 So. 2d 346· Fla.· 1958-06-27 ·cited 50×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld Chapter 57-1226, Special Acts of Florida, 1957, creating the Clay County Development Authority, rejecting the Attorney General's challenge that it unconstitutionally allowed a public body to loan its credit to private interests. The court found th
• State v. Bd. of Control
  66 So. 2d 209· Fla.· 1953-07-10 ·cited 48×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the validation of $1,000,000 in University of Florida Student Dormitory Revenue Certificates, rejecting the State's challenge that they constituted an unconstitutional pledge of state credit or state debt.
• Rondell Harrison and Sharon Harrison v. Springdale Water & Sewer Comm'n
  780 F.2d 1422· 8th Cir.· 1986-01-07 ·cited 45×
  The court held that the plaintiffs sufficiently stated a cause of action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for infringement of their constitutional right of access to the courts, but failed to state a cause of action under § 1985. The court also held the claim was not barred by res judicata
• Lucile H. Lott v. City of Orlando
  142 Fla. 338· Fla.· 1939-09-26 ·cited 45×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Chapter 17981 (1937), which authorized cities to establish housing authorities to eliminate slums and provide low-cost housing for low-income residents. The court rejected a taxpayer's challenge that the housing program wa
• Jackson-Shaw Co. v. Jacksonville Aviation Auth.
  8 So. 3d 1076· Fla.· 2008-12-18 ·cited 44×
  The Florida Supreme Court answered two certified questions from the Eleventh Circuit regarding whether the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) violated Article VII, Section 10 of the Florida Constitution by becoming a joint owner with or pledging its credit to aid Majestic Real
• State v. Clay Cnty. Dev. Auth.
  140 So. 2d 576· Fla.· 1962-03-07 ·cited 42×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed a lower court's validation of $500,000 in revenue anticipation certificates issued by the Clay County Development Authority to finance construction of an industrial plant for Eclipse Plastic Industries, Inc. The court held that the primary purpo
• State v. Escambia Cnty.
  52 So.2d 125· Fla.· 1951-04-17 ·cited 42×
  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's validation of revenue bonds issued by Escambia County for the development of Santa Rosa Island. The court held that the bond issuance and the development project served a public purpose and did not violate constitutional provisio
• State v. Champe
  373 So. 2d 874· Fla.· 1978-12-14 ·cited 39×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Florida Crimes Compensation Act, which imposes surcharges and court costs on convicted defendants to fund victim compensation. The court distinguished the Act from a similar provision struck down in State v. Lee
• Hanna v. Sunrise Rec., Inc.
  94 So. 2d 597· Fla.· 1957-03-13 ·cited 39×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed in part and affirmed in part a chancery court's dismissal of the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials' action for a declaratory decree regarding its authority to lease a portion of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park to a private corporation for recre
• State v. Town of Belleair
  125 Fla. 669· Fla.· 1936-08-05 ·cited 39×
  The Florida Supreme Court reviewed a circuit court decree validating $1,049,000 in refunding bonds issued by the Town of Belleair to refund multiple prior bond issues. The Court held that three of the original bond issues were void as violations of the Florida Constitution becaus
• Searcy v. State
  209 So. 3d 1181· Fla.· 2017-01-31 ·cited 36×
  The Florida Supreme Court held that a legislative claims bill may not constitutionally impair a preexisting attorney-client contract by limiting fees below the 25% cap authorized by the state's sovereign immunity waiver statute. The Court reversed the Fourth District's decision u
• Page v. City OF Fernandina Beach
  714 So. 2d 1070· Fla. 1st DCA· 1998-06-15 ·cited 36×
  This case addresses the ad valorem tax exemption status of municipally owned property in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The court affirmed exemptions for vacant lots and beach property but reversed exemptions for airport and marina property leased to private profit-making entities, h
• Dade Cnty. v. PAN Am. World Airways, Inc.
  275 So. 2d 505· Fla.· 1973-02-07 ·cited 36×
  Pan American World Airways challenged Dade County's 1970 ad valorem tax assessment on its leasehold interests at Miami International Airport. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's judgment that the leasehold interests are exempt from taxation because the airport se
• State v. The Jacksonville Port Auth.
  204 So. 2d 881· Fla.· 1967-07-19 ·cited 35×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed a circuit court decision validating $111 million in special purpose bonds issued by the Jacksonville Port Authority to finance shipyard facilities for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. The Court held that the bonds violated Florida Constitution Art
• Grubstein v. Urban Renewal Agency OF City OF Tampa
  115 So. 2d 745· Fla.· 1959-11-18 ·cited 34×
  Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Urban Renewal Law and the Maryland Avenue Slum Clearance Project against a property owner's challenge, holding that slum clearance and redevelopment constitutes a valid public purpose justifying the exercise of eminent dom
• Earle v. Dade Cnty.
  92 Fla. 432· Fla.· 1926-07-29 ·cited 32×
  Dade County issued $100,000 in bonds to construct public fair buildings under Chapter 9418 of the 1923 Florida Legislature. George Earle appealed the validation of these bonds, challenging whether the county could issue them without exceeding a two-mill tax limitation and whether
• Bonvento v. The Bd. OF Pub. Instruction OF Palm Beach Cnty.
  194 So. 2d 605· Fla.· 1967-01-25 ·cited 31×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed a lower court's decision that a state statute appropriating funds for an injured student was unconstitutional. The Court held that the statute did not violate the constitutional prohibition against diverting school funds for non-school purposes,
• State v. Suwannee Cnty. Dev. Auth. OF Suwannee Cnty.
  122 So. 2d 190· Fla.· 1960-07-20 ·cited 31×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed the validation of revenue-anticipation certificates issued by the Suwannee County Development Authority because their proceeds were to be used primarily for purchasing land and constructing buildings to lease to private industry, violating the F
• Wilson v. Hillsborough Cnty. Aviation Auth.
  138 So. 2d 65· Fla.· 1962-02-14 ·cited 29×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld a statute creating the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority against constitutional challenges. The court held that the statute's provisions allowing the Authority to request tax levies and limiting county commissioners' budget review authority d
• State v. City OF Miami
  379 So. 2d 651· Fla.· 1980-01-24 ·cited 27×
  Florida's Supreme Court upheld revenue bonds issued by the City of Miami to finance a convention center-garage complex, rejecting the state's challenge that the project failed to serve a valid public purpose. The court held that the convention center's public benefits—including e
• City of Sanford v. Dofnos Corp. & J. F. McClelland
  115 Fla. 795· Fla.· 1934-07-17 ·cited 27×
  The Florida Supreme Court held that a municipal corporation's property acquired through tax foreclosure and held for resale may be levied upon and sold under execution to satisfy a judgment against the municipality, rejecting the city's claim that all municipally-owned property i
• State v. Bd. of Cnty. Comm'rs of Indian River Cnty.
  103 Fla. 946· Fla.· 1931-12-22 ·cited 27×
  The Florida Supreme Court granted a mandamus petition compelling Indian River County's board and taxing officials to levy a special tax for the Indian River Mosquito Control District. The court held that the county commissioners' duty to implement a properly certified tax levy fr
• State v. Edward M. Chadbourne, Inc.
  382 So. 2d 293· Fla.· 1980-02-28 ·cited 26×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a 1974 statute providing price adjustments for asphalt on road construction contracts to compensate for oil embargo-induced price increases, but held that a 1976 amendment modifying the adjustment formula could not be appl
• Sunny Isles Fishing Pier, Inc. v. Dade Cnty.
  79 So. 2d 667· Fla.· 1955-04-06 ·cited 26×
  The Florida Supreme Court upheld Dade County's authority to lease a portion of a public park to a private company for construction and operation of a fishing pier. The court held that leasing 40 feet of oceanfront beach for a fishing pier was a permissible incidental use under th
• State v. City of Miami
  72 So. 2d 655· Fla.· 1954-05-11 ·cited 26×
  Florida Supreme Court upheld the City of Miami's issuance of $100,000 Warehouse Revenue Certificates to finance construction of a warehouse for lease to the non-profit Orange Bowl Committee. The court held that financing a warehouse for a non-profit organization serving a clear p
• State v. City of Jacksonville
  53 So.2d 306· Fla.· 1951-06-26 ·cited 26×
  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's validation of certificates of indebtedness issued by the City of Jacksonville to fund recreational facilities. The court held that acquiring land for recreation is a valid municipal purpose and that the certificates, payable from
• City of Venice v. State
  96 Fla. 527· Fla.· 1928-10-23 ·cited 26×
  The City of Venice sought validation of $321,000 in municipal bonds issued to pay for street improvements. The circuit court denied validation, finding the bonds violated the Florida Constitution's prohibition on taxes for the benefit of chartered companies. The Florida Supreme C
• State v. Manatee Cnty. Port Auth.
  193 So. 2d 162· Fla.· 1966-12-14 ·cited 24×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed the validation of $18.5 million in revenue bonds proposed by Manatee County Port Authority to construct port facilities at Piney Point, holding that the project violated the constitutional prohibition on using public funds for private purposes b
• State v. Osceola Cnty.
  752 So. 2d 530· Fla.· 1999-05-27 ·cited 23×
  Florida appealed a trial court's validation of $35 million in revenue bonds issued by Osceola County to finance the construction and acquisition of a convention center through a local option tourist development tax. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the County had
• POE v. Hillsborough Cnty.
  695 So. 2d 672· Fla.· 1997-05-22 ·cited 23×
  The Florida Supreme Court reversed a trial court decision that had invalidated proposed bonds for a new Tampa stadium for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, holding that the project serves a paramount public purpose despite providing some incidental benefits to the private team ownership.
• Rolling Oaks Homeowner's Ass'n, Inc. v. Dade Cnty.
  492 So. 2d 686· Fla. 3d DCA· 1986-06-26 ·cited 23×
  Rolling Oaks Homeowners Association and two affected homeowners challenged a circuit court's dismissal of their complaint seeking to prevent construction of a sports stadium on county property in Dade County. The appellate court affirmed dismissals of most counts but reversed the