Sayles v. Board of Public Works

This is a petition for a writ of certiorari * to quash sidewalk assessments laid by the board of public works of Pitts-field. It is contended that the provision of the revised charter of that city contained in St. 1911, c. 732, Part I, § 29, † by authority of which the respondents acted, is unconstitutional. The ground upon which this contention is urged is that the method of assessment established by the statute bears no relation to benefits and the assessment may exceed the benefit accruing to the estate assessed.

The particular method of levying this assessment, whether by the front foot,…