Fort Worth Independent School District v. City of Fort Worth

From 1937 to 1992, a Fort Worth city ordinance required Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. to pay the City, “in lieu of’ all charges, fees, and taxes owed for its location of poles, wires, and other facilities on city property, a percentage of its gross receipts from the rendition of local service. A separate ordinance provided that the City would apportion Bell’s payments between itself and the Fort Worth Independent School District. The School District sued the City and Bell for breach of their obligations under these ordinances and for the City’s breach of a separate agreement to continue the…