Astrowsky v. City of Kewanee

The 39 plaintiffs operate taverns in the city of Kewanee. They brought this action to restrain the enforcement of a 1947 ordinance which increased the semiannual tavern license fee from $150 to $300, and to recover alleged over-payments. After a trial the court dismissed the complaint. The plaintiffs appeal directly on the trial court’s certificate that the validity of an ordinance is involved and that the public interest requires a direct appeal.

The earlier ordinance, which fixed the lower fee, had been approved at a referendum after it was passed by the city council. The later ordinance was…