High Court Rules 'Equal Protection' Doesn't Extend To Municipal
Taxpayers  Jun 4, 2012  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that
the Constitution's guarantee to equal protection of the law does
not extend to taxpayers who paid more for a sewer hookup than
their neighbors.  The case centered on what essentially amounted
to an amnesty program for some taxpayers when Indianapolis
switched from one payment system to another.  For decades,
Indiana law authorized cities to charge lot owners the cost of
sewer hookups. Taxpayers could pay a lump sum up front, or pay
monthly, with interest, for up to 30 years. In 2005,
Indianapolis adopted a new program, underwritten in part with
bonds, because the city thought the old funding mechanism was
too burdnesome.  In short, the city thought the old system
encouraged people to stick with their septic tanks and
discouraged them from switching to healthier — and more
expensive — sewer hookups. The city forgave the debt still owed
by those who were paying on the installment plan