If, in any city of the first class, there shall be any real estate belonging to any county, school district, city, village, or other political subdivision abutting upon the street, avenue, or alley whereon paving or other improvements have been ordered, it shall be the duty of the governing body of the political subdivision to pay such special taxes. In the event of the neglect or refusal of such governing body to pay such taxes, or to levy and collect the taxes necessary to pay for such improvements, the city may recover the amount of such special taxes in a proper action. The judgment thus obtained may be enforced in the usual manner, and the signatures of such political subdivisions to all petitions shall have like force and effect as that of other property owners.