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THE:ITORNEP GENERAL
OFTEXAS
AUSTIN H.TEXAR
WILL WILSON
*-L-roRNEY GIENERAX.
Ausust 19, 1959
HonorableHomer Garrison,Jr., Director
Texas Departmentof PublicSafety
Box 4087, l’iorth Austin Station
Austin, Texas
opinionHO. ~~-690
Re: Whether appropriatedfuude
may be used for the purpose
of subscribingto water sex-
vice from the City of San
Angelo to serve property
occupiedby the Department
of Public Safety as a radio
Dear Mr. Darrieon: Station.
You have requestedour opinionconcerning"whetherappropriated
funda may be used for the purposeof eubecrlblngto water servicefrcm the
City of San Angelo to serve propertyoccupiedby the Departmentae a radio
stationby virtue of an easementfrom Tcm Green County."
On April 1, 1948, the~Comk%aionere'Court of Tom Green County
deeded to the State of Texas certainpropertyfor the uee and benefitof the
Departmentof Public Safety,to have and to hold such property80 long a8 a
radio tranmitter stationwoe maintainedand operatedupon such premises.
You state that the water from the well at the radio stationIs now unfit
for hman coneumption,requiringthe Departmentof Public Safety to obtain
water servicefrom the City of San Angelo to serve the propertymentioned
above.
In Attorney General'8OpinionNo. W-585 (1959),it vm held:
"The constructionand maintenanceof these vare-
houses, eeeentialas they are to the efficientand economic
operationof a State Eigbmy System,need not and should
not be oonalderedae isolatedfrom the streetsof a city
upon which they are located,nor did the LegislatureIntend
that they shouldbe. Free use of the streetupon which a
warehoueeie locatedand the right of egressand ingrase
HonorableHmner Garrison,Jr., page 2 (w-690)
therefromis necesearyto the operationand maintenanceof
a warehouse. A well paved streetadjacentto the varehouee
ie deeirablefor the convenienceof the High- Department
and its employeesoperatingand using the warehouse. It
is, therefore,quite reaeonableto cay that the pro rata
cost of paving the streetadjacentto a varehoueeovned and
operatedby the State HighwayDepartmentshould be borne by
the Department. . . .*
Section 1 of SenateBill 38, Aots of the 55th Legislature,
First
Called Seesion,1957,Chapter 34, page 99, provides:
"In additionto the authoritynov providedby law,
the Texas Departmentof Public Safetymay expendpublic funds
for the purpoeeeof paying ealariea,seasonalor contingent
help, travel,transportation, automobilemaintenanceand
repairs,maintenanceand repairsof aircraft,gas, oil,
tires, bond premium, officeand equiment rentals,storage,
repair-a,forage,duplicatingsupplies,printing,telephone,
telegraph,postage,stationery,clothingand furnishings,
express,freiat, drayage,utilities,servicematerials,
office supplies,booka, druga,medical,hospitaland laboratory
expenee,and funeralexpensewhen death reeulte in line of duty,
neceesaryexpensesfor trainingand for operatinglaw enforce-
ment trainingschools,miscellaneousoperatingexpenses,pur-
chase of equiment, gune, automobiles,aircraft,land and con-
structioncosts,and any and all necessaryequipment,services
and euppliesfor the enforcementof all laws under the super-
vision of the Departmentof Public Safety."
Section2 authorizesthe Texas Departmentof Public Safety to expend
moneys appropriatedby the GeneralAppropriationAct of 1957 for the purposes
set out in Section1.
Under the facts submittedby you, the obtainingof necessarywater
to serve the radio stationoperatedby the Departmentof Public Safety is
a necessaryexpenseof the Department,and the Legislaturehas specifically
authorizedthe Departmentof PublicSafety to expand publicfunds for the
purposeof paying utilities. You are, therefore,advisedthat appropriated
funds may be used for the purpoeeof securingwater servicefrcanthe City of
San Angelo to serve propertyoccupiedby the Departmentof Public Safety a8
a radio station.
HonorableHmer Garrison,Jr., p%ge 3 (WW-690)
Appropriatedfunds to the Departieutof Public
Safety may be wed for the purpoeeof securing
water servicefrom the City of San Angelo
to wrve propertyoccupiedby the Departmentof
Pub110 Safetya8 a radio station.
Yours very truly,
WILL WIISON
AttorneyGeneralof Texas
Aaslstant
JR:mfg:me
APPRCVEDZ
OPIIVIORcmTrm
Gee. P. Blackburn,Chairman
WallaceFlufrock
J. Milton Richardson
Wm. R. Hemphlll
Paul W. Floyd, Jr.
REKEUEDFCRTRRAXTCRREYGENERAL
BY: W. V. Geppert