418
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable B. F. L!oKee
county Auditor
HIdalSo CouIIty
Edinburg, Toxae
Dear Sir: OpIAIOA fi0. O-6668
RII
Vor eoma year8 prior
0r the i0gimtw3 ai1
aria8 to be ralred In
maximum salary that soul
other than the
i0A thEirstO t25.00 II
e of his automobile.
and I am quite CJura
this deputy wOuld net
mance of him otiIcIel
ham employad sufil-
Lo hate county owned and operated
ks onre of all ths running around
orth to work.
agothe? May to ralsa this deputy’8 salary and thereby
attampt to evade thr salary li5dtatioAm. StAOO thr
roeant lmo tma ntof the legirlature the salary o?
tdIa deputy hae bean raised to where It Ia the full
nazImum allowsd by law, a&l the antlrr autonioblls
419
EQcorubla B. ?. ld0Kea,page 2
lUewano8 of $300, is aid him over and abovr ths
BpZiiUUlR,
l@MViAg the ar tWitiOn iI3 thi8 OOAditfOA.
Prior to the anaotman8 of tha rroant rtatuta ha
ma rassirl~g $100. par year In 8x08~8 of hi8
8al3rp, 3nd o* prarsot 18 raoslving $300. par
year.
"1 would lib tc know, ffrst, whether 8ucb 8
oar allowanoc in proper. I rid&t add thet It lo
prld by tlrtua or o sotlcvrduly panred and rroordsd’
in the minute8 of tha Co08h8iOn6rb9 Cour8. Ii
ruoh an automobile rllowanoa Is .properand lagal,
88 a 8af amount, would it not be t:, ths bqat lntcbaet
Of 811 if such al,lovaAoaWare Fafd 011 tha baria at
aotual ?~Iloap traralled? And third, if suoh al-
lOWA f8 ill8gal, 608s the tW-yRRx 8hbUt8 O?
1MtatIoAyls apply to the recovcwy of tha r~oaaypaid
wIthout authority? Xxithe event thnt lhla Is M
ille&al psyaaot oan $200. of this be oan8Idored aa
part ealary, leaving OAly $lCC. rcr yaar 68 ncnaf
ERM without euthorlty."
q.i. !ho~Ly Sjk~zifi Q? Xldalgo (iomtiy is =;~?z?Asntad
on a eelarg baois. Kidalgs County hce q population of 106,09y.
ArtIala 3853, Sootion (b), V. A. 0. S., a2 antended,
I8 US iOllOWt?t
“(b) ;.,,oh offlQ?r mm6 In this .*ct,+.%3re
ha rucaivueP edwy no wrs?ons8tlonfm hla
IbZViUdS, shall be Mtitl%d and psrui~tdd to
purahnaa or rharga to his co.,ntyall recllronabls
eXJlelHla8
ncoaarary ia the proper an6 lag~,o3n-
&lot b? hir Offioe, prmiQm0 oil Off101~18 bQLd8,
pramfuas m fira, bwglary, theft,robsry t&-
auran~a protastlirg ublie fund@, ~6 &nolUalng
tkn omt of nu?a%J t O- fOX hi8 depu$i88, pro-
VfdUd thst cXp6h868 in$XiZ~~~ iOr ,hr()tlliYi8 O(1
otrioIals* bonda for tke oooAt9 traasurar,
aollnty au5lkvx, COatp Ic)Bd OOFmi68iOlk6i*8,6OKlltf
f&o01 rmperhtandeat, and the hide aad ankial
Inepaotor, inalndlrrgthe ooet OS euretj bo&da
for RA9 danutfaa Of on9 rooh orriaer8, nmiyha
d.UO IAOlUdd, ElIA6 ;cch expsnscs to be ~~aard ’
011,prsdat-r~lncd and allowad IA ths the and
aiaOuAt,8~ nanXl# 68 pOsaibl3, by th CO:i%ZI8-
llonerr Court -.neeoroh month ior the anruls6
math, upan tht? 8ppliCntlon bg rrah 0ffiOrr
l$otirrg the kind, probrblr amount of .qmatd-
‘t&W. rad the n000~0it~ IO? tha lFOil#O$ Of hi@
oftkr ior ruoh enouiasmonth, whloh rppllor-
tioa rhall, befon proaorltatlotl $0 0a:a tour*,
tlrat be ea4orood by the oounty oudltor’, lf
a#, othotwioo the emal trouuror, o& a0
to whobbr rundo ore wa I lrblr tar paymat of
la o h
oxpenmoe . , .
”. . . .
“lha Co#aloolatofr Court of tha oottaty of
the rhorlti'o reoiduma met, upm the-mitten
U& OWOXll rpFliOIltiOJlOf OVlOh OitiOW, .ktiXl6
tR0 nreaoiity ttmrafor, rllor on0 or woo
autapobilr to bo ~806 by #r lhrriff’ti Oh.
dioohar~o of offioiat buofnooo$ whioh, if
praohuul by thr oounty dholt be bout lo
6ho IlaMO? prua?iNrd br &w for the pWahao@
o? 8a~pli.a nod pahi fm ou8 of th8 Urnoral
run4 of tha onunly and @key aRaIl ba rqorto4
au& p&M h thr WI mumar 81 herein provide4
fW 0th UDOIhOO@.
"ifha.the lutomobUa 0~~ lutomoblho ma
me6 by
the Shnitt or hlo drputloa, thy
ohall br rllorrliour (4,)a o n% fo
. rlwh nil8
trwolrd in tha diarba~~o oi ofiloial buoimoo,
whioh luia rhll oover all upmoro of Dhr rati-
tonuoo tlrprroiaUon, an4 operation of aaoh
.otmobhr . Such milorw rhrll be rclportrb
aad pal6 In tbr #MO manor prooorlbab for
other lllcuablrm naea u&or the pror~siaoo
of WA8 orct1on. ro rutaaobllo shall be
allawe for an) Deputy Shorift rzoopt thmo
rqptlulj laplo~d ia outoldo work. It ohall
bo t&a duty of tha Coant~ Atiitor, if w,
otRorwloo6Re Cominoloaoro Oourt 80 ohook tho
l#OOdta!‘Odia@
a ~tc dr l8k Of M f6M t8SOb ilO#,
ownad bl the oouatt oaoa lmh ronth *a4 to krop
l publir rroord theirofI a0 lutoaobilo Ow8d bt
bRa oouaty still br uod for one prlmtr pw-
DOOO.'
421
Honoiablo B. 1. HolLoe,page '4 -
In Piorro~ v. Oalvarton County, 131 S. w. 26) 27,
the oowt hold that the manltort purport of A.rtlole3Q99, 8upra,
~a8 "to provide a 1~08218of 8aOOrtaiRiRg the oorr~otrurr of ox-
pense items aaoh month 80 they are incurred. The eotual expenrrr
paid or lnourrod oon8tltuto the maaaure of tha o?flolal~r right
to Pea oupont . The monthly ltomlaatlon I8 for the proteotlon of
tha oounty by l ifordlng manna of asoertalning the faot and smount
o? 8uoh olalmod ltom o? wcporuo and whether it vas propor Qharg-
lablo a8 rush."
In the 0880 o? Cook v. Naoogdoohor County, 147 9. W.
(26) 943, dlrmlrsed, judgaont oorreot, tha aherlff of Naoogdooher
County ~88 ruing the oounty for orpon8er lnourred in oper8tlng
w0 8UtOmObllO8 tiiO&ng t0 him In th0 di8Oh8rge Of hf8 OfflOl8i
bualnarr during the par8 1937 and 1938. Tha laount rued for np-
wrented tha dlfferenoa bet~8an thr four oentr per mile allovrd
by Art1010 3899, Seotlon (b), and the amouutr aotually paid him
month to month by the Ooamlrslo~o~~~ Court, whloh pqaont8 vere
lo o o p to
under
d protoat. On pago 945, the oourt rtator tRo fol-
lalllng:
"Vemon~r AM. Cfr. St. Art. 3899, 500. (b),
provider that vhora tha rheriii or hi8 doputle8
oporrkr his own automobile or automobileshe 'shall
be alloved four (4/) cents for each mile traveled in
tha dlroharga of orilolol buainea8, vhloh 8um rhall
oowr 811 expensoa of the mslntenanoe,depreolatlon
and operation of awh automobile.* By virtue of tN8
provlrlon of the rt8tuk, the appellant on the agrood
raota, a8 vo ooartruo them, wa8 entitled to reoover
tho sum rued for. TN8 lton ~80 in no son80 salary.
"A8 rgalnat thlr oonolu8lon the appolloa urger
that the plalntlff fallwd to prove tb&t he fllrd the
WOPR ~epoz-t vlth the Cam~frrforiorm’ Court 8nd mde
no~ohavlng that hlr looount ~88 pporrntrd to the
Cohnty Auditor and the Coaai88lonor8~ Court eaoh
month for rudit and 8llow8noo 88 provided by the
rtatuto. Id. Tha oontention 18 ovafiuled. The
lg r o olta d to ment
r iunrthat
8 tho amount suedfor
reprosentod thm dlffmrenoo ktwen Ihi8 oar lxpbnao
at four oentr par nile lttdtha amount prfd him br
the Comml88lonorr~ Court* and that ~rrld olalm ta8
by the Comuf88lonor8~ Court rojeotbd.* Thus lvo~?y
422
Bobor8blr B. F. HOKOO, 98go 5
eMrat f8ot nrorrr8ry to lhov tht th8 018im
V88 lO&lJ dU0 8ti Unpid 8nd th8t th0 C-181
rlorurr' Court h8d ~fu8.d to p8y it van .8t8b-
118bd. RW$liZ’Omnt8 Of tb 8t8tUtO VW8 rub-
8t8nti811 plst. F81morr St8to Bank v. Bar10 Co@q,
127 fox. & 1, %s.ti. (2d)1w4J ~OO&OhO8
CCLCL~' v. Jlnkinr, Tax. Clr. App., 140 9. W. (26)
.
In our Opinion Ro. o-1656 thil deprrtmentheld thrt
deputy rberlffr vho b8v. baen 8uthOrlr;ed by the 0QBl88IOner8'
Court to ~8. th.lr 8UtaPObl1.8 in the dl8oh8 of their offl-
0181 dUti.8 8hOuld k 98Id tb, 8U cb ?OU? (4 T ) OOnt8 ?Or MOh
ai10 rMrw8bly 8rd WOO888ri1y tNV.bd in t& diwbw Of
their O??io181 dUti.8 l’Og8?ddlO88 O? tb8 8mOlU’It O? &lWj$O 8Wh
&9UtiO8 tNV.1.
in ViW Ofth. fOlWgOi~itI8 the OpLniOn Ofthi
deprrtmmt th8t the CaoPi881Ou.1'8'Court ol Hid8180 Countr 18
not 8UthOPiMd t0 pIy 8 8-f of hi8 &9Uty vho U8.8 hi8 Gm
8utooobile in tb dl8oh8w6 oi hi8 df10181 dutle8 8 1Urp 8u
o? twenty-five(425.00)dollrn per month for tr8unllng ex9en-
8.8. The rherl?? oF hi8 deputr 18 not vntltl8d to their tr8val-
lng lx p n8r( f o ur
(4 ) oentr par mllo) unle88 the pWYI8tm8 of
8OOtiW (b) o? Art10 fl 3899, V. A. C. S., 8)Lyoollpl1.dvith.
W oounty vtild b8 lntitlod to rvoovvr 8nJ rwh WMJ tht I8
98id Out ilhg8llf in 8 prqer 8ti brought for th8t 9
"PEit :
Lilu V. R88tl8lB.tCOUIlty,39 8. w. 1ftd)599, n A. L. R.
Artlole 6866, IT.A. C. S., 88 8188ndad,I8, in pWt,
88 fO11OV8:
‘%wr yp w8o nllootod to tha o??ioo o? 8herl??
8h811, k?OH lntWi~ U9Oli th8 dUtb8 O? hi8 O??iOO,
give 8 bond with tv0 OF mON gOOd 8nd 8UffiOiOnt IWO-
t&08, t0 b8 8pprOV.d w tb caai88iOIlW8! COlU't Of
hi8 OCunty, iOr 8wh8um88 lark dlXV0t.d 8wh
Court, not 1.88 th8n Five ThOU88nd ($5,000.~ "J DOll8r8
nor mora th8n ThiPtr IfhOu88nd (#30,000,00) DOll8r8 p8J-
8ble t0 tb Oowrnor 8lldhi8 8woe880r8 in OffiOO, Ow-
dith3.d tbrt h0 Vi11 8OOGUrt ?CW 8od PJ 0-F t0 tb
perrOn 8uthQPi8bd w LW
to no.lvO thm MW, 811
filk.8,?OP?OItlllV88rd 9OMlti.8 thrt h. MT OOllOOt
forth8 WI OfthO8t8k Q8w OC'UILt~,8odth8tb
villvoll8ndtrul~ loouto 8nd rke du8 nturn o? 811
pNQ@88 8nd JlNO~pt8 t0 hiB 18vtUl17 &inOtd, 8rd pIJ
over 811 8~8 of money oolleotod whim w rirtuo o? 8w
I ’
Eonomble B. F. Hose., 98X. 6
8wh pl'Oa.88 01'pNOOpt8, to th. 9W8On8 to vhom
tb 88mm lU dw, Ortbir18v?1ll8ttOXWy, 8CM3
tbt ho vi11 ?8ith?ully pvr?mn all 8uoh dutie8
th8 OertifiO~tB Of th. OfflOW 8dmini8tWiq tha
88mo." (vqh8i8 Ollr8)
In th8 088e o? Dour County v. Bltkr, 11 8. Y. (Pd)
163, Box8r COunty v88 ruing the tax oollootor for owtain foo8
811Wed bJ 8trtUt@, it king 8llegrd tb8t th. UX OOlleOtOr dur-
ing roveral yv8r8 had oollootod 8aid fee8 8nd not prld tbm over
to the oounty, but rotalnod thornundw 8 018lm l&t undW the lrv
PO ~28 not required to 8Ooount for 881~088 r t a ?the lme11) fO.8
id owr to tha oountj. The Camal r on O? App.818 hold OL?
&58@ 1 r 7 th8t th@ 91e8 Of linit8tiocl8iiltOZ'908dt0 tb QOUntJ'8
0181Plv88 lmll8ble. "w 81lUW th. OOUdy'8 8Uit, i&W 8118,
18 predlo8tod upoa Bitter@8 oi?iol~l band vo Mgrrd the bar o?
thi ?OUP-~82'8 ’ 8ktUb 88 kia th. On. t0 k oauldored.”
In vlev Mth8 iOn oing, it 18 the cplnioa o?
thi8 do98rtmont tht in 8 8uit on &ho 8hOri??'8 bond th8 9108 Of
the ?Our-y08r8' 8t8tUte o? linit8tiOn vould b8 899llo8blv. In 8
rult lg8in8t tha deputy rherl?? in hi8 lndlridu81 0898oitJ the
9108 Of th. tvO-')a8r8
' 8t8tUtO Of liaEit8tiOnvould be 8pplio8ble.
Trurtlng tbt the ?ONgOing 88ti8?8Otwily 8UWOr8
your iW#IiX7, W 81'a
BY
JR:?b