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I,+I; OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable J. 1. Allen
County Auditor
mult Oounty
Oreenvllle, Texas
Dear Sir:
Your request for op
carefully considered by this
request as follovsr
"The Hatlonal Oua
ed in Oreenv
te of Texas.
expense on the traln-
3.ngto them 4600.00
fund of Hunt oounty.
le to find any conetitutfonal or statutory
endlture or donation of county funds by
urt for the purposea above desarlbed.
The court8 of Texas have repeatedly held that county
commbaloners* courts may exercise only suoh authority M is
conferred by the Constitution and Statutee oi thilrState.
There are abundant au+&orities to this effect. We cite the
follorinsr
Article 5, 8eatAon 18, Texas Constltutlont
titlole 2351, Revlired01~11 Statut88 of Texas;
Texan Jurl6prude&xoe,Vol. 11, pagea 563-566~
bland v6. Orr. 39 SW 558)
&unn-Warren F+ublLshlngCompany VII.Hutohl8on County,
45 SH 26 651;
Rogg vu+ CampbeIl, 48 SW 2d 51 ;
zmdman ~6. State, 97 lW 26 26 3 8
Rl Paso County VI. ,Elu, 106 i?W2d 3931
Howard v6. &mdOr6Gn County, 116 SW 26 2791;
Oobson VI. Mar8hal1, 118 SW 2d 621
J&l116county VII.Lampas* county, i 0 Blf4q4.
This department has repeatedly ruled to the 6am
orreot. For uxample, opinion go. O-591 of thie department
hold that the oomml6alou6rs* court of Calv68ton County, Texau
m ilthout authority to expend county fund6 for the employ-
mtmt of life guard8 for Qalveaton Beach2 opinion Ilo.0-1085
of this Depwtasnt held that the ooasisslonerr* oourt of Marion
County, Texas *a6 without authority to y the 6alary of a game
*ardent and opinion go. O-l@99 of this ~
r epartment held that the
oommi88lonera~ court of Ber&r Cqunty, Texas, was without author-
ity to expend oeunty ?undk?or Tire protootlon ?rom the City of
8anAntord.o and in the county.
Confer6noe opinion Bo. O-2662 of this Department,
d&ad February 4, 1927, Book 62, p. 46, 1926-1928 Attorney
General*6 Report* p. 390 et @op., written by Bonorable D. A.
Wamom, FIrat Ansl8tant Attgrmby General, held that the com-
mia8lonersf oourt had no authority to appropriate pub110 fund6
to oharltablr orguclsations aged and oontrolled by private
individual6 and t&t Conatltutlon a? 1876, tit. 3, ZWotioae50,
51 and 52; Art. 8, Seation 3; Ait. 11, Section 3, and Art. 16,
Beotion 6 referred to, prohibit the appropriation of pub110 fund6
to ohiwltles op6retW by private lndfvlduals.
Opinion No, O-1001 of $h.ledepartrunt hold8 that the
oommis6lone~~ court did not b.avqthe authority to donate
oounty funds to the Tuberoulosls Assoolatlon, to the American
Rational Red Cro8.aor to othw charitable or other oqanisations
making requests for u*6chdonatlond.
h
gonorable J. 1. Allen, Page 3
In vl6v 0r the foregoing authoriti66, you ar6 r6-
~p&,?ully advl66d that it 16 th8 opinion Of this dopartrsnt
row QWStiOn should b0 answered in the MgatiVe, and it 16
SO uwwmwd.
?iOw?S VOVtW&iY
ATTORNHX @ENBULL OF TElcIL8
irm.J. hn-i.iq
ii56iSturt