OFFICE OF THE A?TORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Eon. Roloa I#.eawll
County Attorney
win Couutt
lbOltu?,hur
wo aI% la rroolpt
ion upon tho iollori~g QUO
pat to; tla oon8tnm-
at fund of tha Count7
loos1 M~tlonal
md tha other
719
Hon. Boloa L. Sowll, PII@ t
m pWniOUWhiOh UiOOO WiththO Cap-
mi.alonu. hurt is whather or not uand*rt&a
frota aa a bull~lng oont#m-
plated la within the waning
of Artids tho Conatitut ion
of the Stats 0s Taxas tn an irs0ort t0 aaoor-
tala whether the OodaaloneVa Oourt luy
lxp.116momy. from the ~rmaaent hproranunt
tin4 ior this parpoeerg
Bsotiw s 0f Prti0iO 8 or th0 ~sm0 c058tiw
tlon reada aa followar
7ha State tax on pro~art7 lxoloalra of
the tax noo~sauy to par the ptlblio debt, and
of the taxes providedtar the be-tit OS the
publia free lohoola, ah11 notat lxow4 thlrtp
rfw 0OOt0 M t* 000 hue04 dou.0r0 +0hOti00)
an& no oOunty olty or tom shall lary more
than trdprfw oenta tar oltf 0x oonntypur-
n4no tlrcaoaingtliteon cantr r0r roads
p o a o aa ,
and bri&pa, end aot axoeadln& fiiteon oemta
to pa7 jlpzwa, on the one hilPdro4 dollars
valuation, oxaapt for the pa~unt of dobta
inourrab prior to the adoption o? tha aman&mnt
8eptamber88th,lm8) and~fortho'orootloaof
publ%ebull6lng0,streets,aewra, water works
sol otlmr pumanont lmpro~eamntr, not to uoeod
hmnty-rlro oanta on tha OM hun4nl &oUur
Tal!lrtloa, &n aBy 030 pu, ana lx o o paa t lm
ID thl8 Ooaatltutlonothanln prorlde4ga&
the Loglalaturo uy alao authorizean ad<lon=
ml annual a& talo~a~ tax to h lorio and
001100901 tar tha further 8alntenanoaaf the
publla ronar; provlbd, that a mJorlt7 OS tha
qualifld propartytax-paying rotor8 ot the
oountrrotin at an lleotioa to be hola tor
that purpoaoshall rote ouch tax, not to excso4
tlftea oaata cm tlw one hoadrrl&ollus value
tlon or tka groprrtymubleot to taxationin
looh oorznti ISa the Uglirlatarema pa.8 looal
law. tar t ia malnnknanoe ef tb pabl il a roda
rlthmt thr looal aotloo nqnlro4
orlooallm.~
Eon. Holen 1. 80~11, Pa4e 8
Artlolo SSbl, Vemoa’O Annotated Civil Statutes,
set8 forth tha followlag powr and dutl oi tho oounty
odaaloaua~ omuta - -
l +t*
l7. Prorldo end keep In npalr oourthowa8,
Jaila aud al1.nfooaaary ?ubljo buildings &b em
Artlalo 2b52, Vatnon~a innotated Clvll statutes,
refers to the tax for woqBctlonoi publfo bolldinga~ by
tho oouaty oomrLaalonar~ oourtl
Wail oourt ahsr/r hero the power to 10~
end oollaot a tax”?oroouaty purpoau, not to
exceed trentr-five cents on the one huadred
lollers valumtlon,end a tax not to exceed
fifteen oonta 011the one hundred dollars ralu-
atlon to aupplament the jury fand ot tho oouaty,
and aot to ljroeed fifteen osata for roeda and
bridges on tha one hundred 6ollara valuation,
lxoaDt for the payment of debts lnaurred prior
to the~adoptlon of the amendment 0r the fkmtl-
tutlaa, E@tamber 25, A. 0. 1883, end for the
lractlon.oS pub110 bulldin@, atraa to, mwra,
rat8x IO- and other pumanent iaprovomeata,
eU twentpflte oemta on the one
lara. valuationin on0 year, aa
XI the Constitution o herwfea prod&
'"I
levr a nlbdltlonal tax for roe6
purpose8not to exceed flitam oanta on the
one hu.n&o& &ollu tha property
valaatioa 0r
mbJoet to texatloa.uulor the limltationa and
la &a manuu prwl~ad for in Art1010 8. Sea. 9.
of tha f&mat ltutlonand In pprsuanceor-tti -
16ua relating tlmr*to,*
The Texts8Conatltutloa,Artlole 8; sttotlon
l8,
prorldoar
9 l & + Tha lount~~omrdaaionera so ohoam,
rith the oount~ judm, a8 peal6lng ofrloar,
shall oamseaa the *au&~ o5mlarlonua~ oorat.
Eon. Noloa 1. Sowll, Pa@ 4
by this Omatltutloa and tha laws of tha
State, or as mar bo horoattor proaorlbo4.w
Art1010 1603, Betlwd Civil statutoa, 102!5,
reads an follwar
V&o ootmty ommlaalonets* ootut of aaoh
aounty,as soon as praatloablo attor the OS-
tabllahmont of a oounty aaat, or aftor lt0
remora1 ?roa oua plaoo to anothu, shall pro-
rids a oourt hou6o and jell for the oounty.
and oiilcoa for oountf irtloera e auoh oGi.ntf
ZTtMbpfho east0 in 6ood repsIF
~uaaorlng oural.
The flrat aentonoo 0r Art1010 1605. Tunon*a
Annotated Olril Statute;a, provldoat
Vho County Judga, Shorlft, Clerks of tho
Dlatrlot and of tho Countr Ooux-ta, County
Treaaaror, Aaaaasor asvl Colleotor of Faxoa,
County Surveyorand Count7 AttOmOy of the
aororal aountlos of this atate, ahall keep
th6lr offloaa at tha oounty *oats 0s tholr
roapootlto oountlaa; provided, lta. l + l l
ulliols OTI, Rarloa4 Civil Statutes, 1968,
madr as follon:
ahalL havo ohorgs an4 OOntrc+l
l8herlffa
.0r the oOurthouOo0 0s tholr raapotlte ocmn-
tlos subpot to moh rogalatlona as tha aaa-
mla a b no r alourt MT praaorfba~ and tho offlolal
bead shall ostond to and lnoluda the talthful
pufonmnoe 0r their duties under this artlolo.*
Countf ooaudaaionora* ocurta hue no powra or
duties oxcopt those whloh aro olaarly set forth an6 da-
fined in the Ceaatltution and atatutos. LDBARS%CWXR
T. JzLaaNo8 8s B. 1. 886t HOORE v. H3dm.Nm coumf e7a
8. T. 478; iL PA80 COUHTTt. XLAM, lob 83. ctd) SQb.
sta tuteshava lloarly Uoflnad tb
7ha
tbserlbd the dutloa, and kpoaol the
E%:rtP 00 0s the aommlsaloncra~ oourt, tha
Hon. Bolan L. Sowll, Peg0 5
mdlus through uhloh tho Ufforont oountloa
aot, and from thoso atatotas slat oam all
the luthorlty rested in the Oountloa.g 11
Tn. JUN. 54s.
Tram the oonatltutlonel provialona of the atat-
utoa quoted ebovo, wo hare aeon that the ooenty eords-
lfonara* court he8 tha powor (1) to prod&e mid koop
in repair ell nooeasaw publfa buildings; (2) to provldo
offlcea for oounty orrloera at tha oountr *o&i (3) to
lxorolao juriadlotlon over all countr burlnose.
It has been well-aatebllohed that the juriadlo-
tion of oami6alonera* court3 la limited to atrlotly
aoounty bualno6am I ead tha Loglaloturo her no aathorltl
to enlarge their powers or jurladiotion. SU? VAI;OB
ELWTRIC LIOFiT CO. vs. ICG~XFi, 88 Tex. 197, 96 8. W.
866.
cOStStNh& s6OtiO5 9 Or tit:010 0 Of #a *MS
Conatltutlon and Seotlon 7 oi ArtI 2351 aupra, in
oonjunotlon with all the other atotutea refatlag to the
powore of the ooanty oodeslonera~ oourt amI in tho
light of the neoessltjr of the court aetlng withla tha
sphere of its power8 and duties oonlerred upon it, it
la our opinion that pub110 buildings mean lneo ea sa r y
pub110 build1 au and that %oooaaar~.-pub118 bulldlngs*
mea pub110 bn “ff ldln&$a leeantial for .tho eonduct of
atriotly woounty buainesaa; and when mr02ag to office
buildinga, it means pub118 buildings l aaantlal for houa-
log- tha offloea of oountf orrioora or agonolos.
Wo bellova that tha propoaa4 bulldin d:ao~bee
in pur lotte? of roquoat la l *publie bull4 &(I
broa4oat aanae 0s tbs term. Se0 Opinion lfro. 6-1647 0s
thla Qopartmont by Hon. &doll ~llllaam, A8alat8nt Attu-
soy Qeaoral, to .Ffon. Stonlaj TiamiIiO, Oounty Attorna
lierrlaon Co-t oontalnlng dorlaltlons of publio bu i id-
ing8. But w i' o not bellovo lt la a public building ao-
cosaazy for tha purposes of eountr bualnasa wlthia the
~UXT~OW 0f seation 7 0s k.rtioloa ES81 as4 X+08.
x nlcoo~moo with tb 0-t doelalons of thla
atat6, m4 hero oonalatontl~ and rapoatodl~ mlea that
723
Hon. X01.8 1. &lmll, P*go 6
OouIe~ oom8iMlomr8' oourtr ray not lO@l~ lrprnd or
lp p r o p r ia tr
oountr fund8 for purpo8*r uaauthorIse6 by
th8 Can0tltution of rtatufq 1~.
to ?l‘IQp91@, OpinionIlo. O-691 of thir 4qart-
&8nt hold that th@ 001d8810a828’ ocmrt of tilT88tOa
COUnty, f8Xa8, M8 without lnthorltr to bqwnd oountr
?UZI~~for th8 ~plOJas&iti Of iif* maTa for thh8tOn
Beaoh; 0 lnlm lo. O-1086 of thlr bpartmamt hold tht
th8 0 08J 88ioaOr8* b?arIon County, hur,
oourt of wan
without authorIt to par tha ralary of a gann wardoat
Opinion Ho. 0-1290 of thl8 d8partn8nt h8ld that the
oomiQi88ioner8’ ootlrt of Boxar COule~, -X88, *aI ‘with-
out 8uthoritr to rxpond oountp run68 ror rh protea-
tiOn Of ~OTtiOIU Of t& OOWlt~ Ifling OUt8i48 Of t&a Olty
of 881.1 Mtonlo, an4 that the oounty oould not oontraot
with th8 oity of San Antcaio to furnirh ruoh fir0 pro-
teotlon ror ruoh portiona 0r the oountyi ad OpInIoa
Ao. 04001 of thir d8partn8nt held that th8 oaami88lomr8*
ooitrt oculd not lagallymake dOaatiOa8to tha Tlderouloaim
Association, to the Amerloan lilatlonal B8d 12088 or to
any oth8r oharItabl8 organization making nque8t for
auoh bonationr, anb Opinion Ro. O-1999 holding that the
oounty oonmi88ionerr* oourt doe8 not hare the cuthority
to puroham a 8lt.e for a donation to the Unitd Btatea
Qot8rnmmt for purporer of 8 military re8onatlon, ud
opinion 80. O-U60 holding that ootantr od88hBorV
oourt 18 aot authorized to nab a PonatIM of #S,500.00
towed thm puroh880 prloo Of 8 ttsOt of lad t0 b owd
ior Hatlonal (kaml Unit, oounty fair8 and othu: plblio
oelobratloru whom the balmo* of the poreharr prloe aad
all .8ub8aquont 8rpwi8oa mill be pal& by ttn city.
The
lxpmdltun or lppropriatIon o? 0-t
fundr tar an ofrloe building larger md norm oamod I 011s
than th* MOO88fti88 Of 8tdOtlr OOlUity bU8bl.88 rollI&
denan aad for the purpow 0r TOIltill6 spa008 in thlr
buildlag to nm4ountp ag8aOfe8 oa a profit ba8ir ratld
Wmg 8x00~8 of th8 authority of a oounty ooriml~Ioaerr~
.
X0 arm not oalled ‘upon to anmar lm thla opln-
Ion the qyrrtion of rlmtharor not a Oorutt~ Oanmi88iO~r8’
ocprt ha8 the powm ati mthoritr to lease 0rri000 in
the eamt~ oourthouw or a rounty buildingto noa-oounty
gOnrtUa4nt81 8geBoiO8 or federal and 8tato Idt8 Nch a8
Ha. iol*a L. Senll, Pago 7
thm AgrIoUltural hdJu8tm0at Admlnl8tratIon 8nd tin 28x68
letIon Quard, and rhathar or not tha oountfoaumi8-
elcm8r8* oorvt oan enter tb0 burln088 0r 1008ing oauntv
proporty gonaralllr.sea la tht8 rr8peot Opinion Ilo.
O-178 br Honorable Eon Yoodall, A88irtmt Attorner
mn-
lml, toHonorable Ldgar Z. Pama, Countr Attormr,
Hookle County, L8v8lland, Tour; oplnIoa dated April
It, l&, by Attorn. Qononl B. P. Loomy to Eonorablr
J. J. Strloklmd County Attom8r. Palortlne Texar
Report8 8nd OpdOn8 AttOrnOy bnOrl1 191~lb168 &
Dodron f. Yarrhall, u8 8. 'II. (2d) 621. In thir OOM~O-
tioll 6ttMtioll 18 called t0 IrtiOl0 23120-8, TernOn'
Asnotat8& airi StatUte8, authoritln6 th8 OOU.atJ O&l-
8iOMr8’ oourt to 10a80, rent or provldr 0rri00 8p606
for thm l6mlnl8tr8tIon or unomplopmnt relior and mm.
69opecUm with Stat8 and To&oral r 8liO
lgetiolrrl
f and
&%iOh 5888, Ternon~8 Annotated Civil
izing the 8ormni88iOner8' OOtUt and Oitp 00
mlsrlon to lpproprIat6
non108 to p8~ noo888ary lxpon808
of thr Eational kard Unit8 loaatad in tholr ronrpeotln
oauatlrr an& In or near their n8peotIto oltIOa or town8
and to donate traots 0r lon4 for oon8truotion or Aatlonal
Guard Amorlor and building8 for PM of Hatlonel Chard
UDit8.
Ii* hmo lImIted our opinion to tha pomr or the
OCUEtr 0~88iOXMrO' OOti t0 OOn8tr9Ot a buil&Ing for
the purpO886 lam8rated In your letter 0r roquwt.
ft 18 am
opinion, ad you am 80 ldTi8ed that
th8 oOn8truOtiOn br the 8ountr OaP3lri88iOllOr8' OOU& of
a balldingto hama Tfsriour &Ywrmmatal agonoI~88rrrP
a8 the 00uat7 8g0at.8 0fri08, tb looal th80rri00 0r
Agrioulture AdjU6thWt &d6bi6tl'8tiOn, the lOOa kttory
of tha Texar Batlanal Quard, and other gov8rwatal
lgMOf88-itOtoonnsot8dwith th oOuatr or rtriotir OOuatr
bU8hl888, with tb object Of O?lhOting rontalr fra
raid 1686608 and di8Oharging indabbOdne88 0gaia8t tbi8
propomd building, WOW not bo tba oreotlon of a noo88-
rary mbllo bull&& within tba oont8mlatIon of hrtiola
8, Saotlon 9 rR the Taxar *utitutIoa aad Seotlon T
of lutlole 8S51 Y4noa*r Annot8tedCivil Btatater, aab
thr ropntr O08&88I0~8r8~ oOtUt ha8 a0 OOn.etitutiOnal
or rtatutory authority to orPloP oounty fund8 for tha
lnotion OS moh a building.
725
boa. lolar L. @well, Pago l