## 84

OFFICE OF THE AITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN

Hon. Ernert Oulnn county Attorney El 1x80 county Xl za80, TexQ8

Your roornt 

### rsqur8 mat ln rerorenaa to lvtiolr n or this depart- '8 ReTl8ed Civil **StPtUtW, h8**  boon 

### r.OslVed.

CiVil 

### 8t8ttlt(l8, A81OAOLT' COWt, ror.6 

### bd OA the 

### l uthorirtlon br A yiryl

### vtwr8 or tb 

### requiredto be paid QAt, Whhh BMrd 18 Only rOr 8UOh PUP

8At hp8 prOVfOU8ly rand6rsQ aA thi8 Bktuts, wbioh yQU nay 

### d88ira p8881q 00 

### the **QUdStiOli8 hW.** **‘ eiMft8r**  **rubaitted.** (see oplnfon **or** Attornoy (krreral,**data4** July 14, 1936, 844ms8rd to Hononble Daviel8. ldulcshr,CoUnty Attorney, El -80, ToXA8.)

**YOU thQJ3**  88k **thr8s qWJ8tf,QlU**  OOAO8rAiW **the aOl%8tFW?tb3ll**  **to** be plaaed **UVOA** 8Wh Al’tiUlrQi th6 IrtatUt*8.**!Ian. Ernest**  **Cuinn,** ia@ **8**

30 have examlatsdtb8 opinion 0r 

### thepr8oOdiog sdministration 01 thle **department, to**  **rhioh you**  rarer in your l.i$t*r. 6e have conoluded that ruoh OpitiOA i8 m?roAoOim aad 8troulC

### bewithdram; thtitAH1618 **%568-b $8**  **a** lii0aland specfal lRW **ViOlCitiAg** the **prOVi8ioM** Or ArtdOle s, **se0tiOA** M), Ot.OUr COllOtitUtiOA, 

### and ie th8iWSOre utI0OMtitutional and vsid.

Al'tiOle~

235R-b, **vWAOfi ’** **6** Revlead Civil Statu68, **;laeaed by**  the L4@&316tlU8 la N35, **rsa68** a8 Sollmr:

"SQQtiOn 1. u til OOUti8B in thi8 **stat.** iavlng a population or not ‘les8 than 135,000 iahabltantr and not mor8 than 170,000 lahabltnatr, **aAd OOAtddB@**  a city **ht ’** **iViq** a PO~ILktiOA or not lrm thAA 90,000 **inhabikAtlS, 48**  **8hOWA by**  **thQ** la8t rOOBdiA& **FedUa COMM,**  a 

### direct tsr **or Aot**  

### over ? ve (S) **‘ c8RtS**  **00.** 

### thr 4 tBlU8tiOA OS Ona Hundred (djlOO.00)DOlLal'rmay **be** authorized and levied 

### by the 

### Caedaaioaarl)~ Court ol suoh county, r0r the pllrpoaeor 

### s(lrertlring and premotlng the $rowtb and d~TelopmeAt ot raid aounty anb **its ovunty**  rsat~ **prorLdbd** thd **b&ore the**  CO~~S~IOA**OT8'** 

### Court of any 8UOh ooutrriea &all bo l utho rlsed to levy any **tax ror**  8uoh purpose the **pmifiea** tar paying voters or thF aowity 8hd by a uiaaajority rots authorize the **'2bQmiS8iOD0fll'** cuurt to tlwroattrr **18V7** annually a tax not to eXOed Pier (5) Cent@ 

### OA 

### the OAU mlRd,md (#100.00) Dollar8 s8as88ul **WIliletiOA.**

-SaO.~8. **The sppO?Mt**  **OS** tROAOy**OOliaOt4d Irma**  **SUOh** levy OS $axrn **by** the **C0lKd88iOOOT8' Court**  of nay 8uCh oolmty shall **be** 

### paid **to tile**  **Board or**  **County ~YOlO~lUOAt**  **in twelvrl**  **(II!) monthly**  **iAStAll.A#BAtr a8**  **6OlleOt.d.** 

### All Z%OU678 reoaived by thr 

### Board Of COUAtf LWOlO&MSeAt Iron!such tax shall be expanded only 

### ror thapurpomm **authorized by**  this Aot. and 8uCh BoarG ahall annually 

### readeran lttualzo4 acoount to ths **County AUditOr**  or all reorlpt8 and di8buxsamonts.

*EM?. 5. There is hrrrby craatsd la 8uCh oouatieo

**a~ mng**  **vote in**  rav0r **ot this**  

### tax **a Board**  **0r** 

### county D#WOlO&mU3At,which **Shru** dovote it& tilW and 0ftOI-W t0 the Cr0Wth, **adTsrti86SWt** Md **b8VcllOpSiWt Or**  8~ 8U0h QOUJlty. The trosrdOf County **t?W@lOJvlt3At** 8hAu 0onmiet or Slva (5)meiuber;r1 two (a) to beqppointad by the Caaai8sionar8~ Court OS 8UOh oouatiad, reprsMAtdim Or thf4'@griWbUMl fntQrO8t Or 8UOh 0OUJIt~W3, **who hall**  **r801d0 oUtsid** * **Ot** the **@OUtlty 8Mt**  **Di ”**  **aAy auOh** 

### county;and thres (3)ofwhom shall**bs appointed**  **by** 

### theboardof Dlrsotor8of tbs **Chambur**oi Commoroe
or thO oou&y seat of 8uch OountJ, onh Or uuob tbroe mombore to be a **member, in**  **good** 8tandfng, **of orgaalcea**  **labor. Said**  **menbum** ahall **sunrlbr** a period or twp (8)years from th8tr~cappolnta85t,with+ **out** 

### ootapmuatloa, and until 

### thulr8uoooeaor8 am appolntud and aooapt 8uoh appointment. Vaomciae on buoh Bow6 8nPl bu tlllrd in the 80mO amor a8 the orlgllul eppolntmants, pnd by the same OgOnolO8.

*All muahur8 of 8uoh Board of **County** Dwalop

### mat shall be qualifiedt8x 

### paying vot+re 

### of tJw 

### ouuntpin wbioht&r aru appointed **to** mrve.” 

### Art&b18I, **ssotfon** 56, 0r **our** cowtitutioo, prooidw 68 r0ilm8t

Y!h* L@8laturO 8hall not, 

### l rompt a8 othOniO0 

### prtitlded

in thl8 Conrtltution, pa88 fmy looal or rpuolal law, **authori8lngt**

~tiugulsting the artalr8 0r oountlO8, oitiO8, tom8, ward8 Or sobool distriot88..... 

### -cr86thbg0rri0e+ or prr8oribin **and dUtib8**  **Of OfriOar8,**  **in OOUIItiO8,**  **0 f**  thu powem **th8, faIU,**  rlOotlo5 OF aohool dlrtrlot8; ...*



### It i8 oluar that 

### the law under oon8idOntioo rOgufat.08 

## tbu l tralr8;or th8 oauntles to WhlOh lb applier, orrat. orrlaO8, O5,iprO8orib08 thO powOr 

### anddutlorr**0r** 0rrkam. 18 it a guneral law, or‘1s it 8pseial and local in tiotition **0r** the Ql'0Vi8iOlU **0r Article**  **s,** Sootloa 

### 56?

A 1m1 whloh appllo8 only to a part or a natural ale88 of porsow or 

### thin@ must prudlaate it8 inalurion of th8 part and sxolueloa of thO **baluou** up05 oharaotori8tlo8 &WOtil82 to ths part, which, oonaldering ths objeot8 and purpossa Or.thr law, atford reasonable groun@ for re8trlOtin(ptha application 0r ttm kw to 

### thspart. CZaO8iiiOatlO5 **au8t bs**  rUa8OMblO and 

### natuml, not arbl.Wary aad oaprlOlou8. Arbitrary **de81** I? tion 18 not 

### olasslfioatlon.Theviesof local **or** 

### 6peofalkm8 

### thattheyrerton tibitnrjrdes&nationi 

### thatthey **b0 AOt**  

### aabmae

### and'affsotall of theola88 **to** 

### whiohtho aremtualu relutud. 65 R.G.L. pp. 014-816~ 1E Aah 3Ur. PO f46, smith 1. stat0 (ct. **Cr.** 

### app.),49 9. 8. (eai

### 939;mhdolph v. 

## St&*,8

(Ct. cr. Appl), 86 S.16.(26) 484; Clark v+ Plnloy, 93 Tex. 171, 64 &'n. &34S;**City** oi Ft.‘:iortb v* Bobbitt, lE1 'i'ex. 14 36 SW. (Zd) 490, **U** 3.K. (Zd) &lS3~Fex6r County 1. 'Iya@n,lZ& TOI. SU.8, 97 s.Yi. 

### (Ed) 467.

Baoau80 population aa a baala for alaaalrioatloa bu b&o rwtalned by the court8 in rerpeot to legl8latlon on oert4in 8ubjeOk, it ha8 bean **a88umed, erroneou8ly,**  th6t population braetcotrwill 

### 88rvu Zn all lnatanose.

### boavoidthe oondamaatlon of thrcConstitution. lhb miatak6n a88UMpti0Il proeaeda rr0m a 

### iallure to note t.h8t population has been SWCainad a8 6 baai for alaaririoation only in ttrO86ilutMOU8 whore it bore a roa8oasbl8 relation to tie objaot8 and putpoe of the law snd wa8 founded tapon n rational dlffersnoe In the WOW8itie8 or oonditioim Of the -UPS aubjested t0 diffor.nt 1eW8. 8here it hm been deterinlnedW-t, **oon8ldexhg** tha Objsats 6md pm-pa888 or tha law, d~rror8no08 in population afiord no rational &ala r0r dirorl~lnating betuasa~ 0r the 8ame natural Olas8, olaa8ltfhatioa 0n the er0upa baa 8 or population has.been **tenned arbltnrp**  8elaotion, an6 the law ha8 boon held to b8 spoolal aml looal.. Eamdolph v. State, eupm.
'Jibore

population might hate sompd a8 M ritLonal bwir ror ah88irfiWfiiOB, ii the objeot an4 purpo80 et th0 law had **bain** 

### to lnarwlle the oompsniatlon of oountp **0rri0Om.~** 8i5Oe thr

’purposu Or the parti0Uik.rlur WL8 to lorrar8u0h OompuMatioa the OG88ffiWti0I3 Was: bald to be **iUVOEt& Od**  the law slpeoielaad looal. B0W GoUuty Y. Tynan, 8Up&W

The objeot aid purpo8s of the law UlldOrOmu-&oration lu to pecolt aountios to levy and oolleat a tar for advrrtl8arent and proakotlon**0r** thu growth and development **or** thu oountsra56 it#OOMty 8-t. A natural olaar, 0P aourae; iaoludo8 all aouatle8 In th; Stat@. This law extends 8uOh pOW@r O&y to those countier having a populst?on, acoordlng to the l&at **greosalng Psdural**  **OUIIIBU*,** **of not**  **lea6 thnn**  **lZS,OOO am**  **nor6** than 175,000 tnhabitanta, and *ODtrininl;a Oity Or IIOt10118 than 90,000 iniisbltant8. We only county **meutf,ng the186**  **reqUh!O** wnta, at the **tins** of the paerbge 0r **the** law, xv88Bl inha county.

Itt

mq be doubtrd whether the number or Inpabltaata r&riding within a county, 

### and thr 8ire or a oity u$tbio 8uOh 

### abunty;alnno survs in any reaaonabhi **and** sust~ralaannrr $0 indicate the ?lUOO88it~,prqCiOty, Or de8fmbility Or pdX'dtti8@I eueb 

### oounty to arjaea8and expend a t-61for advnrtialng and

## 88

pronor.In&thr growth and the doVelopmant ot the county and 118 county aaat, wlmrr suah porar Ia d8nIe4 OS withheld 

### troa other 

### aountisr. Hj.elmv. katteraoa, 106 YInA. 206, 117 l&Y. 610. HOWVW wo Uo not ~laoo our 4aoIafon thet the aat under aonsiCerAtioA is local and apsaial upon this ground.

lf population, oonesivably, my term M c.reasonabla and natural 

### oritarlon or the 

### necaraltp or deeirabllity or **pami;tlng a**  **oounty** 

### to tax **far tha**  **purpors of**  **adrertiaing and**  pl’OZOtiA6 ita @owth anb QeVelO~JmAt, It muat **bo u**  **on** 

### tho thaory that a am11 po~ulatioo bVIdeAC@a M **undsve P** **aped oouaty,**  a legs gopulatioa a developed couat~. The imaller the populatloa or a 

### aouatr, tha 

### c~raetor the 

### proprlotg, awarrity aoiadralrsbility or psmttimg it to t6UE ror the 

### purpose ot pIvmot1n.gits growth **and** 

### dsvolcpmeat.

**.**



### ,ThIa lar~&pplIes only to aouatlas with A population ci 125,000 

### to 178,* inhabitanti8,arrd 

### a city of 90,000 or mom I5babItaata. Oount,Iesor iea8ar popul8tloa tkreMt pmeittd 

### to uaroiaa 

### such power. me Ldwthomroro oarmr) o’ut iS t&s **top** of the **natural populntioa**  braokst (&ammln,g lW,OOO inhabit~entaIn a **county** to repraaaat the figure **at** whiah it bocomsrr~wnaoasaary or **lea8** 

### baaireble tlukt8 oduaty should **tax** for prf~~onoti~ Ita devrlqaaent) a dorigguitiogoi aountiao tizkvini; a 1468sr noad for~prmotiorr or 

### tkais gro*hh and development than t&one 

### oountIcra ~5th a,pcpulfitIoaoi~lcaa than :B,O00 fnhabitants. It eroludia 

### the rrrr oouatiea whirh, tsklng population arraa Indioia,~

### .bovti”tba most ,ao66~~for the POWW* Ths law **tharerora doe8**  **not inrilude**  

### or **erabmee** all wLIch nati~r~llybelong to the slaaa en the very~baair for claac 'Iticationselooted DT the Lsqialatura.~ Tha olaraIfioatIoA Is 

### illusory, 81mere de6ignQtiOA whioh 

### ia Ao olasaIfIcAtion at 

### all, bat, on the coAtrmy, Aa Invemted 

### and dIr,oriaIAntorp

### aa the ltiwoonrIdstad bjrour Bupmn!b 

### Court fn tinsTpum cmw.

T?m arbftmry **aharabtar** or 

### this purported **claaai** fiotttioala the more clearly evldanoed end em~h~sisrndby the 

### fast that la 

### hats 1930, 41at LeglalatWe, 5th Called S~aion, Ch. **42** 

### (Varnoa~a CIVIl **Statutal, AX&**  **S?isb),** 

### Sll aountIra ih TMM hmiA& fiCOOrdi~#~ t0 the Feden **665aU8 0%**  **1$&o, 8**  ~;oyuk~tIoAof at iaast EO&000 and 1086 than 810,000 **inhabitant?,**
were **pcmaItted to**  **levy n**  SiEiltr tax rcr **similar purpoetm.**  Rare the size of the aity within the oount$waa deemed of no lmport.Qnc

a. ConsIderInG tlieaetwo'lawe toyetLzer,It 

### la obaarrad 

### that oountisa saving population8 

### l **roasding 174,QOO**  and **la88** than ZO6,~OOOiAhabitaAt8 ar’rnot psrfdttofito sxoPeia@ **the power**  **to hx**  ror auoh 

### purpoaea~ IItthQ 10% AOt, 80 ASW

### Hen. Emeat OhmI 2age d

oounty offloors are 

### created or authorized, **but** 

### In tbo 1935Lot, now oounty oifioare, 

### In the form or a board of oountr derelopmmt, aro wanted in the countieswith populations from 123,000 to **178,000** 

### with oitiaa of SO,000 or nor4. Rhat ratlonaZbe818 

### I8 tr,sr4Inpopulation llrttbb dlroriralnatlom thus 

### rffcsotsd?

ArtIolo 3, 3eotIon 98, of our CoMtatIon, 

### I8 do8lgned. In par8, 

### to IJfsurr that our 8yrtua of county omraamat 8hall be as ~Ifom a8 I8 pos8iblr. Jt 18 iatende

### 8 to 

### prevent the 

### p48sag4 of law8 which ctisorin!f.nak 

### betwean the: OowMos OS thl8 State **witbOUt** 

### adequate and 4Ub8tantIaldlffar4IlOW In the 

### OhWzl4teri8tiOil Ot.th4 Individual CO'Unti48 

### indicative,rrtioaallp, 0r 

### a luO488Ity 

### ror th8dl84rimiinaiiiofL Tha law IA&U oonridaratloaOlearly ViOl*t48th4 prOTIrfan8 **Oi~tG?tiO~O 8,**  **88tttiOIl 88,**  **aad it8**  IStiAifMt **8pirit alId**  **p\tI-&IO88,** 

### 8nd it i@ th8rOfDra UnOoMtitUtiOMi 

### aBd void.

The opinloa of the preo~dln6 

### tLdSi4iilrtrati6n of thf8 departmeat, f&da%8 

### July 14, 1056 addrra8ad.to thr Hanorabl8 

### liaridE.biulccrhy, CountyAttornay 

### El Pam, T8xa8, sb tar a8 

### our r8Oerd8 

### rev4al, ~816nelthar 8ign4d nor apprDV86

### by the Attorney Oonaral. mw4ter, ii It nay b8 r4g4rdrd a8 an 

### or~lalal 

## l Sp888iOIIOr th8 OpinionOf this dSpUtSIMt, w4 f&ink It oloarlp 8rron40u8.and It 

### Is th4r4Tol4 ovaruledand wlthdmwn.

Th4 fOF4gOii&r4,prO#OiIt8 t&4 pOn8idW8d 

### OpiniOn Or th18 depPrtM4nt. shoe thu 

### &et under oon8ldsratIon 

### 18 a 

### nullity, ma oplnlom rm this deprtment'eonstruIng It8 

### proVI8iOD8wouk3 04rv4no urefu1 plupo44*

Your8 very truiy

=Y /d 

### R. n. Fafrohlld

A8oIe!-ant