OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

g~orahle P. C. Marquess Comty Auditor Wharton County RhWfml, Texan berr Mr. YBrqUensZ Opinion RO. O-7289 Rer Whether 

### ornot th 

### Trumtees of an lndepen dintriot m8y 

### r

r an opinion upon

wenlenae on of Trustees tees as an ottlolal or is It **man** indepemdent group

eBoard of Trustees retain profeerte as expert witnesses and to aid alues of property within the sohool e payment for suah seniaes out of 001 dietriot? *a. May the Board of Trustees or a chosen Board of Equalization m8intain a joint hearing with the Boards of Rquall&atlon of a City within It8 limits for valuation purposesO "Perhaps your oplinfon lists contain parallel 0ues to these questions, and **fP so,**  would **appreciate** your earliest accommodation on the netters."**goaor*bl~** **P- 1..**  Mrquees **- page**  **2**

**.~**

We lwer your queetlons aet4tgorlorl1~, 8s tollors~

1. Question 1 Is answered In the negative In our opinion Rob 0-37%r oopy of which Is enaloeed **herewith.**

**2.** frumteem of independent sahool dlstrlats are publla effiaers, and hate only **those** power8 conferred **upon them** **by law.**  **1% ia**  **not** neeewary, **however ,**  **th8t the**  **eonferrlmg of**  pwer **be ex-**  -- In preel6e word8 -- **bat there**  Ia aIr8je to be irplled, **i~~eatian tith**  **en erpreee**  parer* **the f** **’ wtber**  **power to**  do **those thjnge**  **neeeeeery to**  **the proper**  

### ueroise **of ’**  the **prlmrry power.**  **There is**  **no exprees**  **power oathorlslng**  **the trusteee**  **of** ae Independent **eehool** dletrlot to employ expert witnemses In **the**matter of eqmli81np taxem. Wethink, hewever, that power Is aonferred by **neoewary irpllortlon**  oif In the sound offlolel jud.gmmt of the bo8rd of trustees ,ma0h employment of expert wit**newes** Is

### ne6ememq to 8 proper dlsoMr(l;o of their dutlem te **here** a&per **and** suitable equrlla8tien of propertier **Wed** l.mthe dis-

. Wrwl~ieion 2. of Artlele 2227 Berimed Ciril statutes, 

### Vernon's oodSflo8tion, deolweer

gLoerl **eeheel** fuads frem dlmfrfat taxes, tuition fees of pupils **not** emtitled to free tugtlon, an4 other foeal aourees say be used for the purpomea enumerated for state md Oounty 

### funds, andfor **purehadnC;** rppllmees end npplles, for the payment of **lnsurnnoe** prem- .lums, jeaitors end other snplememr for buying sol%001 dten, buying, bullding end repiring and renting who01 houses, a~@ $0~ **other pur13oseE** **geaenaa** & aenduat ,ofthq publio @1002q to be det **the board**  **of trustees** * ***** ***** l**” (%nphrd~**  **ours)**
Te th%nlcthis lanpage jn **rightly to**  he eonstraerl to authorize the employlag of all **neoeeewy meana** et hand to obtain a juet and reasonable raluntlon of taxable **property in**  **the** dlatriot.

This department has held that **the** oonatltutional authority vestad 3~nthe

### Commlsslanera 'Court ower 811 sounty **business** constitutes mftloient basin for **the** emplovnmt by **the Commission**  **ers of**  **mch a**  **tu expert**  as nriimemn before **the** equalisatlom bodr. (see Opinion Row n-l@lz). Court deolaions, by **the** clearest analogy, YAJm?ort this aomGludorl. **Arrin#don** 7. donee, 191 3.W. S(Jl,upheld tbc **right** of an independent aohao1 dlAtriet **to employ**  **an attorney**  **to bring**  **su3.t to**  aanael a teaoher' **8 oontreat.**  **5e0, al** **so, Morel** **eJ we**  cj,tgOf MlYas, 17 5.WY.(2) 36. I**~onor8ble** 

### P.I.0 Marquem -page9

Yew questlon 2, therefore eIs anwered In the rfflrntire l

3. The Board of Equallzctl~on for the District, if It ceeo fit todo SO, 1~87sit jointly elth another 

### boardaf equrllectlon as of a cltY rlthln Its limits, to detedne property rrfuee. 

### Theboard**am suoh,**  **horarer, mrt**  **reach** Its own oonolu- &n upon the hewing from l Y1 **the** erl~denoe before **them,** 

### uoh joint

### hearingsbeingmerely 

### 8nutter of oocrenletme to the rerpectlwe boards. 

### Seeour**Opinion** 

### No.0-3176,copy of which cocompenles this opinion. **Very truly**  

### yours

**OS-XI4 Ibra** **osarea**