**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS**
AUSTIN

March 20, 1939

Hon. Tom A. Craven coultyAuditor



### Seation **S ai**  **Artlele** 59l2e,Revised Civil Statutes of Texas, reads as r0ihm3:

'khe Cemaiesionere* Court & eaoh county in the-Stateof Texas, at ite ilret regular meetin& in January of baoh calendaryear, shall,by order mafle and entered Is the n&nutea oi said oourt, determinewhetherpreoinot oiiioersat auoh bounty (exoeptpublio weigher8 and registraraof viteg. statistics)sliall

beHon.

. Tom A. Craven,March 20, 1939, Page 2

oompensated

on a salary **basis** as provided ror in this Aot, or whether they shall re- -oeive as their oompensation, suoh fees Of office as may be earned by them in the perromanoe of the duties of their offioes, and at shall be the duty of the oounty clerk of eaoh oounty to fmward to the Comptroller 

### or pllblio

Aooquute 

### or the 

### State of Texas on or beare the slat .Qo ei -Jmqary a oertliled 

### cropy

e .%@a ~*r*rr.-~

.

funds as laajr

be trslleferred

to fund by the CommisaI'oners~ Ceurt'of the oounty." On July 17, i9Se, this Departmentheld in an opinionby Hon. Joe J. AL&g, AssistantAttorney General of Texas that the Oommiss1aners~* Court is without authority to plaoe **on6** preoiaot offiaerupon a salary basis and leave other preoinct offleersupon a See basis. We quote 

### rromthis opinion as3?3Xlewst

"phi8 Departmenthas repeatedlyruledHOL Tan A. Craven,March 20, 1999, Page 3

that a Commissioners* Court is without authorityto plaoe on8 preoinot orrioer upon a salarybasis and leave other oifiaers upon a fee baeis. The systemmust be uniiormand they must plaoe all upon a salary basis or leave all upon a ree basic.*
You will note that Seoticu 17a of Artiole - a. .- - - - ... -

W$t&$erenee to que8tlonNi~ 2, you are spsotmUy l%?fe&%d-toseotioil 1Tb of Bfti~1l3

s912e reads as f&l&s: zioh

.

=tb) In oountieawhere If .shaXl have been d&erm&el th@ preolnot~~i-i~~re &all ~.oompsn8a~donauannual8aXaryba8i~1 it 8hallbe the duty of the Ces@ssionera* Court oi auohoeuntyto firthe s&laryallowed to auoh offioers. Eaoh of said offioers shall be paid in money an annual 8aXary.Q.1 twe&ve (12) **equal** installments of not l&se then the total sum ear&d as oompensat&n- ,~i earnedby him in his ottiolal oapaeity"ior the fLeaalyear I935 and not more than the maximum amouut allowed euoh eirioerunder laws existingAugust 24, 1935." Therefore,in answeringyour seaond question, you are respectful.ly advised that it is the opinion of this Departmentthat Section 17b of' Artiole 99120, RevisedHon. Tom A. Craven,March 20, 1939, Fags 4

Civil Statutes of Texas alearly determine8the amount of disoretionthe Commissioners~ Court has in setting the amount or salaries to be paid prebimt orfiaars. It is the further opinion or this Departmentthat the Commissioners*

Court has no authorityto set a preoinot officer's salary at less than the total sum earned as oompensation

by him in his orrioial oapaoity for the 

### fleaal year 1995 and that.theCommissioners* Court 

### has. no authorityto 8et a preoinat **offioer*e** salary at awe than the maximum amount alloved suoh offioar under law8eii8tingAugust S4,19ss.