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 oon8tnmat fund of tha Count7 

loos1 M~tlonal 

md tha other 
719 

Hon. Boloa L. Sowll, PII@ t 

m pWniOUWhiOh UiOOO WiththO Capmi.alonu. hurt is whather or not uand*r t&a 

frota aa a 

plated la 

bull~lng oont#mof Artids 

within the waning 

tho Conat itut ion 

of the Stats 0s Taxas tn an irs0ort t0 aaoortala whether the OodaaloneVa Oourt luy 

l xp.116 momy. from the 

tin4 ior this parpoeerg 

~rmaaent hproranunt 

Bsotiw s 0f Prti0iO 8 or th0 ~sm0 c058tiw 

tlon reada aa followar 

7ha State tax on pro~art7 l xoloalra of 

the tax noo~sauy to par the ptlblio debt, and 

of the taxes provided tar the be-tit OS the 

publia free l ohoola, ah11 notat l xow4 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 oonnty purp o a o a , n4 no t l rcaoaing tliteon cantr r0r roads 

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~for tho'orootloa of 

publ%e bull6lng0, 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 l x oopaa t lm 

ID thl8 Ooaatltutlon othanln prorlde4g a& 

the Loglalaturo uy alao authorize an ad<lon= 

ml annual a& talo~a~ tax to h lorio and 

001100901 tar tha further 8alntenanoa af the 

publla ronar; provlbd, that a mJorlt7 OS tha 

qualifld proparty tax-paying rotor8 ot the 

oountr rotin at an l leotioa to be hola tor 

that purpoao shall rote ouch tax, not to excso4 

tlftea oaata cm tlw one hoadrrl&ollus value 

tlon or tka groprrty mubleot to taxation in 

l ooh oorznt i 

law. tar t ia 

ISa the Uglirlatare ma pa.8 looal 

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* 

l 7. Prorldo end keep 

Jaila aud al1.nfooaaary 

In npalr oourthowa8, 

?ubljo buildings &b em 

Artlalo 2b52, Vatnon~a innotated Clvll statutes, 

refers to the tax for woqBctlon oi publfo bolldinga~ by 

tho oouaty oomrLaalonar~ oourtl 

Wail oourt ahsr/r hero the power to 10~ 

end oollaot a tax”?or oouaty purpoau, not to 

exceed trentr-five cents on the one huadred 

lollers valumtlon, end a tax not to exceed 

fifteen oonta 011 the one hundred dollars raluatlon to aupplament the jury fand ot tho oouaty, 

and aot to l jroeed fifteen osata for roeda and 

bridges on tha one hundred 6ollara valuation, 

l xoaDt for the payment of debts lnaurred prior 

to the~adoptlon of the amendment 0r the fkmtltutlaa, E@tamber 25, A. 0. 1883, end for the 

l ractlon.oS pub110 bulldin@, atraa to, mwra, 

rat8x IO- and other pumanent iaprovomeata, 

eU twentpflte oemta on the one 

lara. valuation in 

XI the '"I 

on0 year, aa 

Constitution o herwfea prod& 

levr a n l bdltlonal tax for roe6 

purpose8 not to exceed flitam oanta on the 

one hu.n&o& &ollu valaatioa 0r tha property 

mbJoet to texatloa. uulor the limltationa and 

la &a manuu prwl~ad for in Art1010 8. Sea. 9. 

of tha f&mat ltutlon and In 

16ua relating tlmr*to,* 

The Texts8 Conatltutloa, 

prorldoar 

pprsuance or -tti - 

Artlole 8; sttotlon l8, 

9 l & + Tha l ount~~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 OStabllahmont of a oounty aaat, or aftor lt0 

remora1 ?roa oua plaoo to anothu, shall prorids 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 Surveyor and Count7 AttOmOy of the 

aororal aountlos of this atate, ahall keep 

th6lr offloaa at tha oounty *oats 0s tholr 

roapootlto oountlaa; provided, l ta. l + l l 

ulliols OTI, Rarloa4 Civil Statutes, 1968, 

madr as follon: 

l 8herlffa ahalL havo ohorgs an4 OOntrc+l 

.0r the oOurthouOo0 0s tholr raapotlte ocmntlos subpot to moh rogalatlona as tha aaamla a b no r a l ourt 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 dafined in the Ceaatltution and atatutos. LDBARS% CWXR 

T. JzLaaNo8 8s B. 1. 886t HOORE v. H3dm.Nm coumf 

8. T. 478; iL PA80 COUHTT t. XLAM, lob 83. ctd) SQb. 

e7a 

7ha sta tutes hava l loarly Uoflnad tb 

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 l uthorlty rested in the Oountloa.g 11 

Tn. JUN. 54s. 

Tram the oonatltutlonel provialona of the atatutoa quoted ebovo, wo hare aeon that the ooenty eordsl fonara* 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 

l xorolao juriadlotlon over all countr burlnose. 

It has been well-aatebllohed that the juriadlotion 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 l neo ea sa r y 

pub110 build1 

mea pub110 bn “ff 

au and that %oooaaar~.-pub118 bulldlngs* 

ldln&$a l eeantial for .tho eonduct of 

atriotly woounty buainesaa; and when mr02ag to office 

buildinga, it means pub118 buildings l aaantlal for houalog- tha offloea of oountf orrioora or agonolos. 

Wo bellova that tha propoaa4 bulldin 

in pur lotte? of roquoat la l *publie bull4 &(I 

d:ao~bee 

broa4oat aanae 0s tbs term. Se0 Opinion lfro. 6-1647 0s 

thla Qopartmont by Hon. &doll ~llllaam, A8alat8nt Attusoy Qeaoral, to .Ffon. Stonlaj TiamiIiO, Oounty Attorna 

lierrlaon Co-t oontalnlng dorlaltlons of publio bu i iding8. But w i' o not bellovo lt la a public building aocosaazy for tha purposes of eountr bualnasa wlthia the 

~UXT~OW 0f seation 7 0s k.rtioloa ES81 as4 X+08. 

x n l coo~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~ l rprnd or 

l ppropr ioountr a tr fund8 for purpo8*r uaauthorIse6 by 

th8 Can0tltution of rtatufq 1~. 

to ? l ‘IQp91@, Opinion Ilo. O-691 of thir 4qart- 

&8nt hold that th@ 001d8810a828’ ocmrt of tilT88tOa 

COUnty, f8Xa8, M8 without l nthorltr 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* oourt of b?arIon County, hur, 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 ‘without 8uthoritr to rxpond oountp run68 ror rh proteatiOn 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 proteotlon ror ruoh portiona 0r the oountyi ad OpInIoa 

Ao. 04001 of thir d8partn8nt held that th8 oaami88lomr8* 

ooitrt oculd not lagally make dOaatiOa8 to 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 l ppropriatIon 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 oplnIon the qyrrtion of rlmthar or not a Oorutt~ Oanmi88iO~r8’ 

ocprt ha8 the powm ati mthoritr to lease 0rri000 in 

the eamt~ oourthouw or a rounty building to 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 oountf oaumi8- 

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 mnl ml, to Honorable 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~Otioll 6ttMtioll 18 called t0 IrtiOl0 23120-8, TernOn' 

Asnotat8& airi StatUte8, authoritln6 th8 OOU.atJ O&l8iOMr8’ oourt to 10a80, rent or provldr 0rri00 8p606 

for thm l 6mlnl8tr8tIon or unomplopmnt relior and mm. 

69opecUm with Stat8 and To&oral r 8liOl getiolrrl f and 

&%iOh 5888, Ternon~8 Annotated Civil 

izing the 8ormni88iOner8' OOtUt and Oitp 00 

mlsrlon to l pproprIat6 non108 to p8~ noo888ary l xpon808 

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 l am8rated In your letter 0r roquwt. 

ft 18 am opinion, ad you am 80 l dTi8ed that 

th8 oOn8truOtiOn br the 8ountr OaP3lri88iOllOr8' OOU& of 

a ballding to hama Tfsriour &Ywrmmatal agonoI~8 8rrrP 

a8 the 00uat7 8g0at.8 0fri08, tb looal 0rri00 0r th8 

Agrioulture AdjU6thWt &d6bi6tl'8tiOn, the lOOa kttory 

of tha Texar Batlanal Quard, and other gov8rwatal 

l gMOf88-itOt oonnsot8d with 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 Annot8ted Civil Btatater, aab 

thr ropntr O08&88I0~8r8~ oOtUt ha8 a0 OOn.etitutiOnal 

or rtatutory authority to orPloP oounty fund8 for tha 

l notion OS moh a building. 
725 

boa. lolar L. @well, Pago l