OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

**GROVER SELLERS**  **ATrol?NEI CIENERAL** 

:ionorabls Alton C. Arndd County Attorney 3razoria County AAgletoli, ?Oxa6

**Dear**Sir: OpiZiOA 50. 0-6~+41

3033 pears ago, eetabCouty Library, whia3 haa dtivrlo;cd atiltrr large unit nith brafizk units at nt points throughout the county. One e branch libraries is located in Allin, Taxaa, an ltcoraorsted townin 3razorla County. Considerable interest has buen s?mwnby the people of Alvirr so tiiat tkiobranch of the library loaeted thare 288 becme one or tt;e aoat tipoortaut in tkrrlibrary or~anizatiotl, Upto tills tics a Itake-shift building, w;llcb is entirely inadeqpustr to house ttils unit, ha8 been used for library >urpooes at Alv~tn.

## 174

hon. Alton C. Arnold, pa&a2

“Do 

### the **parieral** 

### power8granted ths Comprtfdaloners’ court by tha statutes go so rer 50 to allow thu Court to appropriate l~oneySroglthe county Funds Sor the con$truotion or a branoh library buildihg when auc~ building is nacded in oohneotion nith t:ie library service in an inoorporatad town other than the County seat? Ths proDosed building iv111aoat in the mighborhood of two **or** three thouaand dollam.
*IS the Court has the authority to oonstruct auoh a build& **frora** County Funds, Is there a linit in tha asxxmt OSmor.oythat pay be expended upon suah e building?

“1 would alao llka to kow whati;sr 

### or not the appropriations say be .;.ladsSrou tLa Adfaloraia lhuul 

### or froi4 aoas other aounty fxA.*
Artlcls **1677,**Vernon’s kmotattid slvil statutes, provides as rouowi:

“The comiise1oners court of any coun.tp nay establish, -ainteln, andoperate within their reapectiva counties, county Sree libraries io the iSan&arand :iith t& Suhatio:;s preaorlbud in t!lia sitlts. The 5aid court skull 13130iiavo the posrer xx! autLor:ty to eatdblish in co-o&- eration with anotker coluhty or oo~untteaajoint free county library ;‘or tL:ebcn*Sit 0S the co-oparutlve oouhtiea.” Art, 1678 0r aold statute8 ia a5 roii03v5:

“The ooamiasiocara* court 0r any county i3ag eatabliah county Sree libmriea **for** Wet part of such county Lying ou-tsi;lo of the iccorgorated oitiea **arid**towna already ~intalnln~ free publio llbrariaa and **for** auohadditional parta oS auoh oountlea as mayelect to beoom a part oS **or** to partioipata in auoh oounty free library ayata:x. Gntheir ownih1tiative, or ahan petitioned to do moby a zaa,Jority OS.tke voters OSthat part or the oouhty to be airected, Said oourt ahall proceed to eatabliah acd provide for tfio -intanahca of mob. library aaoordlc& to tiw furt!:sr provielora of this title. The oouiltg library am11 bo located at the county seat in the court houaa
, unless ;lore suitable quarters are avallable .*

.P

!.: ‘.. 

## 175

**Lion. hlton**  **0.** Arnold, **wee 3** 

bst. 1685 or raid 8t8tutee I8 a8 r4im8t *Thelibrarian ehall endeavor to give anequ81 and oornglete service to all parte of the oounty thrOu&hbrenoh libraries and dspO8it etatlOn8 in eohoola and other looatiohe rheru suitable quartare maybe obtained, thus distributing printed matter, 

### booka, end othor

l duaetlonel !antter a8 quiakly ae oirowaetencee will permit. The oouhty librarian ehell have the power to aaka ruler andre~uletlone for th8 county free library, to eetablieh brenohee end etatione throughout the oounty, to dotermine the 

### numborend kind oi 

### l mployeee Of euch library, end, with the approval of the aom.ieeionere~ oourt, to appoint an4 dltiee eueh enployaee. The oounty librarian ahell, eubjeot to the generel rules adopted by the oomnIeeioners* 

### oourt, build up

### and mmage accordiag to accepted r%lee of library &ma+yiment, a library ror the psoplo 0r tb9 county ahd aball determine whet book8 and other library equiymcot ehall be purchased.*
Art. 1687 or 

### said atatutee Is in pert a8 follows:
*The oounty library shall be under the &eneral aupervielon or the oomraieelonare court.”
Art. 5, Sea, 16, of the Constitution of Texae, povldse in part 88 follows;

a.
. .Thd county cozxuieeioners eo cho#en, ivita the county judge, aa preaidiug **offiocr,** cm11 ooiipose the oounty oomieeionere~ oourt, which shall cxoroiee such powers end Juriediotion over all county bueineee a8 Ie oonferred by thie Couetitutlon and tile iaweor the state, or ee raayhereafter ba preeor1bed.v
The above quoted provieion of tiio Conetltutior of Taxes hee btrenoonetrued to meanthat the oomieeIonere~ oourt Is a aourt of liaited Juriadiotion and her no authority except xioh
aa is sxpraeely or Implledly given **under** the Constitution and the etetutee. Bland~v. Orr, 39Y. #. 55%; 2;~Parte Theme, 23. ft. [zd) 2701Madison county v. Uallaoe, 15 3. w, (24) 535.

Thle rule Is also stated in 11 Tex. Jur., Seaa, 37an& 38, pp564-566, 88 r0il0waaffoa. Altos C. Arnold, page A

4Co5iuI5eIohere* **courts** 655 oourtr 0r linitd JurIedlatIon, in thst their authority extends only to matters pertaining to the general ~eliare or their Mspeotive oouhtiee and 

### that their flw4re tareonly thoed expressly or ispli4dlJ confsmd upon the5 by lsw, - that Is, by the oonetitutioa and rtetutee or the stats.
*ThejurIsdIotIon of oonkvIeeIonere~ aourte Is 

### limitetl to etriotly *county bueineee,~ and **the** legfelaturo he8no authority to 

### l nlerg4 their power* 

### or juriediotIon. 4 **attempt** 

### to oonrer upon **the** couPt Juriadlotlon 

## 0ra setter rhloh I8 not *oowty buaIccea* 18 

### void. aouever, the 

### oounty oommIeaIonare~oourt Is th4 aotlve 

### goreming body

**0r** the oou&ty, with a JurIedIotIon thet touohre In somerespect 

### sheet evd-y feature of the oounty*e bu8in488, and t:.e court bee full andcenaral oharGe of the business af~aire of the oounty. Th4

### power of the oourt extends only 

### to euoh bueineee as Is entrusted to it by the constitution 

### or by the legIela ture; 

### end th4 legislature nag, LL it chooses, **comait**anetter ot oounty bueimee to comeagency other than the oomieeionere~ oourt. Thet4rm loouaty buslnese~ ehould b4 given a broaP and liberal conatructiun 80a8 not to defeat the ;urpos48 of the law. .khdIt 18 held that the co~mdeslon~re* oourts have iinplied authority to dowhat aey be neoeasary In t&e

### axerclee of the duties or powers 

### oouferred u,ponthaw,*
Art, 2351 of V. A. C. 3. provide6 In part as follows:
Veoh ComiseIon4re~ Court shalli

“

. . .

“7. Provide andkeep in repeir oourthous48, jails and all neoeeeary pub110buildings.*
Then oan be no question but that, uhder the euthorlty or the above quoted statutes, (Arts. 1677 1678, 1685 ena 1687) the oomaIesIon4re~ aourt aaneetabljeh a county frse library st the county seat in thr oourthoueo, unless aore l uItabl4 quarters ar4 available. It is also 014er Uat the county llbrarien, uudor the gencrral eupervlsion of th4 co%- tissio~4re~ oourt, is aur,horized to 4etablfeh branches and>“. 

## 177

!ion. Alton G.Arnold, pago 5

etstiooa of 

### said llbrarj tJ.woughout the uounty. ft 

### is provided in Art. 1685 that auoh branoh librorios and at&ions are to bel

atabUa&ed 

### inl



### ohoolaaad othar looatlona **where** 

### aultebla qtartara maybe obtsinrd, whioh, In our 

### opinion would inohde bulldin~a constructed by tie oocaalnalMrr8 t **aourt** for

l 

### uoh purpom, ff tha eoaatruotlon of ouch **hi&d** icg beccna oe6aaaary, ae a building oonotruotod ror 

### aSrsnoh librery is auoh pub110building oa la 

### referred to in the above quotation from

### Art. **2351**

### and ouah

### as ooaaeiwithin the generally aooeptad **deflnlnitiona**of *publio buildinga*, as set **out in**  **34 Ter.**  **Jur., 300.**  **2, p**  **2;**

“‘Publlo bulldings’ is o tern ordinari~ **used**to d8afgnate ouoh atruoturesas tko oapitol in the oapltol 

### @oMda ot Austin, iaoludl~ the dX4iOUtiVd auifLSiOfl,thd QariuU8 stat% dByhGk8, **oolhtjd** 

### of university buildings ereoted by 

### the State, courthoueoa andjails end other 

### buildhga ildld for publfo uaa by any deyertmnt or brscoh OS~oviirmmnt, state, oounty or mmiaipel. aut the word8zay have a broader or narrower wa,iiifigI the statute to be aonetruod and tt6) faota 31 ths particular case will be axmined in order to dctarmine whether **a** pertioular buildLag is o publio oue in **the** oirmmotanoea prusmtedrW
34Tax, Jur,, Sea. 8, Q**7**furt&rsr dctfli~ea **a yublio**  building aa tollowat

‘Tb taras ‘pub110 building’ and ‘publio grounda,~ wLt2G.u. tht, iaeanin& of tk;uea;eral statutes **havd** alrendy bedn defined (MO, 2). aut **socording** to the atatute, ‘The ip$oiffo
enuaera tion,

. , ahal, nat exolude other 

### buildings not mod, properly ooming within the meaning and.deaaription of a ;iublio building. ’ Thebulldlnga neadd - as, for dxaa~l8, county jails - 

### aro in toma doaiaatad *publio buildki~a.’ And any other building would seem to ooma

### within this dsflnitlon provided it 

### is **properly** shownthat 

### It la omed or amtrolled 

### andhold by pub110authorftlfio ror publlo we.*

### uoo. Alton 0. Arnold, pago 6

Them ir no quertlon but thrt 8 branoh library building fr a “pub116 

### bulldln&’ under **raid** 

### Rtstuter **and ruler,**  therefor@, tha only QW8tiOA 18 whether or not it 18 a "A8QBI

### sary” publio 

### buildin$. A "Aaoe888ry publio **building ”**  18one that 18588Onti81 iOr the ~rtiOUlar J3WpOSQinvolved, whiah, iA thl8 inrtanoa, 

### would br for the QLWQOSS Ofa brenoh Of a oolmty free 1iblwY. If the 009ari~8iOAes8' oOUl?ti8 Of the opinion t&t 8 balidin& ior ~thebrinoh fiibrary referred to 18 l neoe8a ary*

under the80 wlss, th@A it 18 OUTOpi5iOA thst it ha8 th8 pow8T

## to OOS%8tmOt ruoh buildi&&* isrl, db &Or **9** Ofthr COA8titutiOA 3f %3=8, ia 88 fO~O?sOl
"The State tax on prop8rty 8xolurive 

## or

the tax Asa888ary +npey the publio debt, and OSthe tax58 provided for tha bencflt of tha publio tree 80h0018, &ml1 ABQR~ **exwmd**thirtyrite oents on i&aor.6fiundrsd dollerv v~luntioc~ ttAdno oou.Aty, oity or tow shall levy more than 

## twmprive cents for aity 

### or oounty purpooaea, end not eroeed,ing fifteen osnts for roada and brldgss, andnot exoecrdlm fifteen oente to pay Jurors, on the one humlred dollar8 valuatton, sxospt for thr 

### payment of debt8 inourred prior to the adoption of the amentieent &ptambar 25th, 1883~ and for the ereotiw of pub110 buildfn~e, etrsets, se$wra, weter work8 and othar jsransnt iJnpI-3oeIilwltr,

### not 

### toexceed twsnty-five oentn on thb oas hundred dollar8 valuation, Ln **any one** **gear,** and exaept be ir in this Conatitutlon otsarwise **provldod** imy al80 authorito an add1 **and**the Legislatulr, tional aMua1 a4 

### valoresl t6l to be levied and oollsoted for the further maintenanos of thr pubifo roads; proridad, thet 8majority 

## or the 

## gwiri66 property tax-paging vcitar8 0r the **oounty**voting at an sleotlon to be held for that purpose shall vote #UO~ tax, AOt t0 eXOeed fiftWA NAtI on the one hundred dollar8 veluetlen of the property aubjeot t0 t8XatiOA iA 8UQhOOUAty. Andthe Legi8latUXe **rasp pssa** 

### looal lanr **ror the** ~aLatenano0 of the publio road5 andhighwayr, 

### without thr losal notiae **required** 

### for spolal or looal lawa.’

## 179

Hon. Alton 0. ~nold, 

### page7

Art, 2352, V. A. C. S., ia 88 follow8~
%&id oourt rhall here t3e power to levy 

### and oollaat 

### Btax for oountg pUl’~BcI8, AOt to azoaad twenty-file Cant8 on the On4hundred dollars valuation, and a tax not to sxoaed fifteen cant8 on the one hundred dollars valuation to ruppleaent the Jury fund of the OOuAtp, and AOtto axoead fift44A cants for road8 

### end brid&a8 on the one 

### hundred dollars valuation, except 

## iOrthepayment Of

## debt8inournd p.rl~r to the 

### adoption Or the 

### MNdSk4At Or th4 COiI8LitutlOQ, Sf#ptOt&er 25, A. 

### ih 1883, aAdfor the ereotion of publfo buildingr, rtroat8, 8awar8, water works and other permanent 

### iaproremente, 50%t0 exoaad tWeDCg-file OaAt8on the one hundrad dollars V8luatiOA iA any one year, 4Ad except a8 in the Con8titutioa otherwise provided. Theyasy levy an additional tax for ro8d purposes Aot to exoeed fifteen cents on the hA4 hundred dollar valuetion of the property subjeot to taxation, under the linitatlons and in the mannerprovided for In 

### Article 8, Sao, 9, of the Constitutior and in pursuance of the 113~8relating thereto.”
The last above cuotad provisions of tka Constitution of Texs8 aAdof the etatuta referred to authorize the Cotisslouera’ Court to levy taxe8 for the eraotion of pub110 buildiW8, 6traet8, oawars, naber rorke, ana otbr yoraanent lr3- gmwaraantrrnot to exoaad twar,ty-five aentr on the oA4 ;lundrtld dollars valuation, tha,fund oreated thereby being generally referred to a8the Peraanant Improveslant fund, You are advised, therefore, that if the oanmissioners~ oourt is of the opinion a building should be oonetruoted for the branoh library reiarrad to, it haa the **pwer** to levy 

### a **tax**

### aa a part of the Pemanant It4prolement ?uad in order **to** 880~8 fund8 with whloh to do 80, said levy to be **a** part of the tW%AtY-riV4 cant8 on the one hundred dOllor valuation authorized by **Irt.** 8, Sao. 

### 9

## 0r the Constitution and art. 

### 2352 of the Civil Litatutaa; or, ii there should be on handany fund4 Lnsaid Peraanent Inprovaolant Fundthat have bean levied and oollaoted without having bean apaoifiad for any partloular parnanent ltnprovanent, then the oomini88iotlera~ oourt haa the authority to use suoh fUAd8in the oonstruotion Of 8UOhbulldLng. Suohbuildin& cannot be 

### paid for 

### fro= any 

### ooiLntyfund8 Other than the r"smsnant Improvement Fund, 

### and the aiaount that 

### OaAb8 80

### Used iA within 

### the di~Or%tiOAOfthe oomaiaahxlrs~ oourt. The right to oon8truot 8uoh building, howtier, I8 further lfnlted by the pro~iaio~r of the oorrnty budget lea 08 follows;zon. Alton C. Amold, page 8



### Art.669a-9,V.A. 0,S., sovidar for the making sf the oounty budget, ana Art. 689a-

### L! proforiallr bhet no rrpondi

## turer or the funds or tie o oullty l hall thereaftat be ma0 

### taco@ 

## in atriot oonpllanae with the budget (18adopted by th6 Oourt6 It la furth%r grorldcd that amergenop 

### l rimalturos,
IA aaae of gravu i,Ublla neoesrIty, to meat ummua~ ana .uroraaeen oonditiona whlah could not, by reasonably dillgent thou&t and attentloo, have been lnnaludedIn the original budget Maey frost tim to tims be aUthOriz8d by tAo 00urt ar &nenbaenta to the original buidget. Thereion, it la our opinion that,
even if there are funds on handin the Partsanant Improremnt Bunawhiah aould be used to eonrtruat ruoh building under tha ruler or law haniaabova rar‘errad to, such funds aamat now bs used for ths oonstruotion of Said ~,Uildia& unL%s#aam were included in the county budget, .3r them nowOxintl the igave gublia r;eceesity eWve defined, authorizing the oounty budget to be enended 80aa to Lnoludr r*u&r for said bullding, wsioh is for the $oter&natlon or the oonilkLsaior.em* oourt, In the event it beaoma aroeseary to levy 83tax ror tho purgoee 31 conotructi~~ said bulldiilq,, said it&m8:louJ.d bd included fn tAe oounty bu&pt.

3s trust that thie setlaieotorlly answera your inquiry

.

Yours very truly )