### WC-t 13, 1949

Hon. Y. E. Oates County Attornoj yalker county ~Buntsvllle.

Texas 

### Dear sir:

followa: Opinion No. V-882
Re: Compensation

of the 

### ahsriff **of** 

### Udkor Qounty.

Your requeet for an opinion is, in p8rt, 8rn

"1. **flV8** S.B. If the Court ahould allow the twentyper cent incroa8ea8 provided for in Ro. 

### 92,would it in any way 8ffoct or repeal the twenty-fiveper'oeat, already allowedunder S.B. Ho. 123, above.referI'ed You will notion that under S,B. Bo &n Seotion en: It. #rovide8thit the ix+ orease would be twenty-five per cent **of** the au111 allowedimdsr the law for the fiscal year of 1948; and, therefore,the Court deeiri8 to ~know

whether or not Secti@ one of , S.B. Ro. 92 repeal8 S.B. 130. 123, and whethor the officerswould be entitled to both iacrearer?
“2. Is your an8wer to question one rppllcable,.*o Section t-0 of S.B. No. 

### 92,with reference to deputies,asslrt~ntsand olerke? 

### 93.'Section threii 0f'S.B.~

Ho. 92 provide8 that those paid on salarybasis, shall be paid on twelve equal installments of not less than the total emountWider the law of the flsctil

year of 1935, and not more tha the leaXim= 8= allowed the OffiC8rr under the laW existill& On Aujglst



### 24, 1948, tog&her 81th twenty-fiveper cent if the Court feels authorizedto allow the twentyfiv8 per oent. You will notice that this iricrease

may be allowed to officerswho were on a fee baaia laet year. I notice that the total alilount allowed in.1935 la 'specified

in Art. 3883 which provides the *

,Hon. MO EL ~Oate8, page 2 (V-882)

base pay for 00 per fpy-, the County officers it (2&00.-

and Art. 3891 provides 5n 8ub- , <-.

.

8tAllCe that On84hird Of the bXC888 fees may be added to the #2;2icoO,OO, Therefore ;E;x;eriff at that time was&lQwed~ #3,~-

.

However under S.B. HO. l23,,the Con&;ioner~e Courthad authorityto increase the offloerr ralary (aherlff) .tw8ntj-fiveper cent. Th8refore in 194.8 the sheriffwas entitled to the maximum fee of $J750.00,and his fees for 

### 194.8aounted to a littlemore than #3750.00. 5.8. Bo, 123 Is an emendmentto Art. 3891.

.Art1~108 3883 and 3891 provide the mailmum ,: fees for offioers end were l naoted:ln 

### 1933 b7 the &.h Legislature. Thor&ore I think that the rlnlmum salary to.be paid t&,8herifi 18 not lb88 thaa #375&o@ **and** if th8. Conaalrsioner~r

Court desired,thq are a&horleed to Increase that raount 25$ or the 8~8 allowedunder the law of th8 flro&

1948 which would make a total of The COUrt d88ire8 an an8wer a8 ' t0 theriniruaaZidIX~f888thatm8fbe allowed the rheriff;a8 he will **bo** paid l 8a1al7 and not **Seer.**



## ‘4. A8 f COMtIW8'.ih.**l&W** thb 8heriff &ould par the Se88 that he has earned and collectedto the County lhasurer who till place the a8me in what may be specified Officer~8 Salti Fund,.' Should the rher-, iff'e fdi8 not be 8uffi6ientto pay hi8 calargmonthly a8 it beoaor &Ie~, Out of what fund wonld the ofiloerabo l uth6ritad to make tha defldlentp8yment to complete %;TFonthly an+ **annual** 8alary of the Thorthe 1940 *l%% ~%~~ ?I,' @%%t%~~?i~~ county officers In 1948 were &mpensated on a fee baals. Themfore, the caapensatlonof the sheriff In 

### 1948 was governedby the provisionsof Articles 3883 and 3891, V.C.S.) a8 amendedby S.B. 123, Act6 of ti. 

### 49thLegislature. Under the above mentionedprovi8lonsthe-iaxm sompen8atlonof the sheriff of Ualker Countf tie $3750 (~3ooO~.plam

4750 incream allowed under Y.B. 1231,

_ . . nHon. Y. E. GAte8, page 3 (V-882)

Section 

### 61 of ArtloleXVI of t&e Conrrtltutlon of Texas aa amendedprovide8 that It shallbe **mandatory upon**  **the** Commissloners~

Courts of~thisState to oompenratethe sh@riff,deputy mheriffe,constables, deputy conatable8, county law enforcementofficer8 and prrcinot law enforcement offlcera on a 8alaryb&818 beginning January 

### 1,19499. AttorneyGeneral Opinion PO. V-748, According to the Snots prerated, the Conmiisrioners 1 Court of Walkor County hae placed the county officer8 (otherthan the **County** Connai88ionsrs

and ahoriff) ona fee b&818. Section 1 of SOB. 

### 92,Act8 of the Sl8t Legilk lature, provlde8:

aSeotlon 1, The CO-i88 iOMr8 COW% in each county of this State I8 hereby authorized,when in their judgmentthe flnaucial condition**of** the county l ud tbo needs **of** the officer jurtifythe inoreaae, to entrr an order lncrearingthe compensationof the precinct, county 8nd districtofficera, **or** either of thorn, in au additionalamount not to exceed twenty-five (25%)per cent of the sum allowedunder the law-for the fiacal year of 1948,whether paid on fee or salarybasis; provided,however the m-bore of the Coami88ioners Courtmay not raise the aalarles-of any of such Commireioners Court under the torm8 of thim Act without ralring the s~alary of the remaining oounty offlclal8 ln Uke proportion.w.
In construingthe above quoted provlslons it was held in AttorneyGeneral Opinion Ho. V-864 that the Commiralonera~

Court was l

uthorisodto Increasethe compeneationof Its oounty offloials in an additionalamount not to exceed twenty **five** per cent of the amount allowed 

### underthe law (in the instant came, Articles 3883 gld 3891, V.C.S. as amended)for the fiscal year 

### 1948. In view of the foregoing,you are advised that the Comais- (donors'Court of Walker Countymay allow an increase In the compensationof the shePlff in an additionalamount not to l

xoeed $937.50 (25% **of** $3750). In other word8, the increase &lowed under S.B, 92 ,I8an additionallncrease over aud above the increalre alloved in 1945 **by** S.B. I23 of the 49th Leglelature.

Section 2 of 20. 92 provldee:

.’ ‘

.Hon. Y. E. Gate8, Page 4 (V-882)

*The Comi8sloner8 Court In eaeh eouaty of-thisState is hereby authorized, when in their judgmentthe flnanolalcondition of the county and the **needs of**  the deputies, a+ sietantrr

and clerk8 of any district,oounty or precinct officer justifythe Inerea8e,to enter an order increasingthe compansatlon of any such deputy, 488frtant or clerk in 8n ad-

. dltlonalamount not to exceed thirty-flvo (35$z> per oept of the sum allowed under the law 

### for.., the flical year of 1949." Since Section 2 ooniaina 8ub#taI¶tiAlly the 8ame languageas Section 1, the a8m rule of law la applicable to deput$ea,assistant8 and clerk8 a8 well as count7 md preoinct offloors,

Section 3 of S,B, 92 provides:
*All of 8wch offiaerawho were paid on a **fea.brsis** duriiag the ffacal year of 1948, and~who are now to be **paid** on a salary baala, ehall be paid an annual salary In twelve (12) equal installment8 of not le88 th8n the total sum earned a8 oompensatiion by hU in his official aapaoltyfor the fiscal fhr of 1935, and not more than the maxfmrm 8m allowed ruch **officer** under the lawo exi8tlng on Au&prt % 1948, togethorwith the twenty-five (25 j par oent Increase allowed by this Aot within the discretionof tha Conmieslonerr

Court.' Since the sheriffof Walker County in 1948 w&8 oompen8atedon a fee basis atid in 1949 has been compon8ated oti

a salary basis (SOCK 61 of Art. XVI, Const, of Texan) the maximum and rlnimum ralary of the sheriff i8 rixod,by the provisionsof Section 3 of S.B. 92, You are theriforsadvired that the rherlff of Walker County is entitled to a 8alary of not lenr than the total 8um earned as conpensatlon"4 hia in hie officialcapacity for the fiscal year 193 * You are further advlaed that the maximum compmmtlon Allowedunder the law is &,687.50 03750 POW $937050).

Since the Commiaaioners~ Court of Walker County has placed its county 8nd precinct officer8 (0-r than county commlasioners, sheriff and constables) **on** a "fee* bA8j.8,

Walker County ie not governedby Section8

. .Eon. Y. E. Gate8, page 5 

### (V-882)

**ft** and 5 **of** Article 

### 39126 aud therefore**does** not have an Offlcers~ Salary Fund." Seotion 61 of Article IV1 of the Constitutionof Texal require8the sheriff to pay into the County Trearury 8ll **fees** earned by him. Since **Walker** Countyha8 no **"Offioersf** Salary Fund," the salary of the 8herlff rhould be paid out of the-general fund.
**SUMMARY**

Senate Bill 

### 92,Acts of the Slat Leglslature,flxee the minimum 8alary for-the eheriff of Walker Coupty at not leas than the total sum earned a8 compensation by hL In hi8 official capacityfor the fiscalyear 

### 1935, and fixeehis maximum salaryat not **more** than the maximum sum allowedhim under 

### $;s~;;;~g=&qyt 24, 1948 P~"P25Ff.

The Increaseallowed the county and precinct offlcor8under the provisionsof Senate Bill 92, Acts of the slat Leglslature, is aa additionalIncreaseover and above the Increaseallowed In 

### 1945 by the rovisiona fi of Senate Bill 123, lots of the 9th Legislature. Section 

### 61 of Article XVI of the constitutionof Texas requiresthe sheriffto pay into the County Treasury all fees earned by him, aud alnce Walker County has no "Offlcora'Salary Fund," ths salary of th8 sheriff should be paid out of the general fund of the county. Your8 very truly, ATTORWEYGXERALOFTD3S

.