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

Homrable D. 0. @reer State Hi&way Engineer Texas Highway Department AWtin, TOXW
Dear Slfr

as follow:

w that any mneyo tax oolleotor from oertifiaateof title, es neoeerary to the e duties requlrad of It10Aotj ehould be y Department for ate FKghwayPund~ Immediately bed tax OQlleOtQrS to remlt t any money8 regaining in their e end of the 1941 oalendaryear t 0r all neoesrary oiiioe empenseia, 8, 1941, we reoeired from tax 8um or &31,660&O. In the latter part of 1041 a suitwas filed by the UommN~ionerr CQtU?tOr Harrie County oonterrting the Stateva intereatrr

in any BUUW~~ remaining over aad above the expenses of administering the Title Aot by the tax Colleotor of Harris Oounty, and as a rwult Or this aotion, ,this Department reoeltsd%norable D. C. Greet Pam 8

from tax Oolleotors at the end of the lQII3oalendar year the sum of only $5,526.16. ThisDepartlapntia oow boldfng oheaks from tax oolleatora in the total oum or $27,llB.96, that has been reoeired iron tax oolleotork ln response to our dlreotlona that all aooaoyaremaining in their title tllndafter the payment 0r all expensar Or ad.alniatorlng theAot rar l aoh oalandar year be remitted to the Highway Department

. It 

### haanot bean depomlted in 

### the StateHlghway Fund 

### beoawe it was realized that the oourtamight poaslblg determine that the State had no interest in auoh **fund8** and it rould than be lmpooeibleto 

### return the fund8 to the county without the act of the Legl8lature.

* Will you pleaee advise uo what di8po8ition ohould now be 

### made of the above

### amntloned rundo by the HUhway Departma&LR Thi8 Department deliveredSO you it8 Opinion 190. O-3561 in May 1941, to tho offoot that any baluaoe or rurplua ovar neee8wry expenditure8 out of the 88# retalnedby the a88eawr and oQlleoter Of the oountywould not be oonridend roe8 or oodaaLon8 to be paid Into the Offloer#* Salary Food, or aooomted fQr aa fee8 0r QifiOO, but l hQuld be waltted to the Highway Deputmentr

In 

### the oaae’oi State ~8 Ql.888, 167 8. W. (Sa) tO6, the Oourt OS OlillAppeal8 

### at Oalveaton in it0 opinion aet out the itiding oi iaot and oonolu8lona 0r law Qt the trial oourt and then rendered two oeparate findingo. We qwte the 13th finding of the trial oourt a6 tollowat
“19. X find that, iigUr8d upon a peroentage baair, baaed upon the number of deputies in the offloa, the' ooat of adminiateriag the Oortlricate 0r Tit18 A08 ia Ekrris Goant)requal8 orl xoeed8 th8 SS$ retained by the AIu88Ol' and Golleotorotlt Oi the Certitioato of Title fe8srn
We 

### alao puQte iroa the same aplnlon the ~onolualona or law numbered 1 and S aa tollQw8:
"1. I wnolude a8 a IWAttOr of law that 00 fntOntiOn is ahown upon the part Or the Legislature., by theg6norableD. C. **Greer** Page 3

language of the aaendnmnt Or Seotion 57, 0r the CertlfiOateOr TitleAOt, t0 reqUir0 the A88emQr and Colleotor o? Taxes to aooouat to the b-to Highway Department tar any aurpluawhloh might remain Inhis hMd8 frQI?I the 2S# ice retainedby him, and that it was the intention a? the Legislature that l uoh ice 8lu3uld

oonatitute a fee 0r of?ioe, or orriaial aoapensatfon, o? theA8aeaaQr and Colleotor.
"3. I iurther oonolude that the sentenoe in Seo. 61 Art. 16 Qr the Stat0 CO&3titUtfQa, VO~OncO AM. St., **reedln&;** *AU fee8 earned by di8trlot, oounty and 'preolnotofficer8 

### ahall be paid into the county treaaurywhore **earned** ior the aooountQ? the proper 

### mad*, indieatea an intention

### that all rOO8 0r every 

### aharaoter oolleoted **by** a county otiioer oiiloially In oountieehating a population Q? twenty thowand or more rhall baoom rOO8 0r QrfiOO, **and** that the ottioer i8 limited to his salary

### a8 oompennation, $nd any feea oolleotedby him o??lolally mu8t be 

### paid Into the oountydOpQ8itQry as direoted **by** the oonditutional provi810n.” The Court o? 

### Civil Appeal8 on page 201 of the G&00 Opinion held that the new duties to the @ubllo generally (andnot a8 Han Friday to the HighwayDepartment only)were **thus iaposod**  by the lawmaking body **upon** the appellee only in hi8 oiifoial oapaoity a0 tax a88esaorand oolleotoro? Earri8 County and prooumably within the **already** exletin& **oonatltutioual** powers Or ouch an orrfoer. **Following** thl8 tinding we quote:

"(lo) This oonclu8londetortineathe merita ot the Highway Depurtment*O appeal,beoauae, under it, that appellanthad no interest in the fund here involved; aooordingly, it is not deemedneoesaary to at length pa80 UpQa it.8 other contention agin8t the 8UffiOienQy 0r the erideme to euetaln the oourt*~8 ifnding that the 

### ooat o? administerin@ the Aot to the appellae equaled QC oxoeeded the 2S$ 

### lee 80 retained by him.

### 0 *~woweverl no hOk Or OUDpO~ rOl: VU&t ri&kd~~



### on tb 

### iaota 18 ~ereeivod--it 

### appearbaa to bore 

### beon at lea& l perrlaaible 

### lnfennoo iron all the taota and oiroumatanooa in e~ldenea.

a The 

### appealed-from Jadumn8 wtll be Inal1 other reapeeta affirrd, but l8 to it0 

### allowaaoe ofltOo rnay*a

r oe8 to tho l

ppelbe It rlU be 

### revaraed, an6 tbe ertire 

### oattaoan to attorney'r 

### Seer will **ba** here **rendered** l dvezaely to Elm. 

### *Afiirsed in part, reveraed 

### rml nndered in part.* i,’

. ft will 8e aeon from a uraful madin of the 

### Olaaa Caae 

### tbatZhaCourt of Civil Appeal8 hrld two thin&a, that is, 

### tlrrt, that the Rlghway 

### Department hadu?iakreat in the toad beeauae Sk tax 

### ColUater and Aaaeoau 

### be aot it@ agant bat 

### was rreth::liiooaiormenae to hi8 **duty u**  **a publio**  **offlei~l** and She aneya eolleoted were 

### Seer or oifloa an6 it war sot 

### ne6eaauy to poaa at len((th uponany **other** emtantien~ and 880ond, there **waa**no lack ot wpport for auah riadla(l Oi iaota **peroolve6** 

### la the **rooord,** 

### it ap~#ulngi to 

### have been at 

### lm8t a permlaalble 

### fnrereaoe 0s 

### all the raOt8 an4 

### ofrcunuturooa in nidaaoa. ltoa thla 

### 4ari~alon cr Dim**Court** 

### of cltsl AjBpoaU, tha 

### State or ruaa made l 

### ppllaatloa ror writ of error to &ho supreme Coptt 

### aad ralasd tlmpoint that the iindtng t&it the o oaEa

or ldp rlai*tu

Yna **the** 

### aot **fn** 

### Barrio County qtia or l



### soeoda the 

### L&Irota **d bf**  the CoUeotor aid OS l uoh Seoa 

### aa **oonatrued by**  tba Court of 

### Clvll ippmla wa8unoorta\lnto 

### the e%tem 

### aa to afford no 1e8al support torl uoh 

### eonelualon of law aad 

### jobgment **breed** 

### thueoa. In **the** applloatioa. the 

### other pelnt crierror 

### a0 to tbr eomtruotioa 8eatIon 5B **ot** the 

### Certlrloata **of** TlOle kot was 

### al- ratred.

ma ~upruao Uuwt rreruud the 

### welt or error fos we 0r rurit.



### ikale 40$ of tire

### &ha of 01111 Proeddwo prwldoa that ia au W8Q8 W&W0th0 $&IOOnt Of t&O COwt Of civil icppeelrr 18 a oorreot one Wt the L;tUpreae Ceuti la net oatdefied that thou oginloa of 

### the Gourt 

### of Clrfl Artper la 

### aU raapea0a hrr eorreetly 

### de&wed the 

### bw, Itwill retaam**Ronwablo R.**  **C. Grow**  **.YwJ4 5** 

th; a~&l8Otion with 

### the t¶OOkOC not&ion; "hfu80d lot tant of Merit .*
The JURr@E@ court has no 5uriwuotian PO to the **faote** of **the** 

### oaae,when there ia a **dl8pute. Riohardaon**  **va** 

### LibertyIadep6mWt 3abol 

### Dirtriot39 6.w. (zd)am.

**xt** do88 not 

### roiiw **the** 

### th8 crupru~ c0e 18 0Ot0f 

### ooncr8moAwith the iaot 188~08. The saprem court detaria88 VhOther thaw8 18 a lOgel 8aifioi8noy to #upport u fi~luiry. YH Ga1v.*ton H. & ti.A. BY. co. V8 nrrrioca Greowf co. 36 6. b. I%d) 905, US 3. 6. (64) 6@3, afflrting 1s if.a. 61~4 In that oaai3 It wee held; 983,



### *A8wo oOn8tPUo 

### thooplnlonOf DhO Court 

### of civil @pcLL8, thatoourtdo08 uot 

### Wort8k8 to rub8tltuto ltrrlndingrof feet ior W findingief thr trial **court, but** **aordp** 

### oonetruad tbo **log81** 

### l **fr00t Of**  **t.hq** evibao~, oon8l6er.d ae a rholo, an4 hold, a8 a arttai 

### of lav, that the 

### marf

c o. *aa the 

### l gw&t OS theR*ilwy co. ad 

### not ltbble 

### for the #hlpPrtit or ~048 brrtro+ by 

### rir0, on6 theroiorc, revorwl ma6 rendarod the 08~80. Thir ruling five8 the iiu~mmr, Court the parr 

### tomvi8v tha l viaonea.~
fn the aale of zuith VI **AtOht8On T.**  **& 8.**  **1. B**  **Iw8 9.**  **t. 690,**  

### tbo **ctap3rma Court**  he16 that the Cart of Civi E @pealm having mdo Ciudlnm of hot that dofoet rroovarf, it 

### wa8nooerury **that** the **oras@**bo **rowid&** for another trial.

Tha Cortltio*to of Title aot of MSQ, doftm$ the torna V0parta8nta urd plaood th8 

### adaiat~tratlon an6l **rnror00-** 

### was or **the** 

### Irw isa **the** Ropartm8nt

### of Publio mfetr mB proridod **its** riehtr and dutlm in reapoat thareto~ Pad ruthorised thr **8ai4** **d*partmwit** **to p~OWib0**  **llW888*y** **;tOX%uD and**  **CO IS&a**  rulea neoerrary to 

### etfeotuato**the** law; al promorib& tho dutle8 of the deaigoatod a&a&8. Hmn 

### this law wan aaandod by t&e lQ4i h618lrrture, the XUghay Dep8rtmmt oi 'Paa 

### toak over the function8 of the IIopwtmnt of Public i%afetf, but th. provi8lon8 In the oti&wl ii6t 

### withroZca-es to 

### the laatterra above numt~iouod 

### wra not obwigrd.Bonorrble D. C. Creer Pa$e 6

**In** vlaw or **Huh of**  **Froaaduro 80.**  **485, tbo**  rerusal 0f the nit of error ror want 0r 

### eRrit is 

### oAp6bh of the OODetruction that tha **ame Was**  refuesd **bOOaU88 the**  **judgannt upon**  thO faot ieaua at arproditureof **SUOh** auas by the oolleotor **WI)8 OonaluSiVI,**  and that the **Court** WaS **not** 8AtiSfi.d with tho Court ot CivildippeAl hoMing on the **amttsr of**  aganoy **of** the Coll8otor. The order srrde by tbr OluproaaCourt is ll80 sapablo of thO oon8~truOtloa that the writ **wan rorurrd**  booau8e tha oourt wee 8etiSfie0with tho Court of Civilr~~8818 holding on thO qua8tion of 

### agenoy and 

### that it **we-8** ROt 8at~8fie6with raIsranO0 to **tbo** JUd$meMi Upon tha iPOt i#sUO Of OXpOQAitUrO Of SUOh SW by the 00118AtOr in the 4dAilIiStrAtii.A Or the Act AS b8iw OOAcluBlra.

In tho **li@ht Of**  **Vhat WS**  hRV0**raid,** the QUOStfOB **Of ttAa**  ~t6t8'8 **lateroUt in**  **be&llOoS, attat**  **hOal** 

### l **X~nditU?O# ha10**  boon **pAI,** 3&S not bwn dofinitely **drteEmiB#d** by tho &l&UOU COtart,

mb thr dOO181On O? th. OOUm Of civil &QOe18 68 **to** ruoh aattare l

b0uld not **h aoaaptad**  (LS tha law gororniag thO
**aammr** to your lnwtlr~.

til fund8 **bO&n6in$** to the Bi@weJ DepRTtMOnt er8 dOpOSi&Odvlth tha Stat0 ~ea#UrOr t0 tbo OrOdit Of a SpOOi81 fr&fd &eRi(ClutOd au the bitat **Hi&Way** ?uOd and paid 6Pt l oOOtb- * toArticle

6494.

Tbr **6bOVO** h&St n8-d StatUtO aad **UtiOl.8 6678**  **t0** 6694 **iIl81PSiV0, Of**  **the Stf&tUt88**  **mko it**  **ap&uWOnt** thet, subj.& to oontrol by the ~&iSlAttlFO, th# **Stat0** Bi&WR~ Dapartmmt **i8** glvon **the** supenlsion of the tit&to Iii&way Fun4 and 8nl lxpcmdituror thsreot **618**Was held lI2the QaSO **Of Bobbin8**  **V. lho**  **StOR8** cOUlltJ,da.~. **916.**

Th8 Stats Troaeury lr the AO~oeltor~ of ttm fuads. TexAs Co. v. kiohrlewer, 38 3. 3..

ha. 141‘ error **refused.**

**It 16**  **our** opiaion **that the**  chOOk8mrutlonod **by yea**  #ho&d be turned **over** to the **&At8** '&OeSWOr.

YOU8 very truly,