OFFICE OF THE AI7ORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Ronorabla ii, L. Van&burn 

county &lAltor 

Barrls coulit-# 

Rourtcnr, Tesus 

tear Slrr oDlu1onx0. &A 40 
Honorable ii. L. Vashbum, Page ? 

of tb ?IaYi;ratlon Dfatrlat, it8 buuirrsa8 and 

faaiutlaa, ana am authorisad to $x-ascriba 

their duties and flz theiF ocmponaatlon. 

Pursuant to íth ll s tatutolrJ a uth0r ix athe t1 o m 

Xavlgatlan Comm~Loaor~ from tims to tinrs 

authorized 6ho svvclatnmt aaa emvloymmt 

of perg0.m oonriaema mc8rsw to di0ui-g0 

the auto of tb poal8ioss oreatea. SUCh 

OrdW i5~iY deglfgIS6e the pOSitlO& the 

nma of the prrroa anointed. SIUI the salary 

to ba paid frca tba fuada of tha Xav2gstloa 

Dlstriot. wittell coatraotr of ellQlopnont 

rlth oertdn sxcopblo~ sot iafilnent to 

tha quastioM hmwnafter to be iwopmnae& 

have not been used. TLm Dlmotor of the 

Port, 0~ th8 Supertitetidsot, 6a the cage 

pay *, has as a general rule crerelq ppcwd 

oertain sbmtmaa t4 ocoug~ ceHaln posltkma 

ot spec1Plcid ratC)II, purgu.ant to aefinlts 

orOar of tho Xaoigatloaa Coomlrsloaers sot 

alt ln tha amAtoll, aaa thla oram ana oe. 

~1OyIzm tan8 omstitutea the aontraot of 

‘employment. Such cantract dn not embbrurce 

any C~IIPtiED. other than th0 E1omy for 

vhkh a 8~alfio rate ii, ffmd. 

"For mm Clue gast Ski0 Xwigatloa coptmisu0mr.g have agth0rma the tming or 

mtracto lq Zbo Ulstriat for hospital aerv1~04 for Its 6~lo)ro~. foF drugs, and for 

Etsaifa ftttmton. tn.10~ hay9 pmviah that, 

unasr the dlmotloa of the phyaiclaa 80 acatraatea vith, the ew&3yee8 &all rooaIv0 

hospltalltatlon, m& h U l tt~tio& 8nd 

mdloinss. a nd h a Ye indla ded 6hWOin l Wb ~- 

tio a em!areolng s x-ray vicfurra, uamlnat1oa 

0f O~O, furnbthing of gbg808. snd mttfiy 

slnflar item. Ploasa b6a.r in mind that 

thesa contraotli nre -de d2reotlr beturrn 

tha Dlatriot and tho hospital, th8 aoator, 

the dmq store, 0na a0 forth, but that no 

OiXSraCt 1s lrad0 Vith-th~ emg& 

maioar attention at thm time 7 0tha employ008 iOr auoh 

mnt of gw-mas to operate tha Dlatriat. 

Such daployiaent CoatPbOta only Indicate 
Bonorable 8. L. Uaahbaum. ?ase 3 

the CompmaatItmto bo paid InmmJy. 

"19sm ham aw arlsm a oartom uheroby 

tha mwloyea8 apply ior nsdioal atOe3atlonI 

hor~1WlaatIon, 00 Aruga, vithout previom 

aim08 armngwmat vttb mch employee, and 

ouch Ituw am alag furaitid at the roln 

l xpttnso of tha Xarlgrtlom Diatrlot ln nAAlt1an to tha ngre.A oomguuac1oa. Furthrrnom, the &rmag~tl 80 made aRA tha oxplndItuma onbhurof auahQaQloyeea m?o 

maa0 aad lnourmd ark? tha paPformuloe of 

rervIoea and u1thotit 1laitat10n of amount. 

I ha**-anA4avoroAlooaUy to aooertaln ib 

oomet prlnol9lea of UV to apply to thla 

rittlatioll, it being my caatoatlon that if 

It be aanoaAul tha Xav&gatIon Dlatrfct bsa 

authority ta make axplqmonta asl fls tho 

conqnnsatloa for t&m sarvI.oea to be psrformA at a AaoigaatoA salary 0na nnr$ at 

that tlnie enter late a ooatraot vlth such 

elKp1oyoeu to furnish him in aaditioa them 

to the psdlcal 'attuntion refermxl to, cer 

'Uialy auah Dlotztet cannot lelf2ly m&s 

an~mploymiu&tmA later ~amlshbahadAItlcaal Itemm aftor &ho trio-• OF awvIoea. I coatuad tha Oiatrlot 5s~ at lta 

option eater Into a oontmot vlth ita aaployees but aucb aantrsct muat ttr tha 

#cops of roch nedha& attentlan mui horpitallratiaaanA&fi.nmJl~ umit~ aRmat, 

vhIoh llaitation noosaoarIly nxut be reaaanable. Phls pati OS the aaPtmat al tmpbytanrat la in addittoa to that fixing tba canpensatIanlnmon8yb 

"Claim8 for profaroloml eervioes. 

medical attentlom, hoapIt8lIze+tloa, ambulance aervioe, amming, aad like 80~11~88 

for tha past tvelve moatha hare opproxLIlvrtu4 

$4,000 Vith Dl'WliN3Ot8 iOll bOZM880. 

'ma matter hag, thwdom, 888-a 

pruportlom of lmportanae. and I Aeslrs to 

pwsont for your canold6mtl0n the fcllovlng 

queat?cm.at 

. 
Eonorable H. I.. Vashbwn, Page b 

9. aa8 tha Xmrla County Havlgatlon 

Dlatrlct th right to ftwalah p6dioal atteatioa. hospitsllutloa. Axqga. eabulance aarvice. aaa llko rorvla.8 to It8 tPplO76IIS in 

l cldltl~ to aalarlso to br pald tn moam7 fop 

tb p8d0m0 0f that2 authd 

"3. Xf tha Harrla Cauatr Xart6athxa 

MatHot ham such r:zlit, must the rloa%gxatlcn 

0f ~ailrtea aa provl3Imus roe such i+3aicjL 

and othcw attention (osrvlcsr) be Dids in 

advance of or at t& tIm3 o? tha aqlo7mnt'P 

“3. If both of tha foFugoIug quertlont 

am anauerdd in the aEflnmtlve, uuet the 

order or oootraot of -lopent plocc a lfmltatron both upon the acne7 ooapenratlon and 

Um added sllouanco for asdim dnd other 

ettt3ntlon? 

“4. If tho Rarris County Havliiptlva 

DlstMot C.wsaI8atoxmro aah an amplopmat 

and &tmQnato 0 *ala-y oaly for a poaitlvn. 

am f mthoritea thumafter to approve myzamta for medioal attontfon ena other allaiL%- 

sexvices abwa deaoribed, vhlch am not au+ 

thorSteA until 8rtar thm rmrtormaacf4 of tha 

atm~cbe and witha7t llmitatlon of aacuntt" 

As stated ln 701~ letter, it vlll be noted that the 

Harris Count7 mvigatloa Dietrict vaa eotablished by virtua of 

3ctSon 53, Artlole XII’ of the 6tote Conotltution end Chapta~ 

i3. Tit10 128, Vernon'o Annotated Civl$ Ststutoa. 

We have ctxznaidemd the oplnlonn of Hcumr8blo D. A. 

SinnnopS, &tlMUSl cOW3BOl fOF th0 &lFPiB C3UZlt7 -qlLtiOll -airtr?ct; Eowrablo CoarsJ. 3. Landram; Azs:stnnt DlaUMct Attomoyl 

and Ronomble h’raest A. Knapp, Attorney for Elarrla Count?, ooplea 

vi vhlch worn attaohod to pur lnquby. Theme 09rnFons have 

aided us ln rvachlng Qur comlualon ia this o~inifm 8a6 V8 thaak 

yvu for Curnishiag UB vlth the aallna. 

Tha Xarrla Cvuat~ Xtnvlgation Disriat is a political 

~ubdlrisloa or thr. Stats, aromSsing s part or the aorsmlgxa 
H0norabl.e 8. L. Vahk~urn, Fasge 5 

poveaw of tba Stak rod Lo sot simply a publia or qruoi pub110 

corporation lilco 8 COQIQO oarHer m GsDsl and dock aomntions. 

swtaiaiag this pm~oalfion u4 alto the caaa or cuehart f~. 

Braros alverlbrbor Rovigation DLatrlot, 42 3. U. (2d) 96. Aloo 

the aeae of Cnrpentm ~8. Arroyo-Colondo Rooi6ation Dlstrlat of 

Caauma 0ndWilaon Cwatler, ill 3. U. 922 end t&w authw1t1eo m4ntlonmd in thwe UaMb. oene rJ 2d) 

ly rpaaking aarlg8tlon 

dlutrlato l ra arnantlelly pklitiaal subdltitiano or tha Skco. 

They a-0 gov4mamntel 84mnaie0, bodies polltfa and aorgorato with 

the pwar to sxeralor tiw fit&to. privil4gra uul RWI)N aonhmd 

upon them by ki.0~. Th4y era mntmklly tnat4d a0 murioiwl co* 

porationa irr t&a 04ns4 thatthoyar4 aaxulzmdto deaafto gaographlCdl I&IWO, CUUi h8V4 PO C;OVOtZUMnt~ PWWO tWOid Of t&31 

and oubjaot to *%a0 maso d.08 uo apEXled in 0~~1~lng at t&a pev0x-s or oo~tleo sad altl4o. Constttutloa of Taxea, Article 16, 

Seatian 592 Zdmmlar Tn. CIrltoa, 296 3. V. 1'5731 8alrLqoo vm. 

Canaroa Caunty V&tar Immwteat M8tFFct. 25 3. Y. (24) 651, 

Baxsr County ~8. lbdfaa-AUoaaaa Countlea Vater Ispmvmaant Dlotr’lot vo. St+& ?l 9. w. (2d) 717. _. 

ft %a'& wll eatabllobad prixmiple of &u that tba 

county ccmaisoiafroro~ cmztc say axrreisr 0dLy such pm00 aa 

eq3mos4 OF by nt~aeooary iorpllcatian gl.ven to aal4 courts by 

the Constitutral OrId atatutos. Thie prlrxlple Lo 80 well eotabllalrsd lrnd time4 ara 60 mny curtharltioo supporting the oaan. 

ve &am Ct tmne<tsro~ to c:to any oi auah authcwlttcl8. 2Zmroion. ve think that a nevlg*tioa diotrlct is eahjeat to tha ml4 

that It mm be author:tod by atatnt4, 4lth4r 4xprooo1y OF by 

lmpllcaticn, to sxomio! 4ny atrthwitf 02 pov4r vhich it do48 

eremios. 

Articlrs 8227 ead 8245, Vorncn'a Ammtatad Cirll Statutes, au"&rfte tha cuaalaolsumrs of nevfg.atWn clIot~loto to 

epsploy fnmh %laostaat eqgisroem sad other esa&syees *a say b4 

neaemtery, paying ouah crni@maatlan aa they may dmtexafm, end 

thet aaid aoaiasl~aam an fwthw nuthwtsad to eprolar aounool 

to njwonant auah dfrtriot ia the preplwtloJI af w oontmot. 

or the canduotiag of an;l pavmediwg in or out oi oowt, en4 to 

&IO Um legal advloer of the cem8lsolanem.o~ auoh term and Par 

such leer ao aaf be agreed upea by them, and %o emplot l uoh persona a8 th4y dm3o cmoesoery tw the aano~matlon, wtnt4wnoo 

snd operatlatr, and &velo@s8at af the nmigatlaa dlotrlot, It8 

bur'aos, Dautlitlsm, ~reoaribe their duties and fix their tompan5atloa. Ew4v4r. them la no speaif'i4 pmviolan of tha 8tatutes which authorfteo a nmY%gatfQn di8trlat to fncw modfo8l 
nonorable H. L. Yashbura, Page 6 

*It lo a gener81 rule or judIola1 oonatruotlon that even a normal nunioIpa1 aorPOratiOa haa only ruoh iaplled pavers am are 

reasonably neceea~ to make l ffeotiro the 

pzren upr.884 grubted. mat 10 to cry, 

euch as arm indispeaeable to the tloaland 

objeats of the aorporatioa and the accom9lishnwnt of the purposea of its creation. Pavers 

vhlch are not expreaaod aad whlah are merely 

convenient or useful may not be lnoluded and 

cannot be malatalned. Furthermore. vhere 

povera are granted to a~nmiolpality by apecifla .provislon, such powrs are not enlarged 

by general language found elsevhsre ln the 

Act. 4 l l ** 

In disoussing this subjeat,ft was said in the case of 

poster YE. City of Uaao, 225 3. W. ll.04, that "any fair!, naoaaabre, substantial doubt ooaceming tho exerolse of pover ie resolved by the coulrts against a aorporatloa, and the paver. is 

denied. Of every nttaaicipal aoFpor8tlon the aharter or otatuto 

by vhloh it la created is an organlo aat. Xeither the aorporatfon nor It8 officers caa do e.ny aat, or make eny aontraot, or 

'incur any Ilability, not authoriaed thereby, or by nome leglolative act applloablo thereto 

povera granted are void. 

,,.. $1; act8 beyond the saope or the 

. 

There are several seotlono of the State Coaotltutloa 

vhlch evidence a desire and intention to give every possible 

safeguard to the expenditure of public funds and to oom9el their 

application to be properly expended for the purposes authorized 

by Isv. (Artiole III, Sectiona 44, 49, 51, 52 and 53. Also see 

thn provisions of titio1.e X, 3eotioa 3, 3eotion 161 and titicle 

XK, Seatloa 6 of the Ooaotltutioa.) 

As above stated, the Harris County Havlgatlon District 

is a polltloal subdlvloIoa of the State ~JX¶ certainly lta funds 

are public funds. Therefore the several provisions of the State 

constitution 1lmItIng the,uae of public funds by its 9olltical 

aubdlviaions do, we think, apply to the Harrle County %avlgatIon 
Sionorable H. L. Yashburn, Page 7 

The pension system OS the City of Dallas, vhlch had 

been adopted some years before the LegIslaturs~h‘M~authorized 

city pensions, vaa upheld in the osae of Byrd vs. City OS Dallas, 6 9. W. (26) ?38, and In oonsIQerl.ng several OS the oonstitutlonal provisions mentioned above, It var held that they 

had no relation to a contract betveen a municipal corporation 

and Its employees, but ve~4 intended to prevent the application 

OS public Sunds to private purposes. The penalon vas held not 

to be a gratuugtj, but a part OS the aompensatlon OS the emplo7ee 

for services rendered. .Subsequentlj, in the ease of City OS 

Dallas va. Trammel, 101 S. V. (26) 1009, the rule as to the 

pensions vere reiterated, but it vaa pointed out that the pensioner haa no vested rlg?it In future Installments and that the 

amounts papblle may be lnoreased-or dimlnlahed. 

The State by general lav authorlzee board, lodgw, 

clothe’s.and provisions In addition to salaries for employees 

of the Texas Prison System. 

Ch. 163, P. 413). 

(Acts OS the. 44th Legislature, 

It Is stated In the opinion of Mr. Simmons, mentioned 

above, that “the oonstltutlonal provisions of Georgia are uimIlar to ours, and objections against a pension system for municipal employees in that state vere overruled In the case OS 

Yest vs. Trotzler, 196 S. i3. 930, wherein It vaa held that city 

funds gol.n&into pensions did not constitute donations or extra 

compensation vhlch vere prohibited by the Constitution.” 

It Is quite CO~OP for the 

divisions of the State government to 

of the compensation of the employee, 

automobiles, etc. We agree vlth the 

set forth in his opinion, heretofore 

part as Sollovsr 

State and the various aubagree to furnish, as part 

living quarters, grocerlea, 

statement of Mr. Snlpp as 

mentioned, vhlch reads In 

*+ l *, It Is quite oommon for the State 

and the various aubdivlaiona OS the State Qovemusant to agree to Surnish, se a part of the 

compenaatlon OS the employee, living quarters, 

grocerlea, automobiles, and medical services. 

The Havigatlon Dlstrlot may do this also. Rut 

vhat I tried to make plain In nr~ opinion, vas 

that neither the Iiavlgatlon District nor any 

other political subdivision OS the State may 

pay to nn7 employee any compensation. regardless of tba form vhioh that oompeneatlon pay 
Honorable H. L. Uaehburn, ?ags 8 

take, aStar the rendition OS services called 

for by their oontraat OS employment, unless 

such oompenaaflon van prospeotlvely provided 

for by the contraat. The point I tried GO 

stress vaa that the particular Items covered 

by my opinion vece not part OS any oontraot 

OS employment. Mr. Simmons' letter does not 

say, and I am quite wre that he vi11 not 

nay aside from the letter, that any department OS the State Qovernment or any polltiaal 

oorporatlon organized ae a part OS the Btate 

governmental machinery may give, deliver or 

contribute to any agent or 4mploy44 medical 

services after performance OS the services 

for vhlch that employ44 vae qngaged and 

vhioh are in ths nature of a donation or 

boms to the employ44, given or vlthheld 

at the vhIm of the officer or.govem1n.g 

body OS the polltloal aubdlvlslon. Xt la 

one thing to make a oontraot vlth an employee 

for a Slxed aalary per month or per year plus 

a definite amount qf medical attention; but 

it 1s dlatlnotly another thing to make a 

contraat vith an employ44 for a Slxed salary 

per month, and then say to that employee 

that the polltlcal organization vhlch employs you vi11 give you such medical services aa It determines In Its discretion to 

give you, after you have rendered In vhole 

or in part these servlcea and have been paid 

for them. To make thla clearer, I think that 

the Xavlgstlon DlrrtMot could very reasonably 

contraot vith Xary Smith to perform stenograph10 8ervlceo in the oSfIo4s OS th4 Port 

CommlsaIon and agree to pay her a a&lazy OS 

$100.00 per month, and ln addition thereto, 

to supply her such medical servloea and 

hospltallsatlon as Vera reasonably necessary 

during the period OS her employment not to 

exoeed the additional sum of $25.00 per month. 

But I do not think that It ha8 any authority 

to contraot vlth &my Smith to perform such 

~4rvlc4s at a salary of $100.00 

vithout any mention beins made B 

em month 

o the care 

or amount of medical aervicea, and then after 
Honorable H. L. Uashburn, Page 9 

the perSomanoe OS the 8emloes aovered br 

the oantraot, either fos a long oz short 

period, to grant w Smith extra aompeneatlon in an indetamlnate amount, subjeot 

alone to the arbitrary vhin OS the 'oommIselonere, rrithout 8ome deflnlts guide or 

meaawe to be applied. 

ì0 0 l .= 

It is atated by Ipi 3iaruIram ln his opinion, heretofore 

mentlonedt . : 

?Zhere mat be a &ntraot of emploJaarnt 

providing Sor These mixtiaal aemlces vith 

maxImum limit.4 and also deaorlbed, .lS not 

in-dotall. vt by aoma reasonable standard 

by vhlah the County Auditor &ad the judlclaTJ 

may determine the limlts.and 8aom of the 

obllgatlone. IS suah reasou&Xs standarda 

are not preaorlbed, th'.aont~aot.vould doubtleaa be'vold for lnd4Slniteme4a and un4xtSor44- 

\ * able by the emplo~eo, makbg the expenditure 

a gift ror vat or. P valid ‘ofmtract, and the 

County Auditor vould~ have no standud w vhlah 

to determfne from time to tlm vhether a oLU.m 

filed b;r an axeoutive ofthor for em 4mpl0~44 

or~br the 4mploy4e hI#.relS roll vithln hi4 

oonkraot rith the Mstrlot. Ye must bear in 

mind that IS medical 0emlaer are a part of 

the agreed oompe,naatton f&s ekplojee:mq olaia 

it a8 a matter of right and tit aS ,graos of 

~the Dlstriot Eaployer, and map, therefore, 

prerent~,h%arm- olalm dlreot, and, therefore, 

the County Audlto~ttuat have a standard provlously asoertalned by lav to detemlno the 

validity OS the.oLaiPlc. :Z do,not mean to say 

that the deaIslon OS the Cqnty Auditor on 

the claim la Slnal or'oonalusivo or exempt 

from judlolal r4vI0v.~ 

Xt im our opinion that the medical sarvlae and hompltal 

faoilltles lurnlahed 4mplo~4es.oS the Havlgatlon Dlstrlct am 

suetainable as a part OS thel~ earned compensation vhere the 

. 
Bonorable H. L. Washbum, Page 10 

Board has made general provlslona therefor. In other vords, 

the Havlgatlon Dlstriot has authority to agree, as part of 

the agreed aompensatlon to be paid 4mploy44m, to furnish 

atlpulated aervIoes for hospltallzation, drugs and mediaal 

attention. Bovever, these cannot be unllmltsd in amount or 

kind, and must, therefore, be for aom reasonable fixed 

maximum amount. 

SpeolSlcally ansverlng your questions aa stated above, It la our opinion that the first three questions should 

be ansvered in the aSSlrmatIve end are so ansvered. The fourth 

question la anavered in the negative. 

Trusting that the foregoing Sully ansvers your Inquiry, 

ve are ., 

*r---,----~.. m-m -J li- __Y. A_i .:... .' . I?:,1 Yours very truly 

A+++- 

APTOREEC QEWRAL OF !SEXAR 

;. .- .-ii By-b-&yA 

Ardell liilllama 

Assistant. 

AUlRS 

. .