Honorable Ed Paynttr District Attorney Opinion No. H- 39 Taylor County Courthouse Abilene, Teacar 79602
Dear Mr. Paynttr: Rt: Whether 

### the CommiraiontrB Court of Taylor County ie
‘autiriced to trrablirh the aalarita of conrtablts at one dollar per **year.** . . You have rtqucattd an opinion of this office **on** the following question:

“Did the Commimrionerr **Court** of Taylor County have authority **under** ‘Article 3912i, 0$ 9 and 9 (2) to let

the nalarier of conotabltr In . - Taylor County **at** One Dollar ($1) per year? ” __ ,

.. 

### You present the following factual background 

### for this quemrion:

**‘ IAt**  a General Election held **in November,**  

### 1968, the 

### HonorableJohnThomar **wao** 

### elected Conetable 

### for Taylor County, Ttxaa for aterm beginning January 1, 1969, and ending December 31, 1972. 

### Mr. Thomar aarumed ruch office and rervtd **the entbo**  **term,** but did **nor** choore **to** 

### run **for** re-election. The 

### ralary budget during **tbia term**  

### warn$6,000 **par** year, “On December 21. 1971,the Commiroioneri Court **of** Taylor County **met** in rtreion with all ..” ’ ’ : members prtrtnt 

### andparted 

### a motion that beginning January 1, 1973. the aalaty budget **of** each of the Conrtablaa’ officea for Taylor **County** be l tt **at One**  Dollar ( $1) **per** year.

**“ At**  8 General Election held in November, 1972, the Honorable Jake Let wae elected Constable ”

p. 160!’
.

Honorable Ed Paynttr, page 2 (H-39)

for Taylor County, Texas, **for a**  **term** beginning January 1. 1973, ind ending December 31, 1976. Mr. Lee has assumed such office and in presently **serving** in ruch capacity, His salary is One Dollar ($1) per **year. ”**  Article 3912i, Vernon’s Texas Civti Statutes, provides inpart:

“Sec. 9. The Commisaiontrs Court rhall not be required to fii the salaries in all precinctr’ at equal amounts, but rhall have discretion to . determine the amount of salarica to,be paid each Justice ofthe Peace and each Constable in the several 

### prtcincte on an individual basis without regard to the ralarieo 

### paidin other precinct8 or to other official8. . : . ‘I _’
.

Article 3912k, Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes. provides inpart:.

“Section 1. 

### Exctpra# **otherwire** provided by this **Act** 

### and subject tothe limirationr of this **Act,** the commissioners **court** of 

### eachcounty shall fix the amount of compensation. office txpenat, trdvtl txptnrt, and all 

### other allowances for county %nd prtcincr official8 and employter who art paid wholly from countyfunds, **but** in no event shall such salarier be set 

### lower than

### they exist at the efftctivt &tt of thit **Act. (EmphaBil**  added) “Section 8. To the extent that any local, special, or general lap, including Acta of the , 62ndLegislature, Regular Saraion, 1971,prt- . scribes **the** compensation, office expense, travel exptnrt. or **any** other allowance for **any** official 

### or employee covered **by** this **Act,** that law is repealed.

. “Section 9. This **Act** is affective for nilaries, expentts, **and**allow+ncer’patd beginning January 1, 

### 1972.” : ., ,. _, p. 161.’ *

. .:

Honorable **Ed Pay&w,**  **‘ Page**  **3 (H-39)**  **’**
The mtnimum salary payable ir 

### governed by Article 3912k,Vernon’s **Ttxae** Civil Starurts. Under **the**facta you have given ua, the ralary **for** a Constable of Taylor County, a6 it sxirttd on

### January 1, 1972,was $6,000 per 

### year, and, to

### anrwer **your** question, the commirsionere court 

### may, mt ret **the salaries**  of coarta?tr at $1per year. **SUMMARY** The minimum ralary for the Conrtable of Taylor County ia **set**at the ralary txirting on January 1. 1972, by Article 3912k, and the commisrionerr court **may** : . not

### Loweritbelow 

### that figure. **Your8 very**  truly,

Opiziion Committee

p. 162