The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-06
THE GOVERNOR s,
COUNTY lsDEnrEpsr,,
BILL pIsArrsovsa, '''a
believed to he both u.,,,.,,
al " %a. v.~,.s-os,.,,,, I ....,,
Would Not n. Calm. ''''

Austin, Texas. NAV
was sent UP by the goverro. !. a,''S'
a turned the senate bill BY NJ Ie'' y, ~
en- qaoe CT, OF which is fully explains A Y
To the Senate: a'n'o bin
Executive Office, May So.
SsS is herewith returned v,, s'p'e as
Briefly stated it provide. that y, ',a
sioners court OF any con,, w "aaa
", who's" use. general revenue fund + l' ~
10 pay the outstanding flo.,ip, ,,ss
ness OF the county and tn 49,. nNas
s airy and legitimate expenses, ), = = y
floating debt exceeds 5000 !, ~ y
90 retire and fund such deb, l,.,s,, 9.
mat tho court shall retire ana ,,,ss
evidences and issue in lieu tb.,.s s =,
warrants which shall be rsrxr,,
paid according to their resi,t,,,,
and such warrants NAV be,, ''1',
rate not exceeding G nsr ran, .isi 4
put shaii not be receivable io.t ,.. ~
mat the court as The time N ,.,sa 49,
warrants shall appropriate az S Y
levy al valorem county lar M ~
10 cents on the 800 10 ma, usss
ana create a sinking fund icr ~, w aN@
rants such levy to continue n ~,
all the new warrants are psid ~
TAX 10 constitute part a X.
revenue ad valorem tax OF ,;
mitted to be levied for general c,rs I
poses. WY =
The bill is believed to bs h,.,
stitutional and unwise. Nv ses,,,,
ticle S, Of the constitution so,,s,.s y
except for debts incurred prior IN -
Der 20. 1898, are limited to \; ,..ss
general county purposes, Is e-r {
reads and bridges, q csn :
the erection of public building, M =
permanent improvements and is ~. 1.
the maintenance OF public roads MI,
to be voted by majority Of the ~ M,
1t is clear. and the bill recornIrs N
whatever may be the constitutional ~,
OF county warrants issued in eyeu, Il ~
rent revenue CORPUS Christi ', wccs,s
5S Texas, 1917, the only tax b. any q.
bility available for their payment /,
20 cents authorized for general nps
purposes. This tax of 25 cents Or !, ~
thereof as may be necessary is maui.as
intended by the constitution TO meet q.
marily the urgent current expenses d N
counties. Certainly until these e1yns
are provided for no part Of this " q
be devoted to other uses, for o,hs,1I
the counties would he rendered lrfds
and helpless. The bill under coasidsns
would reverse this salutary rule. IN.
ter what the exigencies Of a county nit
be. regardless of its immediate and i.
perative necessities. large part q Y
current revenue is sought to be pemirs-
ly diverted from the payment q The o
rent expenditures.
Interpreting the constitutional pfoNka'
already cited (section o. article 81. d i
to cities and towns, TIE q
preme court said: 1.-THE city had 10 .
thority to pledge or appropriate any NJ
Of the current revenues to the paymxs
the principal or interest Of the debt M
fund is devoted by this consttution y W
support Of the city government, ind ~
ways under the control Of the council q
that purpose.
"As this provision aplpies with equn 'sa|
10 counties, their current revenue On ~
,e diverted. but is always under ne "
troll OF the commissioners courts w.
support OF the county governments. VI
va. Terrell. rs Texas. 1850; opinions ssl1'q
general, 1861, SS.) n
As justifying its passage. 1t IS aeeIs
n the bill that many counties IN tne - y
,we a floating indebtedness greater ~
AN be paid from the general reyenae y,
IF the counties. yet IL is apparent 'na
his respect no relief VIII be given, W,
he debt is increased to the extent o.
annual interest, and no addition. le'S 4
S available under the copstl'a., .s,,r,
oun,ies which would accept bhe p'v ~, 4
# the bill and fund their floal'hs u,S ~.
$ well known that warrants aie w.
oss than par, and the payment OF m..,
ormed no part of the original cunu ~.
llowance was made by creditors IL IN Il.
,rices for the deprecated value . ~, =
erin and the necessity OF waiting ior ~ y,
mont without interest Nor VIII ,ny ~.
ition Of current affairs be iinp n, an ss
er the bin. for If these expenses ss -. s,u 81 81
q met with a tax Of % cents, ,ne s, "a M.
e with the lesser rate OF ~ ceu'' ;"
osed. ~, would b
II is true tho effect OF this law ~sun
he enhancement of the value o. oa Msnia,.
ig warrants, and probable Garner lax. ss i
ION. but IN view Of the facH "a ID
,ould be accomplished cott .;,,,,,s ~.
riginal contracts. without ts awsar,,s
and would seriously ~. en ssiai,t
"a counties. To the ex,ent .s,,s vr.
.arrarts were enhanced Ia ny, Sa nrss,s.s.d.
ants for current expenses wo u ,aii wI,hss
be deprecated, the counties lev, ~. unsss
leouote means to meet tne .,,p funhs
emnnas. and their condition si ,n,.rsst y
,rrayated hv the addition o'
heir Indebtedness. .-..snt constlfn'
The remedy under tho pres,snf ali iis
on ,s to require the paymcn,, , q, b be pill
, money so that warrants n S 'redac,!a
t h'e" order ~ Of registration and ''
county expenditures G. A. culOer''a