Affirmed by WW-lo&
Honorable Charles S. McMillan County Attorney San Augustine, Texas
Dear Sir: Cpinion'NumberO-2126 Re: Qualificationsof iroters in bond elections.
We acknowledgereceipt of your letter of recent date wherein you ask for an opinion on the quallfloatlons of voters in bond elections.-You particularlyask for oi.@' constructionof the Supreme Court's opinion in'the case of Gus A. Marlcows@, et al vs. J. T. Newman, et al., 136 S.W.(2d) 808. In our Opinion Number o-1178, a copy of which loIn.this is enclosed her----,___--dsnnrtment held -.-~.that __r__.~._-~~ ~..~ "all oer- sons-who had paid their ~0~11tax and who owned taxable
or was assessed
Ntlcle2955a, Vernon's Ai-bottited CiViI Statutesj Campbell vs. Wright,/95 S.W. (2d) 149; TexasPublic UtFlLties Corporationvs. Rolland, 123.~S.W.(2d) 1028). In thatopLlnlonwe also called attention-tothe lact that there was pending before the Supreme Court a.certified question in the case of Markowsky vs: Newman, et al., from the Galveston Court of Civ11 Appeals-,as to the oorrect interpretationof Article 2955a, Vernon's .~ Annotated Civil Statutes. However, after studyingthe case it is our opinion that the court held that the fact that taxpayers Honorable Charles S. McHillan, page #2
did-nbt r$nder th8l.rproperty untF1 after the tiiueset by' statute (Artlole 1043; R. 6; 3.).did n6t preveiit theiPf&m voting. It #eei~s~that~th6 fatits.ln"thXs case we'rethat 811 of thk~taxpayershad actu8lly'rendered their prapertj f-ortax&i&n prior tb the eli$ction but afuep the tX.meset "3::statute foFmakiag thq rehdiflon. The Cotit held that hb statuth~settlng the time by which rbaditibn must bc-made~.vab'airecto~and-not- mandtitbrj.We think-that-there&sbiiln&tisijd by-tile Supeme Court in'~thisciiWiiiai~ai%sVery btiiMi@jrthat the court might hold-that asseijsment; m the tisseiaor iiouli3hot be shfficibtitand that the pPoperty"mustbe Mud&&d by the-tai@~etihiibself'~ Hiiwuver,ti do b6t' bellevijthat tht'cabb i3anbe construed to foti a basis of a re'varsalof'.Campbbll vs. Wlght and'Texas'FubIic Utllltieb Coiijporatioa"vb. Holland, oh the It is nbt'heces&rjrttipsi-s~tilly'aign a rendition sheet in order to be eligible to vote. Until the Suprbme Cou% act!-on this pelnt, we feel that the ~jpln~ousof the CbuNb of'Clvi1Appeals, cited'&bove,Is thb'law of'this State ani?&shouldbe fol1oubd'l.ngiving 'yourlnstruatirnasto election officials. Trusting Chat this answers your questtoni we are Very truly yours ATTQWEYGEXERALOFTEXAS
BY Claud 0. BGotLrman Assistant APPROVEDMAY 21,_.190 /s/ Gerald C. law& ATTORmEPW3EElALCFTEXAS APWOVED Qpinioa' Committee By BUB Chairman