Hon. G. R. Grmes, CountyAuditor LimestoneCounty Grossbeck,Texas
Deer Sir; OpinionHo.,O-204 Be8 Can the salaryof en Arisistent CountyAuditor be raisedafter it has been set by the District Judgesend act up in the budget?
Your letterof February3, 1939, addressedto the Hon. Gerald C. Yenn. AttorneyGeneral,has been referredto,thewriter, .You request en opinionof this DepertuentBLItc rhethcror not the salary of en As- si+nt CountyAugitor ten be reinedafter it is setby the District Judgesend set up,in the budget.'
Your letter statesthat the 1939 budget reveelsthe salaryof the hssistentCountyAuditor,et#So.00 lesg then the maximun~al~owed. We eke unable to find that emeximun~salery'tobe braidAssistent'County Auditorsis conteined~in eny statute.
Your attention Ian directedto Articld 1660, R. C. ~6.of Texas, end we believethis ertioltito apply exclusivelyof any other statuteto the procedurefor the eppointmentof AssistantCountyAuditorsend the salariesto be paid, exceptingArticle16'73,~R.C.S.,~which appliesonly to countieswith more then 330,000population.
Article 1650, effectiveMey 20, 1935, provides88 follcwsr
"The CountyAuditor of any countyof this State rmey, et any time, with the consentof the DistrictJudge or District Judgeshaving jurisdiction88 hereinafterprocided,appoint e first assistantend other essiatentswho shell be authorized to dischargesuch duties88 mey be assignedto them by the County Auditor end providedfor by law........
"The CountyAuditor shell prepere,elist of the number of deputiessoughtto be appointed,their duties,qualifications end experience,end the salariesto be Reid each, end shell certifythe list to the DistrictJudge,or in the event of more then one DistrictJudge in the County,to thB DistrictJudgee, end the DistrictJudge or the District Judgesshell-then cere- fully considerthe applicationfor the appointmentof said as- sistantsend may make all necessaryinquiriesconcerningthe qualifications of the personsnamed, the positionssoughtto be Hon. G. N. Groves,March 17, 1939, pege 2 O-284
filledand the reasonableness of the salariesrequested, and if, after such oonsideration,the DistrictJudge,or in the went of more than one DistrictJudge,a majority of the DistrictJudgesshell approvethe appointmentssought to be made or eny number thereof,he or they shell prepare a list of the appointeesso approvedand the salariesto be paid each end oertifysaid list to the Commissioners1 Court of said county........"
You will note that the duty of determiningthe reasonableness of the salaryto be paid is incumbentupon the DistrictJudge or District Judges,and that no mimimum or maximum amountsarc set forth for the determinationof the reasonableness.of the salaryor salaries.
Article 689e-20,R. C. S. of Texas,provideses follows:
'Nothingcontainedin this ect shell he construedes precluding...... the County CommissionersCourt from making chargesin the lxtdgetfor county purposes." ,. It.is logicallyheld thet.bythe term, '!county purposes"is meant expensesthat are constentlyrecurring,such es ths,s,elerjes of countyofficers. ObcnsheinVS. Daggett,137 Pea. 212.
bb bsli& that under the above ArticleS&e-20, the Com- missioners'Courtmay make budget changesfor countypurposessc long as the changeswill not cause the total expenditurestomexceedthe total countyincome.
Therefore,it is our opinionthat upon applicationto.ths DistrictJudgesend a resultingapprovalby ths DistrictJudges,esto . the reasonablenessof the inoreessin the AssudxintCountyAuditor's salary,the CommissionersCourtmey,authoriaethe increasedsalaryby making the chengein the budget.
Believingthis to answer your inquiry,we are
Very truly yours
ATTORNEYGERERAhOF TEXAS
Eiys/Pat Coon Pet Coon ., Assistant
,.
. Mann ATTORNEYGgNERALOF TEXAg