Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN /’ \ &! ROnOrable Y. 8. Bulloak countl7 Attommy
Paaoa County
Rort Stoakton, Tsxar
Gear 6lrt
Honorable M. R. Bulloek, Pa@ 2
Constitution OS Texas and Artlalea 2552and 7048, Revised 0r ~0x88, 00unti08 cidi stPtute8 map 10~~ Ona 00nO0t fi tm not to sxoesd twenty-rive a8nt8 on tha OILS hundred valuation; for the orsaflon of publla buuildllrge, ntreets, 8ewer8, rater- works, and other permansnt iaprovements.
hrtlale ZSSl, Rsrlssd Cltil Statutes, provides as follow8r
“Eaoh Domnls8ioncrr8* Court shall: ?.....
Provide and keep in repair aourthouse8, jail8')e7;d all nsoes8aTy pub110 buildlng8.W
Under the rule oi %Juadsm @eneris” trequently ap- plied by ths aourt in the aanstru&tion of statuter, it ir our opldon that a oommualty reareatlotil asntar ie not a psr- maaent lmprovemsnt similar to thorn snumerat8d 80 a8 to aams rithln the meaning of other permanent iaprovmnts a8 used fn the Constitution and statute8. Qnder this rule, where 8paoi- tie word8 are iollowsd by general words, ths general word8 are ,.tc to be taken to embraoe only thing8 of the 8amet nature In kind a8 ths spaalfia woo168 -17. Raxasrs & Yerahsntrr Rational Bank T8. Banks, 157 8. w. 1lRo; zfaplo~si~ cssualty company vs. stewart, 17 5. 8. (&I) 781.
If in the judmsnf or the Comls8ionsr8*ICourt the emotion and msintmmnae of ths amuulty rsarsatlonal aenter ia. to be aonclidersd a8 a aounty pakk, ym attention 18 oallsd to Art&ale 6078, Boolsed Civil Statutes, whiah provldrs a8 follows:
%aah sommisslonsr8 oourt is authorized to 1~7 and ooJ.leot a tax not to exsesd five aents on oaoh 4100 of assssssd .valustlon of the oaunty for t'llerpurohase and Lmprovsmmt of lands for use as aounty parks rhioh shall oonsist of not mom than one hundred aore8, and shall not sxoaed mars than four in any ona oounty. Xo suoh tex shall be levied and oollsoted until the proposi- tion is subnltted to and ratlfisd by the proper- ty tax-paying voters of the.oounty at a general or spsoial eleotfon aallad for that purpose, provided, s two-thlrde, majority ot the propsrtY tax-paying voters or suoh oounty, at an sLeation held ror ewh purgmse shall dstsrmlna In favor tax. Ii said aaurt dsslns to establish 0r dd two or more or suoh oount)r parka thsy sba%l lo- oate them 1n.widel.y separated pertiens bf the *3 Honorable Y. R. Rulloak, Page 3
oounty. Said oourt full power end shall ha-is aontrol over an7 and all suoh parka and may 10~7 and oollsot an annual tax sufficient in tnslr judgment to properly maintain suah parks and build and oonstruat pavlllons and suoh other buildings as ths7 may deem neoessary. lay out and open driveways and walks, pave the name or an7 part thenof, set out trees and shrubbery, oonatruot dltohes or lakes, and make suoh other improvements as they may deem proper. Suoh park8 ahall remain open for the free use the publio under euoh reasonable rale8 and regulations 8s said oourt mey pre- scribe.-
It is a well rsoognlced principle of law that where 'dstinlte, oerta5.n method ai, the Legislature preaarlbe for a olty or- t7 to hollow, other method8 are &z procedure by implioation of flaw exaludsd. 708ter vs. City of tlaao. (Sup. Ct.) S55 5. w. 1104.
It 18, thersforo, the opinion of this departmsnt that the Uo1aufs8ionera~ Court la not author$zad to l psnd OOUQty it~I68 t0 Oreat ad maintain a oolPmunit7 reorOstiO%U%l bulldIn& as desorlbed In your ,letter, other than in aoa- pllanoe with and under the provlaions of Art1018 607Sk Be- vIaed 01~11 ~tatUtb8. :
Yours vary truly A‘I'TORRJCY OERERAL OF TEXAS Assistant