Case Information

*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

r00d and a ep00irio amount for guarding prIaimuar or, la it nao~aaaiy that the aotual aoata of keep- ing the Jail bo tumed in as an upenae or otiioa and paid mt or the orri00r8 salary runtI.* is or hrti0i0 4918a, VU~OII*S AMowed saotion

TONS Clyll Statutoa, rude as iollowa: -300. 'is. The 0omlaaIonera~ a0Prt in oowtlea having a population or twenty thousand (80,000) ~JX- habitanta or mora and .laes than 0110 hundred Inhabitanta aooomllng to ninety tihouaand (~00,000) the la+ praoedIn& Federal Oenaus,~Is hereby author- ized it hall ba Its duty to fir the eala~f~f;~oi r0ilorirrg 8buk0d orrioem, to-tit: au aaaoeaor and aolleotor taxes, oounty juaaa, 00&y attornop, inoludllrg OrImlnal &latrIot attonaa~r and oounty attomoya who perform the duties of dlatriot attorneys, dlatrlat olsrk, oounty olerk, treaaurar, lnepeotcir, Eath or said 0rri0er8 hide end a-1 shall bo pald in money an aprrW1 salary In twelye (18) equal iMtallalenta'ot not~leaa the total than mna eern~~~aa~o~pon&atlon'by hl~~ ln hIa offlola aapaoity ror the ri6Ni year 1955 antj not more than the maximum amount allowed ~auoh o@oer undar law@ ristlnlg on Ala&uat 84, 19ss* * . . .

5eotion 1 or Art1010 385s. v. A. T. a. 6., was tha law in tome on August u, 19S5, and ncrd8 as roiiw8; %roept as otherwlaa pro~ltlsb Aot, t&

annual iwa that may be retained by prvoinot, oounty ai8triat~0rri.o0r8 mdntiand in thie Artlois 8h8u be a# rollowa: "1. In 00tmia6 0m~ining (25,000) twenty rive

thousand or lees, lnhabltanta: County Judge, ~latrlot Crrrainal DietrIot A$tornoy, Sheriff, County 01-k. County Attorney, Diatrfot Clerk, Tax GoUsetor, Tax Assessor, or the Aaaaaaor and Qolleotor ,ot Taxes, lkmnty-roar IRmdrod (&4Q~.oO) Dollars eaah* Juatlas of the Paaor Conatablo, Twelve Hun&e6 ($11200.00) bollara ea0h.l.

Article 3891, V. ~A. T. C, EL, wee the law fn tOroe on Aluglet 84, 1935. We quote from aald artlalo a6 r0ii0r8:

Honorable Jaok Borden, Pago 8 orriou asmad Ghaptu shell flrst 5.i aoh

out or the ourront rM8 Or his errloe wy or be pefd tha amount allowed him under the provIsIons of ArtloX 5885, together with the ralarlea of his l a aIatanta and deputies, and authorlrml arpenaw under Artlals 3899, and tha amount nooeef~ry owu ooata of pre- mium on whatever surety bon4 may be roqulrd by law. If the ourrent r0a8 0r auah orriae oollected In any year be more than the eaount needed to pay tbe amounta above specified, aaaa shall be deemed xaeaa reds, and shall be dlaporod of in tha aanner here- Inarter provided.

“In 00untie0 00ntazDing twenty-rir0 thousand (83 000) or lees inhabitants, Diet&at and County 0rfioers na3ned.hereIe shall retein one-third 0r 8uoh exoeaa~reea,uatIl suoh, one-third, tmther with the amountm 8 eclf’led In Art$als 5888, aakounts to Thrao Thoiasend go llera ($S,OOQ),. . . .*

0plnIon 810. 0409 (oonrerenaa opinion Ho. SOs2s) or this depertsent holds that the Caaraieslonera* Oour+ln flxlng the aInla= aalarloa of oounty at~orneya under the otlIoora* ralery bill should oonalasr r8ea %arnedn by the Orfloer# la lOi55 rathar than frea *aolleotodW In that year; Opinion No. O-7* this department holds that ln dstem&iIng *the total sun earnod as oompmaatlon for the year

1935”, for the purpose or arrlvln(( at the aiInlaua’aalary to be paid the. county attorney, that the Oauslaslonere~ Court should dsduot fro0 the total ooapeneatlon earnod, oollootrd un- o~flmotml, the oxpenner for the offlae tar the yaar 1955, *hIoh allowed by Oomm.iaaionera~ Court lor that yeer. w&e legally We quote rr0pr said opinion aa ronoffs:

-hire wae no provlofon of the statute guara&ee- 1~ offlaer he should rlret rrarlve the amount allowed under prorlalons of artlale 3883, so the ortloer bed to pay authorized the runas, coring Into hlr bands, Imapeotloe expenditures out er whethor.t&e unount msatlonsd fn the artlola was earnad .or oolleoted, Theref’ore, the *total a= earnrd as arJtllpenaatIon by him* wee the net total earned after payment or hia axorieed expenneei. The Leglaleture did not tl.pllate *earned the office* but rather gearned~ by him. **

Bonorabla~Jdok Borden, Page 4

On Deoember 3, 19S7, this depaz$ment held In an op- Inlon-wrltteq .by ,Eouorable James W. Isrfti, Aealatant Attorney 0enera1, addreseed Hopklna County, Texas, that to Mr. IFa. J. y&aIng, dounty Attorney,

lh arriving rt the.oorreot a1nlmu111 salary to be paid oounty orflasra uador the ofiioar8* salary bill that the O~l8dOner8' Court should oonaldsr the amount ao well as to08 aolleat6d ror of rem3 earnad and unoolleotea, wlbaYeer 10SS. This opinion rurther held that an ex-orrIaLo

ry paid to an orrlaer for the fear 1493 should b a cons~er- 64 I n arrivinn et the %meOt aPlnImula be paid such ofiloar.

We qUofe trOm the oaae Of Haoogdocbea COUnty '1. '#In- der, (Beaumont Court of Civil Appeals) 140 S. W.'(Rd) 97R (wrIt refused), aa r0iiw0:. iaota are without dlaputer wi0.rou0wing

Appellea, Winder, waa the duly elect@, qualified oting County Clerk or Xaoogdoohea County dur- ing the yeare 1937 1935. l?aoogdoohea County was under the salary aot law, Artlole S@lRe, aeotlan lS, Vernon*e Ann. Clrll Btatutea, end Art1010 3SQl, R.C.S., Vernon*8 Ann. CIT. 8t. art. S89l. Under theaa stat- uary 13, 1996, at a regular aeaelon or the CoamIaaIon- era' Cart, an order was entere4 by aald oourt rlxlng appelles*s eelery at $3,%36;16, the amaunt earned aa mlary by the county judge or aala county in 1OSS. la said month, January dlst,

Later at a called sen- elon Or said court, hla ealary.xea fixed at )a,550 per year. On January 11, 1937, the uotmIs~ionere* court in regular aeaslon rlxed his salary at $3s,000, for that year, and on January 10, 19-, aald oourt fired hle salary at $3,000 for aald ye&r. Thlu was rar 1933,

leaa than tha alnIa~tm nlary 80 leas than lulary as rlred by the order ot January bl, lQS8, Appa&lee ptiyed judgment ror the dlf'ferenoe betwee@ $8 000 per peer #57e.se, ror 1937 and 1988, a&d tha mInimum of f3,l?S6.16 as rise4 by the order or January la, 1936. or &n the ltvnatlre, r0r $700. order ror judmnt January 51, 1936 peesod at the celled aoaslox~ be round proper. T&e Jud@ieat was iOr 8S7R.58.

Honorable Ja& Borden, PIlee 9

*W. think thm order riX%IIg ~ppOllOO*fi! 8atiry made 8.t the re@ar t&m of Jmuiary 13,,lQS6, wa8 In a,oaordanoe with the lar;and that the amoUnt then rlxed as the annual sala- of appmllw, #S,s!36.16, under the fa~ots and law *aa pro er, und 1s oon- f on 1S. trollinn here. Artlale SQl2e.

+ :

MiiclLs SBQS, VWmuP8 Aunotated Foxam a1vi1 atat- 'utes, r&a40 as r0li0rr8:

“The Qtmmlssdonar~* Oowt 18 heroby debarred frgn atlowlaa oamuwatloa 86rvlaoe r0r 02.0rfiof0 to oounty OrfiOi616 rhdn the oomponeation an4 exoew ..feea whloh ther are allowetd to~rataln @ha12 reaob : the mxlmw provided for @taptar. In aasoi rhnro oanpumation and ‘exaos8 faw rhleh the o+ floerm ,are 8llomd re!taln rhall ,aot. xeaoh thk mu- for In this ohaptar, the aoimlsdbnarr~ bum prwlded aurt l hp3.l 8um ooap0n8atlon ror OX 0rri0io mm- lees whoa,, in tiulr judgment, cuoh oon&mmatfon noamiary~ prorldad, 8uoh o~ponsatlon ror ax ofriafo ellowad anll not inoreaeo the oampqnutlon renloes the maximum 0r oompcrnsatlon 0r 0fmiai and sxaeis8 reou a J b0 owed to be retained by hlm under Prorl4od, however, OX offiolo here- this chapter.

in authorized shall bo allowed only attsr an oppor- tunlty for a publfo hearing aad only upon the 4hrrwtk tlvr rote or at.Leest three members oFthe commleaion- ora' aout.*

Optnlon Ho., O-S%96 of th$a d@partmsnt aoataina a par- tinant di$ouslrleu ox orri0i0 salaries ap lloable.to oountiee we quota ' having a population 1.e~ than I)S,OOQ kaktaata. rro5 8ald opiulon a6 r0ii0w02

H&orable Jaok Borden, Page 6

"In answer to your inquiry, you are a4rlsed that It 18 th!, opinion of this department that the ox-otfiolo oompensatSon or the oounty olerk must bo oonsldereti and aeoounted for in arriving at the max- lmum annual acmpensatlon of said clerk. The clerk 8h8n riret out or the aumtnt rees of his orrlas pay or bs pal4 the amount 8110wed Na under the pro- vialona or Artlals 319W5, togethar with the salaries of his a8818tants deputies, authorized ex- pon8es under Artlole SE399 and the amouut aeae8sary to ooter the o,ort or pro&m on wbaterei surety bond imf be required by law. It the ourrent res8 Or OUO~ oflioo aollaoted In any year be more than the amount neodrd to paf the amounts above speolfled the sama ahall be 4e~n.d xoa88 iass and the olork lrr palmitt~d to rstafn one-thir4 or suah excess rsee until 'such one-third, together with the amounts spdialrled In Art1010 38fSsI amount8 to $S,OOO.OO. In other word8, the county o&k fs entitled to retain ail the aom- pansation allowed by Artlole 3883 together with the ona-third ax0088 rm8 allowad:by ktlole 8891 until1 the amount spedrIo 8uch One-thlrci, togother'wlth par annum. fr la Artlole sW3S, amount8 to ~,000.00 tha coapenaation allowed uadar Artlols S&S and the xoe88 fwr allowed under Artlole &?Qr 40 not roaoh Or #S&NO.OO per annu8, the Oommls8loa8~* the M- Court Is euthorirmd per the aletk an ex-afflaio ocmpenmtlon, prorl484 8uoh ocaipentitlon, together with the reoa retain.4 by Na un4er APt 01.n sms aa4 3891, 4oe8 not amount to more than t 8,OOO.OO.

Thore caa bo ao exoesa roe8 until amouat or $$3,400r .OQ 18 reaohos 4sduotion8 whloh are allowed law are 8sde. the oaunty clerk am- To llluetmte, not take $1 400.00 a8 re8s under Art&ala W38s an4 thea a44 the $l,bOo.oO OX-OrflOiO'~~O~DUR8atl~n to make a total or &,lOO.OO an4 th8n pay,all tee8 oomlng into orfloe as are authorize4 by law are axuess tees, and that he Is antitled ta one-third or the cam. In any exots~ few abort, beiom tha olazk 1s entitled under -Artt6ls MQl he must first resolve as fees amount or #2,400.06 not tnoludlng any pert of the ex- c anwtlon af't@? making the legal beduo- orrio tion8 aa al =f owed by law and after thi& amount has been roached then the alsrk 1s entitled to one-third ,oi 8Uoh exoo811 tee8 88 provided by Article 9891 an4

aa above stated If this dosa not reach the total mex- is&um Or &3,000.00 per annum, the CoPBiaslouars* OotIrt raay in its discretion legally allow an ox ofYlolo OEB- peneation provided such oontptmaation, together with *7 Honorable Jiok Borden, Page 7

the fee8 retained uudsr the abwi mentioned artioler, does not 8xoeed #5,000.00 per aunum.*

me report you l ROlO8ed rhloh you state is a oor- reat oopy or then annual tee report filed by the sherirr 0r Parker County ror the year 1935, dlscloaa8 that the tot81 r668 emno by the ,sherlrf (oolleated uuoolleoted) mounted to the sum or @5,227.9& The report iurther ahor OX~MeS OrrIce (wNah we a88un~e were properly authorized) a#wtMd to the SUBl.Of 5.072.70. The dlrrersnoe between these SUIM 18 the SUM Or 2,166.28, whloh f0 Iella than the $Z,400.00 MX- 2588s. supra. Thw we aoe that tha IBUB allowed by Artlole 8heriff earned ILO *exoeaa rees".under Article SISQl for.tbe year 1965. .Tho ~Ommi88iOtl6rS' Oourt h84 authority at that t&m ll8u the sheriff u-offlcli~ canpetmatlon did allow hir 6X-OffiOiO COBpUW4tiOll in the SUII Or ,@t%%k. ~Thi8~4300.00 ex-orrIo aomp6nsatlOa should be ad404 to the $2,185.28,rclfer- yh~gatbove in arr+dag at the oorrsat lpinlprum salary of the

US thW0rOl-0 hold, in an8Wer t0 yOUr ihOt ~U~StiOll fhat the 005%e81O&Wl%' COtU% =St SOt th6 88lal.y 6f th& ShSPhf then $2,4sS.28 and, not mm fhan 0r~Parw County ht not less $S;OOO.OO ~ranntm.

x0'& BOOOn :qU.#t~Oll 1S~llB8W8nd by 0DiniSU 100. O-122$ of this department, rhioh hold8 that,in 8?3lery e~~tSe# the. amS8i6IiOP8’ aoprt'h88 no ~authorit to oontmot with. wi8 ,lMO, V. I . T. a. C. P.; ald sheriff as outlined .AFtiole r66dhg allOW him a,Sp6O~ried SUB rO2 thCMrskMpir& or prisonerr that the Sheriff may only be al- mlntenanoe lowed hi8 aotual upen8ei inoum84 1.n the reding prlsonors, Sherfff Should deposit the 88m and lf im. 8ny profit, there in the 0rri00rd oduy m4. We enole8e herewith a aopy Of said oplnloa .r0r your inrornratian.

very truly PurS . APPROVBD WT. 6, 1941 ATTOEZ?ZYOENERAL OPTBXM

/(I/ OfOVer 8~~0~8 BY

FIR!:T ASSXSTAWT APTORWBY OXWERAL /f’/ -0 ";,f"ia wJ?:OO