Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
Xay 8, 1939 gonorabld T. ld. Trimble
first Assistant State Superintendent
Austin, Texas
Dear 8lr: opinion x0. o-no
eaaent Sob001 Did&t was orsated br authorized at an eleotion held Deaeaber 51, lQ2l.
The 8prlnglake Indspcndent Sahool DlaWlot nae~omatea j&l925 by Hotwe Bill'Ho. 234, Chaptar 45, page.153, ThlrtpElghth Zeghlature, Re&er Session, eifeatlve Naroh 24, 1923. ,~,Thls Aat provides In part:
Woo. 5.~A part of the territory deaoribed in Se&ion 1 of thle ie takqn iram the Su- dan Independent Sohool Dietriot of Lamb CoFIBtf, *2 T. M. Thimble, May 8, 1939, Page 2
Texas, and said territory so taken away from said Sudan Independent Sohool District ahall
remain and be ohargeable with its prorata
part of the indebtedness represented by any
bonds heretofore voted by the Sudan Independ-
ent School DIetrIot In proportion as the tax-
able values of that part of the territory so
taken away from the Sudan Independent Sohool
Distriot bears to the total taxable values
of the Sudan Independent Sohool District ao-
aordlng to the last officiaI approved asseas-
ment role; provided, however, that the Board
of Trustees ot the Sprlhglake Iadepsndant
sahool Dlstrlot, wlthout the qeaeeslty or a
petition therefor may cwder an eleotlon in
said Uatrlot to detemlno rhether or not
the said diatrlat M herein oreated as a
~~&sl~tilqm much prorata part of out-
Question x0. 1. Doas ths Aot ors8tin6 8prln#lake In- Sahool Dlstriot aitsatlvely dataah that portion ot;ita rormsrly oontained in the Sudan Indspendsnt 8ohool.D18- l’mm the Zatter dlatriat? triot We amilvmr this queotlon. in the afflmmtive. we iot
onat& the springlaka aidriot, uhioh la later lzitirs or enaot- mnt.and eiieotlte date than either of the A&a atisoting tha Su- aan amriot, ~4rp~f58ly doi8 M. A. iaia xr. JugtiM critz la Xqfmi'd Indepemhmt suhool Dir&riot ~8. Willmmr Indepm&mt Sohool Diatriot (Terc Corn.. App.) 54S.W. (2d) 854: *It is witlea that a soho amriot ha6
no oantraot or vested right in laws fixing the botmdarlea, and oaruwt assert that a.atatuta re- au0ing its arsa riolate any ooatraot right. El Dorado Independent 8ohool Dietx$ot vs. Tlsdsle (Tex. COIL App.) 5 S.W. (2d) 420."
Quoetion Wo. 2. What obligation, if any, relating to the (40.000.00 bond Issue or the Sudan dlstriot atkaohes to,the Sprlnglake dlstviot, or that part thereof aetaohed fmm the Sudan distrlot and made a part of the Springlaka dietriot?
Seation S of the &eating the Springlake dl8triot, Quoted above, provides that:
"Said territwyawtsken awayrmm said Su- dan Independent Sohool Distrlot shall remain and be ohargsable with Umprorata part of any bonds *3 Honorable 'f. M. Trimble, May 8, 1939, Page 3
heretofore voted by the Sudan Independent School lxstrict . . ."
Mr. Boles states in his letter:
Vhere was no agreement a8 to assumption 0r bonded indebtedness so far as the written reoords show and this copy of the County Board minutes coatsins the only County reoord of' the transac- tion. No assumption eleotion was over ordered or held. The involved territory has been oonsidered a part of the Springlake territory einae that date and the matter has not been bmught to the atten- tion oi the County Board again-Until thle year.* .
It appears, therefore, that no action -has bosn’3aken rOr $ha l asumptlon of any part of the #40,0CCAC 1nUebtedneas bytha diatriot in oonromity with above quoted awtloa gprlnm of the Aot oroating the Sprlngl#&o diatriot. Nor has the Co?mty~ ?oard of Truatoea of Lamb Couutytakan auy aotlon In thla oonneo- on as authorizea by Aota 1987, ?irat Called Fortloth Legirlature, : ~aaloa, pow 228, Chapter 84, whi.oh Aot Walso aeslgnatea w Art-
.P,942b, Revised Civil 8tatutee of Texas. We quote from seotlon &.that Aott
lii$
"When the boundaries of may aohool dietriot having on outstanding bolded inaabtsunoss ha+s ~ ,~' beeu ohanged or its territory divi&ed, or. two or more of suoh diatriota oonaolidatod, It shalt. ~~,e
bethe dutyof tha County Boardof Truateea to make auoh m adjustment oi ouoh ind~btedneaa and ' dietriot pr0portloa betraw the distrlets of- tooted and betwepn the territory divided, dstaohed or added, aa may be Just end equitable, taking in- to oonolderatlon the value of aohool bmperti6s and the taxable wealth ot the diatriots effeoted and the territory so divided, detaohod or added as the oaae maybe. And when 8da.mard has ar- rived at a aatlafaotory baals ot +oh im adjust- ment, it shall have the power to make euch-orders in relation the-to as shell be oauolualvo and binding upon the distrioti and the territory there- by offeotod.R We also oell yoti &tontion to that portion of Seation t'
of the above quoted which oreated the Bpringlake distriot 8&l& that the Sprfngleko diatriot ee a whole may assume this P~ldos ~Xmita share of the debt aeolared to be -ains t that portion 0r P@ alatriot which wa8 rormerly a part 0r the Sudan aiatrlot upon m elOQtion 80 deciuing hold in'the f&pr&n@ake dlatriot~ This eleo- %OO la expressly authorizsd ta be oalled by the ,Truateoa of the *4 gosornble T. K. Trircblo, hay 8, 1959, Page 4
Springlake district without the necessity of a petition.
Almost the identical situation as here presented arose in the ease or Lyford Independent Sohool District vs. Wlllamar Indo- pendent School Distriat (Comm. App. of Tel.1 34 S.?:. (26) 854. In th& ease the Lyrord Independent Sohool Dlstriot was first created by apeoial act ot the Legislature. Thereafter the Willamar Indo- pendont Sahool Dlstriot was creeted by speoial aat, end the newly arested Willamar district was given a part of the territory roimer- ly belonging to the Lyford district. Section 4 of the Act creating the Willsmar district provided:
Vhat the Willamar Independent Sohool Dla- trlot as created by this Aot ahall pay Its share or any indebtedness now duo to the Lytord lude- psadaat Sohool Dlstrlot to be pIw8ted aooordIllg to the aaaeased value or that part or thIa dIetrIot whioh Ia a part or said Lyford dIatrIot.*
The COmmIaeIon Of Appeola ex#reSaad mom doubt as to tha oOnafItutIonalIty of the Aot OreatIag the Willamar dirtriot, but sala that all auob doubt had boon reamed by b aubaequent validat- ing aat of tha~&gIalature, being Senate Bill Eo. SS4, Chapter S98, pw 666, General Lswa, Re&.ar Sosalon, Rmty-Flrat Legislature.
Said validating aot being inoorporatea in Vernon’s hotatea Stat- utes *a hrtlole 2SC28. ThIa ralIdatIa.8 aat rotild apply with aqual foroe to the 8atsareatIngthe Sudaa a&t&s SprInglake dIat~~.aa~a.
The COmmIasion Of Appeoli raa~lved all question8 ralat- ine tathe adJuataant of bondad indebte6ueaa between the tno aohool diatrIat8 by reterring to Art1010 2942b,~Ravl88d Clril Statutas, fgz 0r whi.ah wo quoted abare.- The 00urt u8ea the rsll~
Wnder Seotion 9 It is provided that whore the bmndarlea of say aohooldiatriot~ hsving au outstandIng band~d~lndebtoaneas ha6 been
ohangedl or Its territory dividea, oto., It la
the duty 0r~ the County Board 0r mmteiis to
asks a Just and equitable addjuatment of the lnvol~e&. Seotion and inaebtodnosses
propertlee 10 of provides maus and methods ot oer- rying into effect the orders of the County sohool Board made under Sootion 9. Seation 11 provides ror taking aare of Iadebtedneasaa IH oases where necessary refunding bonds ars voted down, or the County Board,is Othemlso unable tm arrange sn
~adJaalaaent 0r suah aattors. Seoti.on 12 Ia gener- al in its provlnlons and gives the Board parer
to arrange such mattero in any lega and equit- *5 Bonorsble T. M. Trimble, May 8, 1939, Page 5
able manner." Ke therefore rerer you to Sections 10, 11 and 12 of Ar- tiole 2742b, Revised Civil Statutes, wblch we quote as follows:
Wee. 10. To carry into erreot orders ad- justlag bonded Indebtedness when changes are made in 6ohool di6triot.6, the County Board Of Trust&es shall hp.ve the power to order the Trustees or the districts effected, to order 6Il elsotion ror the 166Uitlg or suoh refUnd5ng bonds as may be neOe666ry to carry out the pur- peso of suoh order; and, In su0h oaso, it shall be the duty of the dletrlot trustee to order such slaotion, oauso th4 s654 to bs hold, ana, ii the proposition i6 earrlsd; to iSSU4 the bOnda vetod. Sueh bonds shall be or the ssae denomination and oerry the s4m4 interest rete ana mature at the 6ams tlmo as the' outstnnd~ bonds orpIng by ths distriot issuing them; and wh4B 80 iSSUea, shdli if p0Stibh b4 OXOhfi@g4d for ths outstanding bonds for whioh thk dls- triet issuing thsa-shall still be liable, ao- ooralng to ths order adjusting suoh inaebtsd- MM;. en& in 01848 tier4 suoh an -esohango oan- not be made~-th4~new bonds Of the dlatriot, to the munt Oftho 016 bonds fOE whloh It is still liable and to whioh no oxOhsng4 oan be made, shall be deposited in ths County Treasury to the aoeount of suoh di8trfot. l’herotaftertar~s shall belrrl4d' and earneased 0tily forth4 paymat Or lnt47?48t, sinking i’bnd and prinolpal of the now bonds se lo- 8uad; and the' iMds arlslng from suoh taxatlori shall be used to alsohergs the prinolpel ona intoc- eat of suoh now bonds an ham been lssuod ana OX- oheugad and suoh old bonds as have aot beon ox- ohangodi ?shsn taxes qre 00114Ofed applloebla to. n4~ bonds not sxohangea aa the pro044as applied to payment on old bonds not exohangod, the oorrm- ponding now bonds in County Troasurf shsll b4 oredlted with ouoh payment nnd retired was the old unoxohangod bonds 4r4 retired.
"'940. 11. In oe646 wbero ohaog46 ar4 maa4 and distriots having outstanding bonded lndobtad- nose and wber4 the neoesaary refunding bonds are ' voted down or where ths County B~ardlgt~Trustess ark ~therwlss un&bls to arrange an tidjUstI64nt Or *6 Honorable T. M. Thimble, Hay 8, 19?+, Page 6
settlement of 6uoh bonded indebtedness, it shall ba the duty Of.the tXXl6t446 t0 OOrtify the r4Ot and the territories alrooted by suoh ohanges, to the Commissioners* Court and thereupon it shall beoomo the ctuty of the CO~iSSiOnOrS' Court to thereaftsr annually levy and c6u64 to bs a66o68- ed and oolleotsd from the taxpayer6 or euoh dis- triota es they existed before the ohanges were made, the tax neosasery to pay the interest, the sinking fund and discharge the pripoipal of suoh indsbtedness aa it mat&roe. And it shallbs the duty of eeoh Independent Sohool Distriot so of- feotoa, to oeuso all fund8 ln fts hands, whether sinks ftmde or otherwise, tiloh have beon ool- 140t8a on eooount of euoh bonded lndebtedneee,~ t0 b4 tmhti8r8ma t0 county Treaeuror 0r the ootzaty in whioh 8uoh aistriot is situated aa euoh dietriot ehall thereafter oean to levy arrd ool- loot en$ tar on aooamt of eu0h bondei ena it ehellbe the duty of th4 county Treesurer fo k44p the funas se treneforroa sndfhose arising trar taxation, la 8eparete *000unte eed applrthe eeme only to the dleaharge of e?mh bonded inaebteane88 sad the inte~et thsmm, 88 th4 l eme eieturee. %40. le. Rothins la the pmvis~on oi this llot eh :$u?event the County Board oS~Truet488 . ag any other method for the edJust- rr06iarr % msnt end'bettloment of outstanding bonded ipdebt- 4aa488 or soho ai8tri0t8 in whfoh ohangee er8 mea8 abut ther shell hey4 full power ena euthority ta meke any legsl and equlteble adjustment,+6 set+ tlenent In suoh 0~48 that oen bs erfoogd.* 'Applying the above quoted 8eotlons'~i Artlol8~874Sb, R.C.
8. t0 the ~qu4stlone asksa by Mr. Boise, ,m r48peotfUly eavlee that the County Board or Sohool Truet.448 shell meke en #djustment,ot the indebtodxwie between the Sudan and’thq Sprin@ske dietriots, aad itj may Uirsot ths trustess of the Sprlnglako dletrlot @ oell sn.eleo- tioa within the said dietriot ror the assumption or its prorate 8har4-of,ths $4O,OOO.OO.,bondea lndobtodness of the Sudan dlstriot. Should suoh an aseumptian of Indebtednose be voted down the Springlako dietriot, the County Board of Sohool Trusteoe shell Obr- ti?y the fact to the Ocmmiseioaera * court or Lamb county 88 airoot- 4a by Seotlon 11, above quotsd. The Commlssionsra~ Oourt of Lamb County shall tharsupon *oauso fo be 8864684a and oolleoted frw the tarpdyers of euoh dietriots as they exieted bofors th4 ahengos war4 111164, .tho tar nooeeeary to pay the tnteMst, the 8-a fund and disoharg4 the principal. or BUOh lndobtodnsss as it matures.: Sootion 11, supra.
@norable T. X. Thimble, Liay 0, 1939, Fag4 7
;uostlon Eo.Zi. If territory is detached from one school district and edded to another, does tht territory hkvo an interest In the school properties ol the first district (which have been phfd, for by taxes or bond issues) end is the llrst district obll@ted to reimburse the district to vblch the territory is attached ror the prorata Interest ol' the detached territory in the properties of the first school district?
This question is one which the County Board of School Trustees, or the County Commlsaioners ' tiourt rzy take Into consid- eration in aajustlng the indebtedness between the two dlstriots.
Brmmer, "there le 00 euthorlty eStabliShed by law for deter&&q the VaLoe or the coa8lder8tloa to be recelred an ext4nA4d die- trlot for as 8uOh iIid~bt&llaSS" - - M. -O&t 3ldSpOll- &at Sohool R. (Ed) Sl4, efflr&wd by ColoDission of AppBb, s4
&lStiOS CX'itz in &,#CU'd 33Ld8~4!ll&Wlt sOhOC& DJstr%st 78. wlllale8r In aepeaamt School Distriot, 34.s. vi. (2a) Em, ssidr "U~~frorthe~fhat~~op- ertiees original4 oumd by the Lyfoml distrlat .. rrcnt lett SitUaw in suoh diSt.dCt a8 Ohan@
by the Aet ereatlng the ~lllamar afetrlat end thSl-8 $8 M dhpUt8 bStWSW2 the twa al@&t*
as to owmxwhlp OS the88 ~rqert28s.~
S&Y&U yw thet the SprX8gl8ka aetrl.et bee e~btarast~anyof~t?i8ihfpl~ ~188 of the Sudan Ub5triat.
Q9&
BY m Belt4r 8. f A48l8t8nt BKK:YC