Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1943 )

XonorableC,H. Cavneas State Auditor Au&In, Texas Dear Hr. Cavnespi OpinionNo. o-5626 Ret Is the State TreasureF~authorieed to cancelthe eolal LoanFund balanceof $79,"g09.501 Your letterof September20; 1943, has been given OUF oare- ful conttlderation,It reads as follousr "Tiuconmotion with & audit we &e now malc- lng of the books of auoount ,and q+mrds or the @tats ?freamq.Be~nt, ue pmssent t&i2fellowingdatat '& kr'lieuthereof tltlo~te0r ~mbllc Debt.ror ~thatamounti In other uorda, the fierieral Revengeaa oount b&-mttM $Xwc$he’Speoial lean %?ax aecumnt thqamount stated. As no Wads uem iswed uader %hia law, and a8 the p’lpoaeedg, ii bonds ‘had been Issued and fold, wouzd have been availablefor the vem gurpoaeto which in effect the money rw2eiwtdwas applied,1 see no reasonwhy this aertdficateshouldnot be >'* .fionorable C.H. Cavness- Page 2 o-5626 cancelled. The accountIn fact represents absolutelynothing. . . . . ., '"We reapectfWly ask your opinionas to whether this certificatecan be asnaelledand whetherthe State Treasurerhas the authorityto clear this old balanae of $79;&9.50 fYom the books of the State TreasuryDe- partment. If the State Treasurerdoes not have this authority,how can suah alearancebe effeoted?" It appears that on April 8, 1861 the Legislatureauthorized the Governorof the State to borrow$l,OOO,OOb~CO to be used to pay the State debts and pay currentapproIjciatlons. Said tactprovidedthat a tax of q on eaoh 8lCO.00value of'property real and,personal,shouldbe levied to pay said bond and Interest. fSee Qanmwtl~s~ Laws; Vol. 5, p. 375). Qn January 13, 1862, the Legislature amendedthe Aat of April 8,~1861,ln which the Lagiglaturereaitedthat no bonds at that time had beenissued. (SeeCbmmel~sLaws, Vol. 5, p. 486). Iriyour letteryou stu$e that as a matter 0r faot no bonds have avti been 'imtuedin or by v&Hue-oi~said'~atatites~ As we underst&nd yam letter,there was howevm aelleetedin taxeS.lev%edin virtue0r ~ssid st+ttitej&e mainoi~$79,&@0; tPhidh&I reprCrsetit&d b$ the $tste ~;~p~l.er+g o~ifioate fy said~pmount@.v~Stto~G.H,; Bsll4olph,the Tremmer, on &me 8, 1865. ,, ,~ . ,,, ';&&li, &&y&& :rv,&:.lts*..i ~w.,in.,q~,+e, llaid ?``' statute the purposefor which the fsx uas ~leviad'andoolleetedfailed. Siaoe t&q monfq obtainedrromtheszileor thebonds wad,~Under Bald law, to,be~wed!'Ltip&rt.forfJeneral:Fux&expenses,the ~sheuld have been tran6ruTed t.0, the QeneralFkmmue hoooun*. Aa M yadarar* your letter, said Fund wan, in truth and in ,%"a&, tParW%Wred to ~the.oCneral Rind; and had ban~p~tedbythe.``~Curcraarprgaa~s'~o, Said warrantor 'osrtiireate'&n~ld now be oan&ed. This aooounthaa ezvoneousl~been aarrbd as a liobilit;a of the State l'orall these ream. -0FTxAs A1cKIRNKp By s/ oeo. w. Barcue Qeo. w. 3arcus Assistant WB-MR-WO ApprovedOpinionCommitteeBy s/,EklB Chairmcur