A county commissioners court generally may not amend its budget to grant a salary increase to the employees in the sheriff’s office in the middle of a budget year in the absence of a finding of an emergency. But a commissioners court may amend the budget without an emergency to transfer funds from one budget item to another, subject to limitations in other law.
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Section 51.221 of the Water Code authorizes a person who meets certain qualifications to vote in an election conducted by the Maverick County Water Control & Improvement District No. 1. A court would likely conclude that section 51.221 of the Water Code does not authorize the representative of a limited liability company to vote on behalf of the company in an election conducted by that District. To vote in such an election, a person must meet the eligibility requirements of section 51.221 in the person’s individual capacity.
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Article XVI, subsection 40(b) expressly permits a state employee or an individual who receives compensation from the state to serve as a member of the governing body of a city but prohibits the person from receiving a salary for the latter unless the person receives compensation from the state for work performed in certain capacities. Because of the multiple possible meanings of these terms, we cannot predict with certainty whether a court would conclude the Legislature equates the term “salary” with “compensation” in subsection 40(b).
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A court could conclude that “premium pay” funds given to elected county officials by Tyler County in 2021 through the federal American Rescue Plan Act under an interim final rule were akin to hazard pay and thus did not constitute salary increases requiring advance public notice under section 152.013 of the Local Government Code.
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Permissible uses and distributions of escrowed purse funds by the Texas Greyhound Association under section 2028.202 of the Occupations Code
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Whether the Public Utility Commission has authority under Water Code section 12.013 to hear an appeal by a municipal utility of rates set by a water control and improvement district, or whether the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has exclusive authority over such an appeal under Water Code section 51.305(d)
Whether a commissioner of an emergency services district may also serve as a volunteer firefighter for the emergency services district
Authority of a magistrate appointed by a judge or group of judges under Government Code chapter 54 to simultaneously serve as staff legal counsel for the appointing judge or judges and for the other appointed magistrates
Authority of a county under Transportation Code chapter 251 to abandon or rename a public road not included in the county maintenance system
Authority of a county to use tax revenue to pay a supplement to a hospital district in the county