PLANNING COMMISSION EXPENDITURES

PLANNING COMMISSION EXPENDITURES

County planning commissions may subscribe to pertinent publications.

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                                                                November 8, 1949

Honorable Albert N. Bradford
Prosecuting Attorney
Walla Walla County
Walla Walla, Washington                                                                                                              Cite as:  AGO 49-51 No. 155

Dear Sir:

            This is in answer to your letter of October 27, 1949, in which you ask the following question:

            May a planning commission expend county funds to subscribe to two city planning services published by the American Society of Planning Officials and the Washington Planning Association?

            Our conclusion is summarized as follows:

            Such expenditure is authorized, providing the subject matter of the publication falls within the purposes of the Commission.

                                                                     ANALYSIS

            Local planning commissions are authorized by chapter 44, Laws of 1935 (Rem. Rev. Stat. Supp. 9322-1 to 9322-12, PPC 776-1 to 776-23).  Section 10 of this act defines the power of a board.  It reads in part as follows:

            "Any such commission is authorized and empowered to act as the research and fact finding agency of city or county.  To that end it may make such surveys, analyses, researches and reports as are generally authorized or requested by its council or board, or by the state council with the approval of its council or board.  * * *"

            Clearly, the publications desired would be of great assistance to the commission in performing these duties, in fact it is difficult to see how a planning commission could effectively operate without keeping abreast of modern trends in the field.

             [[Orig. Op. Page 2]]

            Section 4 of the act refers to expenses as follows:

            "The expenditures of any commission or regional commission authorized and established under this act, exclusive of gifts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for the purpose by the council or board.  * * *"

            Providing the requirement is met, we see no objection to the use of funds appropriated to the planning commission for the purchase of the proposed publication.

Very truly yours,

SMITH TROY
Attorney General

JAMES M. MORRIS
Assistant Attorney General