COUNTY TREASURER. The Constitution of 1876^qv provides for the biennial election of a county treasurer in each county. During the Republic of Texas^qv the duties of the office were performed by the county clerk. The Constitution of 1845^qv provided for a separate officer appointed by the county board, but in 1850 the office was made elective with a term of two years. This provision has been maintained under each of the succeeding constitutions. A constitutional amendment in 1954 increased the term of office to four years. The chief functions of the county treasurer are to receive county funds and disburse them as directed by the county commissioners' court.^qv He also examines the books of all county officers who receive any money.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials (Austin: Texas Department of Community Affairs, 1988). Dick Smith, The Development of Local Government in Texas (Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University, 1938).

Dick Smith