§ 111-17. Amount and payment of assistance; source of funds.
§ 111‑17. Amountand payment of assistance; source of funds.
When the board of county commissioners is satisfied that the applicantis entitled to relief under the provisions of this Article, as provided in G.S.111‑14, they shall order necessary relief to be granted under the rulesand regulations prescribed by the Commission for the Blind, to be paid fromcounty, State and federal funds available, said relief to be paid in monthlypayments from funds hereinafter mentioned.
At the time of fixing the annual budget for the fiscal year beginningJuly 1, 1937, and annually thereafter, the board of county commissioners ineach county shall, based upon such information as they are able to secure andwith such information as may be furnished to them by the Department of Healthand Human Services, estimate the number of needy blind persons in such countywho shall be entitled to aid under the provisions of this Article and the totalamount of such county's part thereof required to be paid by such county. Eachcounty shall make appropriations for the purposes of this Article in an amountsufficient to cover its share of aid to the blind and may fund them by levy ofproperty taxes pursuant to G.S. 153A‑149 and by the allocation of otherrevenues whose use is not otherwise restricted by law. This provision ismandatory on each county in the State. Any court of competent jurisdiction isauthorized by mandamus to enforce the foregoing provisions. No funds shall beallocated to any county by the Department of Health and Human Services untilthe provisions hereof have been fully complied with by such county.
In case such appropriation is exhausted within the year and is found tobe insufficient to meet the county's part of the amount required for aid to theneedy blind, such deficiency may be borrowed, if within constitutionallimitations, at the lowest rate of interest obtainable, not exceeding sixpercent (6%), and provision for payment thereof shall be made in the nextannual budget and tax levy.
The board of county commissioners in the several counties of the Stateshall cause to be transmitted to the State Treasurer their share of the totalamount of relief granted to the blind applicants. Such remittances shall bemade by the several counties in equal monthly installments on the first day ofeach month, beginning July 1, 1937. The State Treasurer shall deposit saidfunds and credit same to the account of the Department of Health and HumanServices to be employed in carrying out the provisions of this Article.
Within the limitations of the State appropriation, the maximum paymentfor aid to the blind is to be such as will make possible maximum matching fundsby the federal government. (1937, c. 124, s. 6; 1961, c. 666, s. 3; 1973, c. 476, s. 143; c. 803,s. 11; 1997‑443, s. 11A.118(a).)