§ 111-17.  Amount and payment of assistance; source of funds.

When the board of county commissioners is satisfied that the applicant is 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 rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission for the Blind, to be paid from county, State and federal funds available, said relief to be paid in monthly payments from funds hereinafter mentioned.

At the time of fixing the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1937, and annually thereafter, the board of county commissioners in each county shall, based upon such information as they are able to secure and with such information as may be furnished to them by the Department of Health and Human Services, estimate the number of needy blind persons in such county who shall be entitled to aid under the provisions of this Article and the total amount of such county's part thereof required to be paid by such county. Each county shall make appropriations for the purposes of this Article in an amount sufficient to cover its share of aid to the blind and may fund them by levy of property taxes pursuant to G.S. 153A-149 and by the allocation of other revenues whose use is not otherwise restricted by law. This provision is mandatory on each county in the State. Any court of competent jurisdiction is authorized by mandamus to enforce the foregoing provisions. No funds shall be allocated to any county by the Department of Health and Human Services until the provisions hereof have been fully complied with by such county.

In case such appropriation is exhausted within the year and is found to be insufficient to meet the county's part of the amount required for aid to the needy blind, such deficiency may be borrowed, if within constitutional limitations, at the lowest rate of interest obtainable, not exceeding six percent (6%), and provision for payment thereof shall be made in the next annual budget and tax levy.

The board of county commissioners in the several counties of the State shall cause to be transmitted to the State Treasurer their share of the total amount of relief granted to the blind applicants. Such remittances shall be made by the several counties in equal monthly installments on the first day of each month, beginning July 1, 1937. The State Treasurer shall deposit said funds and credit same to the account of the Department of Health and Human Services to be employed in carrying out the provisions of this Article.

Within the limitations of the State appropriation, the maximum payment for aid to the blind is to be such as will make possible maximum matching funds by 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).)