At the times hereinafter prescribed, every attorney for the Commonwealth, every city and county treasurer and commissioner of the revenue, or any officer, whether elected or appointed, who holds the combined office of county or city treasurer and commissioner of the revenue, and every sheriff, in addition to all such officers serving two or more local governments who were elected pursuant to § 15.2-1602, shall file with the chairman of the Board, upon forms prescribed by it, a written request for the expense of his office, stating the amount of salaries requested, and itemizing each item of expense for which allowance is sought, and every such officer shall concurrently file a copy of the request with the governing body of the county or city. Such requests shall be filed on or before February 1 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which such requests are made.

The chairman of the Board may, at any time, submit to any officer a written questionnaire concerning the affairs of his office, to ascertain all facts relevant to the determination of the proper allowance to be made with respect to the officer's salaries and the expenses of his office. Every officer shall answer fully and completely all questions so propounded and shall return the questionnaire to the chairman within five days.

The provisions of this section shall not affect the powers of any county operating under an optional form of organization and government as provided by Chapter 3 (§ 15.2-300 et seq.) of this title to determine the budgets of the aforementioned officers.

Code 1950, § 14-62; 1962, c. 439; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-50; 1966, c. 688; 1972, c. 731; 1978, c. 431; 1979, c. 233; 1980, c. 588; 1983, c. 382; 1989, c. 242; 1998, c. 872.