The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1884-08-01
Raised Assessments.

The RANoE is Informed that the
raising OF the assessments on taxable
property by the board Of county com
m~issioners was done with a view Of
getting a trqer and more correct valu.
slion of the said property titan was
considered by them to be already fixed.
a1d II was'not expected that the vaiu-
ations given by the board would
stand. The board meets on Monday
next when the appearance Of a person
before them or the receipt of his state
ment under oath will be- considered n
ACTED upon fairly. The Increase OF
valuation was not local in its character
with any particular section or neigh.
borbood, but each aud every portion Of
the couniy was treated alike and all
are equally Indignant. The board in
taking this action 'basumed-on what
grounds is not yet known-that the as
SCISSORS of the territory comprised in
Sierra county did not do their duty and
that consequently the property of Sier
IA county was not fully assessed. To
remedy this the board feeling the coun
W to be too poor to hire an assessor
adopted the plan of raising the va.u-
ations to an outrageous figure in order
TO induce each individual to come be
fore the board and make correction.
by this means 1T was hoped to arrive
at the exact valuation with the least
expense to the county.
The RANGE believes the board 10
have been actuated by the best of mo-.
tiyes in this business. but It also thinks
that they did not consider both sides of
the question as they should have done
before adopting such questionable eco
Monty. There is az old story of the
penny wise and pound foolish person,
which they would do well to read If
they are not familiar with 1t. The com
missloners are presumably e~ndeavoring
TO save expense to the taxpayers of
Sierra county and simultaneously draw
INTO the county treasury every cent of
money that is due 1t. The intent and
%endeavors are laudabie, but let us see
IL the means they have adopted will
accomplish the end sought.
For instance here is ]. NJ. Smith in
Chloride. He has a residence situated
ON government ground. He is not
compelled to pay tax upon II at all, YET
he gave 1t in to the assessor, from pat.
riotic motives at $1,000, which was a
True valuation. Being a married man
his personal property is covered by the
three hundred dollars exemption. The
hoard of commissioners have seen il
to increase. the valuation upon Mr.
Smiths house to $4,000 to bring him be
fore them that they may learn II HI
was assessed correctly by the assessor
The notice sent him bringing the-new'
of such increase did not tell him wheI
to make his appearance or send afida
Wit to the board and he gets his frs
information on this subject from thil
paper. or he may not get it all. Tn,
time before the board meeting mex
Monday is too short to get an affidavit
to Eillsborough by mail, therefore !
he wishes to make correction be mus
appear In person. He can do this at al
expense Of twenty-five dollars provid
ing his time Is worth nothing. Twenty
five dollars the cost OF the trip TO Hills
borough viii twice pay the true lev.
Upon his property. and besides. be liza
his tax still to pay. he figures the eS
pense trip. grows angry with the bur
den attempted to be imposed upon hir
and closes with the determination no
to pay any taxes at all. lie knows tina
nothing can be collected of him and h
will pay nothing. The RANCE does nc
know that Mr. Smith has formed thi
conclusion but it does know that mos