Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-08-23
GRANT COUNTY FINANCES.

from the Den ing Headlight.
The Headlight is anything but pes
simistic on any matter aud especially
does it dlsclaim any such idea con-
corning the affairs OF Grant county,
In the future of which we have the
greatest confidence. But we cannot
be blinded to the fact that our county
dnances are Ia anything but good CON
dition. And right here let it be un-
derstood that we have no intention Of
eensuring any officer OF the county
aud especially the members Of the
board of commissioners whom we feel
positive are doing everything possible
to conduct the administration OF af-
fairs economically and to the individ-
ual interest of every taxpayer.
A serious condition confronts the
people of this county as to finances,
and it appears to be growing worse in
stead OF better. Notwithstanding
the law under which we arc now oper-
ating, by which the receipts OF the
year preceding are applied to the pay
ment OF the expenses of the present
year, it now looks very much as
though we will have deficit at the
end of 1895. There are between $751;
600 and 500, 900 due on claims allowed
before this law went into effect, in ad-
ditlon to the Whitehill allowances
now awaiting adjustment In the suit
pending against the bondsmen. or
this amount Collector Laird has al
ready obtained judgment Of $4,000
and over, drawing interest at six per
cent and the matter OF the issuing of
special levy is now before the court.
The county is barred from taking ad-
vantage OF the law passed by the last
legislature for the relief of counties,
which provided that creditors may by
the act of the board of commissioners
receive for their warrants bonds draw
ing six per cent interest, by the stat
ute which fOrbids the issuance OF
bonds in excess of four per cent on the
value of the taxable property within
the county, as Grant county has al
ready bonds outstanding $23, 100 in ex-
cess of such valuation.
During The present year the board
OF county commissioners has not been
able To order warrents drawn for the
amount of the claims presented and
allowed for the simple reason that the
money was not in the treasury. 1t
was thought that when the taxes be-
came delinquent on July lst, sufficient
would be paid to pay all Indebtedness
Tor the present year, but it would now
seem that it cannot be done. The
greatest evil of such state of affairs
is found in the fact that persons furn-
ishing supplies and materials for the
county present claims for much larger
amounts than they would otherwise
on account of the uncertainty of pay
ment. The cost of maintenance is
thus greatly increased. The people
are now paying 5000 year on Mr..
Laird's Judgment and other allow
ances are liable to also be converted
into judgments with similar interest.
There is but one thing that the
Headlight can sag and that is, that
existing conditions are largely the
fault Of the people themselves. The
tax rate in Grant county is exception
ally low, witness the oppressive ones
in the different counties in our neigh
boring territOry-Arizona. The board
is absolutely forbidden by law TO
make levy in excess Of three mills
and it Is hoped that with the coopera
tion OF the taxpayers it can be main
tained at two per cent for the present
year. But there is too much Of dis
position TO avoid the payment of even
these small levies and right here is
the whole trouble. Since 1887 the to-
tai amount of uncollected taxes in
Grant county amounts to 1921, 4S9
Some, and we are pleased to state the
majority, u the property owners pay
their taxes Willingly and promptly,
but there are Others who deem any
method fair by which such payment
can be avoided and it is to this class of
people that the present financial con-
dltion can be attributed. OF course
there are some extenuatlng circum-
stances. We have been undergoing a
period of financial depression which
has been sorely felt by all. But the
country is coming out, grass is abun-
dant, mines are opening up in all Sec
tions, everything has the indications
of prosperity never before known in
the southwest and certainly within
the remaining months Of 1895 there
Common Sense
Should be used in attemDtinR to cure