Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-23

valuation upon narrow gauge railroads
throughout the territory at $4,000 per
mile-not an excessive valuation. The
county commissioners of the counties of
Santa Fe and Rio Arriba should have
been governed and controlled by this
valuation, in tho assessment of the mar
row gauge railroads running throughout
their counties; they declined however to
be.governed by it and assessed the road at
$4,000 per mile, while the county COM
missioners Of Grant county folio wing the
law, assessed the narrow gauge railroads
in that county at $4,000 per mile. There
was no way for the territory to appeal
from the action of the county commits
sioners of these counties, and as result
both the territory and the counties suf-
fered therefrom, while at the meeting of
the board for hearing appeals, the mar
row gauge railroads in Grant county ap-
pealed from the assessment upon
their road and the board of
equalization was compelled to low.
er the assessment to $4,000 per mile. I call
your careful attention to this condition
with the hope that such legislation will
be had as will give the territory the right
of appeal from the action of improvident
valuation by the county commissioners.
The individual who is over-assessed can ap-
peal and receive redress, while if through
favoritism or any other cause, the county
commissioners favor their friends by
undertaking their property to the injury
nf oil of tho nthar ritiuapc thara ia No
appeal upon the part of the people from
their action. A law compelling the coun-
ty commissioners to follow the valuation
fixed by the board of eq ualization, should
be passed, and where individuals have
secured an under valuation of their prop
erty through friendship or by other
means, to the injury of the community at
large, mode of appeal from such val
uation to the board of equalization
should be given to any citizen injured
thereby.
COUNTIES IN BAD SHAPE.
While the territorial finances are in a
fairly good condition, that of many of
our counties is deplorable. Nearly every
county in the territory has large bonded
and floating indebtedness, and in ma
jority thereof their credit is so bad as to
make it impossible for the counties to
purchase any article necessary for it's
use, or to have any work performed ex-
oept at cost of almost double the value
it could be obtained in cash. This con.
dition must be remedied. Every COM
munity should live within it's means, and
n o;k ~ ;rsJ hot
ates Indebtedness beyond its income,
quickly loses its credit and destroys
its usefulness.
The condition of the counties is the re-
suit of three different causes.
First-Of legislation enacted a few
years ago which transferred from the ter
ritory to the county many obligations,
which prior to that time had fallen upon
the territory.
Second-The failure of the various tax
collectors to properly collect the taxes
assessed, resulting in large delinquen-
cies.
Third-The extravagant fees and salar-
les paid to county officials.
In view of the present condition of the
territorial treasury, do not believe that
it will be practicable to change the law
transferring from the territory to the
counties the payment of the obligations
above referred to, but some means should
be devised by this body to secure closer
collection of the taxes assessed and to cut
down the expenses of managing county
affairs by careful revision of the laws
for the payment of county officials and
limiting the power of the county commits
sioners in mourning indebtedness when
there is no funds to meet it.
have made en- effort to ascertain the
amount of the delinquent taxes IN the vari-
GUS counties due to them respectively, but
neglected to furnish me the desired infor-
nation so that can not submit full
report, but such information as have
been able to obtain, submit to you for
your consideration and guidance. The
reports as to the delinouencles was MADE
in the early part of the year 1896, and the
delinq uency is not so great as it would
seem at first glance. The greater portion
of the delinque taxes for the year 1896
has since been collected.
have also made an effort to obtain
from the various counties an accurate
of the county indebtedness, but
I have been unable to get q complete re-
port. This information is useful and al
most necessary to guide your body in
making the necessary changes required
to meet the condition of the affairs of the
various counties, and / recommend the
passage of a law compelling the county
of the different counties to
make annual reports to the territorial
auditor or the treasurer, showing the
amount of delinquent taxes and the
amount of county indebtedness, and the
purpose for which such indebtedness was
incurred.
Amt Delin- Date of Re-
County. Year. quent Tax. port.
Guadalupe 1895 s 1854 SO Dec. II, "a
1894 14,051 80
1898 10000 81
Colfax 1895 57,545 81 Dec. 8, 95