Mohave County miner., 1899-07-22
Anent Taxes.

OF equalization of this county has been
IN almost continuous session. A grave
problem has arisen in the affairs of the
county, and this question the board
VIII have TO weigh carefully and decide
what in their judgm mt is for the best
interest OF the whole people For the
FIRST time in many years the treasury
or the county is depleted and a floating
debt Of lO,OO0s incurred, by reason of
the failure of the Santa Fe Pacific rail
road company to pay the tax levied
galnst the property of the company
in 1898, amounting to the sum of l5,-
9S6.2ls. The company claims that by
virtue of decision of the supreme
court of the United States in a case
| carried up from the district court of
New Mexico, the right of way, station
grounds and all realty on right of way
Is exempt from taxation. Out of the
levy made in 1893 the company paid on
personal property the sum of 2,33363s
The board of supervisors some time
ago had controversy with the tax
department of the railroad but all Of
fers of a compromise were rejected
Last week proposition was made
to all the boards of supervisors in the
five northern counties, through which
the road runs, asking that the men,
,, bers of each board meet with the Of
ficers of the company in Los Angeles
and try to effect an agreement on
basis equitable and Just to both the
county and the railroad. The meeting
was held the latter part of last week
and propositions and counterproposi-
tions were made, but no agreement
was arrived at. A long preamble fol.
lowed by thirteen specifications were
submitted to Mohave county's board
by the railroad company Monday, but
after full discussion the propositions
contained therein were rejected. This
agreement recited the claim of total
exemption of the road from the pay
ment of taxes and made the proffer of
listment of railroad property on a
basis of 2,50os per mile for term of
five years from date and the payment
of last years tax at the same rate. In
return for this gift the board of equal
ization was to use its best endeayor to
maintain the levy at no higher rate
than that of 1898. The thirteenth (al-
ways the unlucky number) contained
the milk of the cocoanut. 1t reads:
1T is further agreed that the taxes
to be paid on the right of way on
basis of valuation of 2,5O0s per mile of
right of way shall not exceed fifty per
cent of the whole tax levied upon such
right of way for the year 1898, on val
uation of 5,OO0s per mile of said right
of way"
That this bars the board of super
visors from making a levy in excess of
that of 1898 directed against the prop
erty of the railroad company and
derogate from the board its one lawful
duty-that of equalizing the tax and
making uniform levy. Every right
minded citizen will uphold the board;
it has done its whole duty to the peo-
pie. It's labor aud the wisdom shown
at this session will rebound to the
credit of each and every member in
the years to come. Despite the fact
that the railroad company may not
contribute to the support OF the coun-
ty for the present year, the board is
now assured of revenue of nearly
81, ,OOOs, as against 33OOos in 1897 and
not much more than 20,OO0e last year.
To accomplish this the board has had
to increase the assessments against in
dividual property, but so uniform has
the increase been made that we expect
to hear very little kicking. 1t is far
| better to increase the assessment than
the levy.
We believe that had the matter of
taxes been gone over carefully and
fully with the Santa Fe Pacific officials
and the necessities of the counties
through which this road runs been pre-
sented in the manner they should have
been, an amicable settlement could
have been effected. By a refusal to
pay taxes bitter feeling is engendered
between the people and the railroad
which in time will cause burdensome
tax to be imposed on all railroad prop
erty within the territory. The feeling
of our people has always been kindly