La Junta tribune., 1899-09-20
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Otero county property valuations
for the year 1899. completed last
Saturday by County Assessor Ads
mond, shows an increase over last
year OF &746. Az. Every item IN
the entire list shows an increase,
and is convincing evidence OF i'm
proved conditions hereabouts, the
despairing wall (for political Pur-
poses only) of our esteemed con-
temporary around the corner to the
contrary notwithstanding.
The most notable increase this
year is in the item Of moneys and
credits. In 1898 the taxpayers OF
Otero county confessed to being
possessed of only So. gao in moneys
and credits, Notwithstanding the
fact that three banks in the county
published statements to the effect
that they had in the aggregate over
5000, 600 in individual deposits
within their vaults. This year the
returns are over four times what
they were last year, the total
amoun, OF moneys and credits as
sessed being s79,e4o, an increase
OF sag, 3,ozo.
The taxpayers collectively. how
ever. need not take to themselves
any particular credit for having
made a free, frank and truthful
statement OF their obligations to
the state. The increase IS due
principally to the returns made by
one man-John C. Vroman, OF
Manzanola. His tax schedule, as
returned by him, shows $4,000
credited to the one item OF moneys
and credits. There are probably
dozen men in Otero county. who
If they were equally as conscien-
tious, would make returns fully as
great.
The law says that every person
shall return a list or schedule OF
his property in order that the as
SCISSOR may be enabled to deter
mine its value for the purpose OF
taxation. This fundamental pro-
vision, however, is SO Universally
violated, that it is only in rare in
stances that taxpayer makes q
frank and truthful admission of his
obligations for the purpose OF taxa
ton. Taxpayers outvie each other
in the matter Of securing exemp-
tion from taxation, and seem to re-
gard the &C, as meritorious rather
than dishonorable or anything Of
which they need be ashamed.
The governor is soon to call an
extra session OF the legislature to
revise the revenue laws OF the
state and to devise ways and means
to liquidate the deficit in the state
revenues. The statute requires
that all property shall be assessed
at its full cash value, but there is
no property in the state which IS
thus assessed. The present law
is violated with impunity by every
assessor in the state. II the legis-
lature enacts a new revenue law,
have we any assurance tn at its pro-
visions will be lived up to9 Is it
not probable that the state board
of equalization first, and the as
SCISSORS after them will violate the
provisions OF a new revenue law as
openly as they do the present law
and with equal i'm punitys
| The presentrevenue law is good
enough as it stands il its provisions
are enforced. II all property was
assessed at its full cash value the
revenue derived by the state under
the four mill limitation would be
amply sufficient to meet the ex-
pcnses OF the government. support
the institutions and maintain the
credit Of the state. II railroad,
corporate aud all other property
was assessed at its full cash value,
it would subject all owners of tax
able property to the same provi-
| sions and every taxpayer would