Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-07-21
COUNTY FINANCES.

The recent action N the commission
ers Of Bernalillo county in paying cred
itors only 20 per cent OF the amount OF
their claims and prorating all available
funds among the officers and creditors
OF the county on than basis. has created
30 much m thar The Claizen
deems II not inappropriate to make
scme thereon, and also 10
take advantage ~ this occahion to say
something of tax matters generally in
this county and territory.
Many residents OF this city seem i'm
pressed with the idea that all taxes lev.
led by the commissioners and collected
by the treasurer OF this county, 60 into
the pockets Of the officers, and 10 pay
rho comparatively few creditors Of the
county; and, taking this view OF the
matter. a is not uprising hat 50 many
people feel sure that the officers OF the
county are growing rapidly rich at the
expense OF the general public. When an
investigation Is made. and u is ascer-
zaaned for what purposes taxes are lev.
aed by the commissioners. a very dir.
fcrent case is presented.
For territorial purposes for the Nifty
hrst fiscal year. ne Bernalillo county
commissioners levied 1910 mills, dis.
trbuted as follows: For territorial
purposes, 6 mills: territorial institu-
tons, 81 mills; FOR TERRITORIAL charita,
BILE institutions. .55 mills: FOR capital
contingent fund, . mills: for interes,
on certificates Of Indebtedness, 10 mills.
for board OF public lands, 2 mills; for
normal schools, 20 mills; for completing
normal university. 3 mills.
For general county purposes. 3M
mills; court fund Q mills; courthouse
n Jail fund, / mill; road fund. . mills
Cochtu bridge fund, pa mills; interest
on bonds i.52 mills.
For the city Of Albuquerque. there
was levied for general city purposes.
IS mills for city parks. o mills; city
library, 8 mills; FOR interest on
bonds, 16 mills; for interest on funding
bonds. 2G mills; while for the board OF
education OF the city of Albuquerque,
6 mills werc levied, and for general
school purposes, 2is mIls.
From the above 10 will be noticed that
for general county purposes. only a NJ.
lie more than One-thirteenth Of the tax
levy can be used, II the total tax levy
We're collected, the 3la per cent on the
total ASSESSED valuation Of Si.Gii,6 3
would yield nc ,25G.32; while the total
taxes collected for an purposes would
amount TO about $4,000; and when w
know that only about $4,000 has been
collected. ~ Is readily seen that only a
iittle more than 81, 200 has been col.
lected for general county purposes.
From this the fallacy OF h theory
49, IA Il. 4N. .v4..v.mna HY.EV.TF T.. ~.
running OF the county government that
Is hearing 50 heavily on our taxpayers
viii be readily seen. II may be asked
then, where do the taxes 80, and VIII,
are The people Obliged 20 pay 50 pay ~
heavily?
An inspection Of the tax rolls Of Der
nalHlo county by one familiar with IN,
values Of properly, Ina the city of Albu.
querque, the upNn OF Gallup, and
throughout the county generally Wi
disclose The fact that property q gen
orally assessed al from One-third q
one nth. and some times as low as one
eighth 20 one-tenth of its actual value
Notwithstanding that the statutes o
New Mexico require property 10 be re
turned for taxation az his actual casl
value, ana people who swear to a re
turn, putting their property AT less maj
is cash value, are guilty. OF perjury an.
subject themselves 20 an the punish
ments which might be inflicted for IN
commission Of that crime, very few PEG
pie return their properly for more tina.
one-third Of is actual value. This de
sire on the part OF our people 10 rttur
their property al less than its VALUE
naturally results in increasing the rat
% taxation. To realize the amount d
money required. on a valuation OF S.
OnO.O 900. would require a rate three t!me
a. high as would be necessary 20 rails