Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-04-21
WHERE THE REAL BLAME
SHOULD BE PLACED


trict Attorney Charles A. Johnson has
instituted criminal proceedings against
two of Durango's citizens for failing,
as the complaint sets forth, in not list-
ing property at cash valuation accord
ing to law The Herald has had con.
siderable TO say concerning property
valuation for tax purposes and II Is
not necessary for us TO again so over
the ground that great injustice pre-
walls throughout the town and couu
ty. Some are paying altogether too
much while Others are paying too III
tie. II seems queer that this state
of Affairs exists as fagrsntly as IT
does. We pointed out at the time
OF the Stein ire these facts fully. We
are not going TO comment on his cnse
now that Il is before the courts OF
that of Mr. Jaywny either, except to
say that the facts 20 he brough out IN
connection with the latter may change
general Impression. and In case u
should be found the firm liz not prop.
erIy assessed there arc many others
in the same boat and we are utterly
opposed to making examples OF few
ana diioNABE OAh'Ar ~ ~ N'HFff 49,
Simple Justice and equality to all
shonld prevail The Herald believes
that should the informations hold
good that no hardships should follow
but that simply fair valuation be
placed upon the property and taxes
paid accordingly, and that Others
known to be assessed TOO low be al.
lowed 20 mako proper amends
Bu, getting right down 10 the nest
OF the question. the entire rcspons'
biliiy for unequal valuations In the
city Of Durango rests solely with tho
man who did tho nsscaalnE and the
board OF county commissioners.
When The Herald schedule was fiiod
Il was specially pointed out that prop
erty must be listed at what II would
take 90 replace same IN case of hrc
and as near hs possible this WAS rom
Piled with The assessor stated that
he was under bond 10 soc that prop
erty was listed nj full oaRh value and
whore this was not followed he would
recommend 4 raise by the commih.
nionerr-in fact would be compelled
10 do so whether any OF the ached
uics sworn to were recommended rats
cd by the assessor We arr no, ad
vised. hut We can SAY this thnt n fu-
ture asaeHsorH are M lax ms the last
one IN this regard ihoy viii be sub
ject to full liability of the bond Ms It
docs seem that man with ordinary
iudgmen, would know n, glance
that the law was not being compiled
with either through ignorance or VIII
mlly
After leaving the assessor the ia1
sohedules Of every taxpayer were
gone over by the board OF commits
sioners whose duty II ia 30 cqnnllzc
valuations But was thorc any equnl
lzlng engaged in TO speak or Does
any one for moment believe that J
c. Btndlcy docs not know there is
wide variance IN matter OF valuations.
That this wnN known 10 NJ loaht two
members Of the board no one viii de
ny. Tho law says distinctly they
shnH raise and lower assessments
when unequal No attention was
paid To this. except now and then
case like The Herald whore raise
was made 10 more than the property
could bo replaced for We do no, de
sire to dlscuHs our own grievances M
they nro only referred 90 10 show that
the commissioners picked out now
and then case TO make n showing
and IN regard 20 Tho Herald not one
Of them over stepped into the once
TO ascertain the value Of the plant
when tho commissioners discovered
a -.
people and few others placed fair
values on their property ind others
did not construo the law In like man
ner. II was their sworn duty to adjust
the same Therefore We say that NIL
the inequality that osists Is tho direct
fault OF the assessor and board OF
commissioncrr The assessor In sup
posed TO visit every place and ascor
tain true values and report same 10
the board " not given In the schedules
None of these provisions were attend
cd to Instead the commissioners
were too husily engaged In ordering
extra insertions OF the tax list In their
organ along with official lis, OF nom
nations in the weekly edition against
all law and precedent. and paying ak
20 eight times the price for othnr
work same could be obtained for at
other printing Offices etc Not only
has cx,ravrancc prevailed in paying
out the county's money, thereby In
ercasing taxes and forcing the county
on warrant hasih IN January, but
the matter of equalization OF taxes
was almost entirely ignored, with
one man returning values as he saw
q, and another as he regarded the
law. is II any wonder there In wide
difference in values. II was the duty
OF the county officials TO right the
wrong and no, the courts
The Herald. therefore has no hesi-
fancy In charging the whole trouble
so the late assessor and commission
crs. the latter especially. Rs II is their
duty 10 keep check on such matters
Tho supyrfor courts decided in favor