Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-02-04
COMMITTEES REsoLUTloNs
FOR ToNloNT's MEETING
To the Honorable Frank Mckee,
Chairman OF Citlzcns Meeting.

To tho Honorable Frank Mckee,
Chairman OF Citizens Meeting.
Sir:--Iour committee. appointed
pursuant to resolution oG the meeting
after discussion ana interchange oi
tiows, to express the sonse and senti.
meqt OF the citizens OF Bernallllo
county, on the subject of contem.
plated legislation to provide AGAINST
poFslble floods la the valley of the
Rio 0rande, report the following foao.
lutions.
Resolved, tnat the problem or deal.
ing with the flood waters OF the Rio
ordndo In its course OF nyo hundred
miles through the length OF tho terri.
tory from north 10 south. In a broad.
Henerai ana permanent way, Is not
local but territorial In lis nature, al.
fectlng the welfare OF our whole com.
monwealth. and should be controlled
ana managed by territorial central
authority aud not ia sporadic way
by the local officials OF the several
counties through which the river runs.
Resolved, further. that measures for
Immediate and temporary relief and
protection against damage and de.
struction by flood waters OF the RIO
uiande, during the next two years.
before any general scientific, pOrman.
ent, territorial system can be put IN
operation, ought 20 be adopted, aud
must, OF necessity, be administered By
the local authorities OF the commun.
tiles affected
Resolved, that we are unaIterably
opposed 10 comforting any power OF
taxation IN counties. whether for gen
efal or special purposes. upon any OF.
hcera other than the county commits.
sioners who have been selected BY tho
people 10 manage county affairs, and
among other things, to levy all taxes
for county purposes.
Resolved, that nu funds, raised by
taxation In countlJs, whethcF for gen.
eral or special purposes, should ever
ho used or diaburHed except BY. and
under tho direction of, the county
commissioners, chosen to be general
managers of an county business.
hoholsed, that the protection OF
property IN the valley OF tho Rio
Grande against injury Or destruction
by floods, Is not q local matter the
expense Of which should all be borne
by the persons ur property threatened.
but should be provided for By a gonar.
Al county tax, for tho obvious reason
that In the river counties, three.
fouFlhs or more OF all the taxable
property is to bt found In the valley
OF the river, and any considerable de I
siruction Of the property there would
fntnh a large increase OF the burden
o. taxation upon the other portions Of
the counties.
Resolved, that the commissioners
Of all counties threatened with dam.
age BY floods, ought 10 be- empowered /
20 levy a county tax. Ia their dlscre. /
ton. up 10 a maximum rate, 90 be "a /
ed BY The legislature. 10 create funds /
during The noEt two years. for imme- 4
dlato aud temporary protection 1
against such damage, and that they 1
should be authorized 10 incur ox. /
pensoa and liabilities for such pur. 4
poses 10 be paid for out OF the pro.
dust 0f such tax when afterwards col. 4
lected, but that no such expenditure
should be made. or liability incurred,
except undor the direction OF sclunti.
Nc, trained experts 20 be employed by
such commissioners, preference 70 be
siren 10 the duly elected county sur.
Veyora, II In tho judgment of the com.
those surveyors are fitted
.o 40 such work
Resolved that we favor the lmme
iiate abolition 0f the Offices of river
commissioners and the repeal % the
statutes relative thereto.
Resolved, that. for continuing and
permanent Improvement of the Rio
irapde, and protection against dam,
iEe py 80 Watorb. some central. terri.
orial authority should be- created
whether q bo board. commission, OF
territorial water engineer. which
should have supreme ana unlimited
'ontfol under legislative direction.
md should be charged with the duty
u deyising, and vested with tha
)ower OF executing, adequate ana
comprehensive means for so controll.