Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-02
.FEESOFlr'OUNTY
.OFF|CE|IMUST
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OPINION OF MAJORITY
OF THE ASSEMBL LYMEN
Straight Salary Basis is Not
Practicable Say Men Who
Ought to KnoW-The Bill as
to Assessors and Treasures,
The Morning Journal Bureau.
Santa Fe, n. NJ, Feb. 1.

The Morning Journal Bureau.
Santa Fe, n. NJ, Feb. l.
The introduction of the Walters
Ruppe bill to re-classify the counties
Of New Mexico and to regulate the
/ fees to be received by assessors and
| treasures in the several counties, has
opened up the whole question of
county salaries and their regulation,
and has brought out the fact that
there is very strong sentiment in the
ASSEMBLY for the Encouragement of sal
aries in all county offices so as to
place them on reasonable proper
| ton to the service performed for the
| people While the Walters Ruppe
| bill refers only to treasurers and as
SCISSORS, there are other bills now in
| preparation which will cover practi-
cally all other county offices.
| The demands of the people for a
/ hearing on this important question
have been heard by the assembly and
the members are certain to give care
| full consideration to salary legislation.
and, it seems likely, to enact just
about the legislation which the people
want.
The Walters Ruppe bill has
! brought out the fact that the officials
who supervise the county offices do
not consider a straight salary basis
practical or workable, particularly in
! the assessor and treasurer offices for
the reason that there is a vast differ
ence in the volume of business trans
acted in the several counties, and a
vast difference In the volume Of busl-
ness transacted I'm counties which are
of the same class; and for the added
] I.na 49, .tagl.N fs..t 4
not offer the inducement to hard and
faithful and thorough work which Is
held out by the percentage basis; the
treason being based on the principle
that the average nina, be he county
official or not will not work for
something he can set without work.
ing,
The people, particularly in Ber-
lnalillo county have asked that the
county officers be placed on a straight
salary basis. While the Walters
Ruppe bill does not place the two
offices in question on such a basis
the bill reduces the percentage allow
ed from 4 per cent to per cent, thus
reducing the salaries of these two Of
fices to about the basis demanded by
the advocates of the straight salary
basis. The bill embodies in part the
ideas of the governor as to the regu-
lation of county salaries 1t en-
bodies also the ideas of Travelling
Auditor Charles L. Stafford, as to the
assessors and treasurers' offices,
gained from a close and thorough ac-
quaintance with the workings of these
two offices In all of the twenty five
counties of the territory. AS explain
ed by the travelling auditor, the bill
1 has a great deal to recommend it to
the most careful consideration of the
! taxpayers, and the reasons given by
Mr.. Stafford for insisting upon the per-
centage system and the graded per
cent, instead of the straight salary,
are evidently sound.
The Text of the Bill.
For a thorough understanding Of
| the measure and its purpose, the bill
should be read carefully In cOnnec-
tion with the explanations of the trav-
cling auditor. The bill follows in fun;
An act to regulate the classification
! Of counties and fixing the salaries
of certain county officials thereof
BE it enacted by the legislative as
sembly of the territory Of New Men-
| leo:
Sec. t. Whenever the county treas
urer of any county of this territory
/
100000 or more In any one year, the
same being the proceeds realized from
tax levies, levied for territorial, eoun-
| ty, school. municipal or any special
purpose, liquor. gambling and mer-
chandise or occupation licenses, and
from no other source of revenue. such
county shall be deemed a county Of
class "a. over st50,000 and under
| 100000, a county Of class "B." over
100000 and under Sl50,000. a cOun-
ty Of class &C" over $4,000 and un-
der 100000. a county of class ID
| over $4,000 and under $4,000, a
county of class "E." and under $50,-
900, a county Of class "F"
Sec. 2. The county assessors of the
several counties Of this territory shalt
be allowed for their services the fol-
lowing percentages upon all moneys
collected unon assessments upon tax
able property made by them, and also
upon all mercantile or occupation H.
censes assessed by them, and no moro
under any circumstances whatever, TO
be paid out Of moneys collected on
said assessments, and to be paid as
other moneys are dlsbursed on war;
rants of the county commissioners
In counties OF class "a" per cent.
In counties Of class "B," Ia per
lcent.
In counties Of class &C" ? i-2 per
lcent
In counties Of class "D." per cent.
In counties Of class "E, l-2 per
cent;
/ In counties OF class Fl " per cent
Sec 3. The county treasurers and
lex-officio collectors OF the several
counties OF the territory shall be al
lowed and shall receive for their SER
vices the following percentages upon
all moneys for taxes and licenses col
lected or received by them, within
their respective counties. to be paid
as other moneys are disbursed on war.
rants Of the county commissioners.
In counties OF class "A, per cent
In counties OF class B. 2 Ia pei
cent
In counties Of class &C." IL pei
cent
In counties Of class ~" per cent
In counteis Of class "a" i-2 pei
cent
In counties OF class ''F," per cent
J Provided: That the fees and com
, lpensatlon to assessors and treasurers
I as provided in sections and 3. Ehal
in the event OF exceeding the sum d
ia r0n fnr au4 nnq vour auCh expcN