Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1907-09-13
IMPORTANT WORK FOR
BOARDOF EQUALIZATION

there has been a steady improve
ment in the assessment methods
and collection Of taxes In the
Territory, and while the travel
ing auditor is authority for the
statement that property is as
sessed at an average OF only
twenty per cent Of its minimum
commercial value in this Terri
tory, yet this is so much better
than before the time that the Of
fee of travelling auditor was ere
ated that any movement to undo
the good work and results ac-
complished should be discounten-
aneed. AT least, it seems to be
doubtful wisdom to say to own
ers of one class of property,
you must turn in o sixty per
cent valuation" while upon
another class of property any
where from ten to ninety per
cent may be assessed. A remedy
should also be found for bring
ing delinquent taxpayers to time
and to compel every person to
make q tax return. That there
is still much inequality with
which counties pay their Terri
torial tax can be gathered from
the Territorial tax returns in
corporated in the travelling audi
tors report to the governor for
the year ending May 80, 1907.
Chaves county leads with taxes
paid amounting to $40, 9O0.A Al;
while the only other county
which turned in over $40, 900 was
Bernalillo, with SAB, 603,5l. There
were five counties that paid be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 Ter
ritorial tax, namely: Grant, $780,
02O. 6S; Colfax, S3S,969.Si; Sar
Miguel, $3S,3A.74; Dona Ana,
$Sl, $3.50. 43; Eddy, $50, l64.S7. In
other words, San Miguel county
(which should be first in tax re
turns, is fifth. and in countie:
like Sandoval, the situation il
even worse. There were fv,
counties that paid between $40,
900 and $50, 900 Territorial taxes
to-wit: 0teco, so, 2O5.2 Is; Union
IS,7, 1882; Socorro, $50. "
Luna. $2i,7S7.SS, and Santa Fe
SETTLES. The counties tina
, paid between $4,000 and $50,
1000 numbered eight. They were
, Valencia, $40. 4SS. 80; Sierra,Sl7
! S90.79; Lincoln. Sl4, 1850 RI
Arriba, Sl3.3l0.47; Roosevelt
SlS, lS1. 80; Mckinley. SlS, 096, s.
: San Juan, Sll, 81; Mora, Sll
2SS. %. The counties that pa
, less than Sl0,0 900 into the Teri
; torial treasury were: Guadalup
: 50, 27S.ll; Taos, S.. SSO.62; Qua
!, s., 900. l6; Sandoval, $5.9l9.S
" Torrance, s., 2O6.56, Chav
county, therefore. although
has but one-half the populatio
!. pays almost four times as mu,
y in taxes into the Territorial trea
! ury than does Rio Arriba count
" and yet the land grants in tn
one county alone could not
bought in open market today I
+ the sum representing the emit
assessed valuation Of Chav
p county. 1t is also notable tn
}, public utility corporations Ii
&c those at Santa Fe and Albuque
: que escape their just share
; taxation considering that tn
p hold their franchises from &
Is people, and in the case Of {
d company at Santa Fe. approp
!, |. ate the water belonging to {
y community, permit it to stagna
n and become polluted and tn
b. charge a high rate to the co
e sumers to use what is real
~ their own. To crown the
n frontery. this same concern see
v to escape the payment of its il
e. share of taxes so that a few m
in New York may have I
he greater revenue and officials Il
It do nothing or very little, c
nc draw muniheent salaries.
at these are proper matters for |