Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-03-09
BUSINESS METHODS
BY BUSINESS MEN
Have Put Chaves
County to the
Fore
WORTHY OF EMULATION
Is The Example Set By Coun-
ty Commissioners and
Assessors.

System is recognized universally, at
the present day, as the keynote OF
successful business and as the only
means Of accomplishing worthy ends.
And system it is that has placed Cha
YES county, situated in the southeast
ern portion of the territory, in the en-
viable financial position that it now
occupies. Especially noteworthy is
the systematic work done by the COM
missioners of that county in so far
as appraisement of taxable property
is concerned. 1t was the adoption OF
a system that has made the work OF
the assessors in the county very
simple and uncomplicated matter.
Due entirely to the indefatigable ef-
forts of the county commissioners,
led by William M. Atkinson, chairman,
all property in Chaves county has
been visited and properly classified
and graded, the result being drawn
up in schedule form. Every class OF
property has had uniform rate
placed upon it, so that by consulting
the schedule glance will tell how
any single piece of property is to be
appraised for taxation. Thus II the
commissioners after examination,
have placed in class A, for instance,
certain farming property, deciding OF
course according to location, quality
of soil, water facilities, etc. ,and have
then placed a uniform value on that
class of land, all property of that de-
scription must necessarily be ap-
praised at the same value. Thus the
assessor has but. little else to do but
notify the owners Of the assessment
and add any additional personal prop
erty. This method, of course, does
away with the making of variety
of assessment rates by the assessor.
Likewise, it makes impossible the
charge that has been often heard in
many counties, to the effect that the
assessors frequently ask, this espe-
cially near election time, what the
property owner cares to pay on his
property, instead of informing the
property owner that his assessed valu-
alton is so much and that he must
pay taxes on that amount.
Not only have the county commits
sioners of Chaves county carefully
scheduled and appraised at proper
proportionate and uniform value, ev
cry piece of taxable property in the
county, but during the last yearsthey
have raised the appraisement from
10 to Is per cent above the minimum
appraisements set by the Territorial
Board of Equalization, and in addi-
tion have classified, scheduled and ap-
praised such property as was not
mentioned and enumerated by the
board. BY the adoption of such a
systematic and business-like system,
Chaves county is placed in a position
to collect a greater amount of taxes
than ever before, thus placing it con-
stantly in better financial condition.
And due to this careful method of
looking after the taxes, is due in a
great measure the wonderful improve
ment in the roads of the county, for
a certain percentage of tax money is
used each year for the betterment of
road conditions, and it naturally fol-
lows that the greater amount Of taxes
collected, the more money can be
used for good roads purposes. Where
+ Chaves county formerly had but about
five miles Of good roads, it now has
over one hundred and twenty five
miles and is improving in that line
every day. Many other Improvements
are noticeable and it would be well
for the territory If all counties were
to follow as speedily as possible the
magnificent example set by Chaves.