La Junta tribune., 1909-11-13
Commissioners
Fix Tax Levies
Levies for State. County. School District
and Municipal Purposes.-Roeky Ford At
Head Of Procession for High Taxes.
OTHlNG Is so sure as death
III and taxes, said some wise
acre of the dim and distant
mast and this wear of grace

acre OF the dim and distant
~ past. and this year Of grace
is no exception. At meeting OF
the county commissioners recently
held the levy for county purposes
was fixed at 16.5 mills. an increase
over last year Of one-half mill. The
county judgment bonds OF old Bent
county have been paid off and there
will be no levy for that purpose for
the first time in the history OF
Otero county. The levy for the road
fund Is one mill higher and the levy
for the high school 10 2.25 mills in
stead Of l.5 mills, which was the
rate for last year. This Is occasioned
by the fact that the valuation for
high school purposes was greatly re.
duced this year. Last year the en-
tire valuation of the county was as
sessed for high school purposes. This
year all municipalities having high
schools OF their own will be exempt.
The towns exempt include Rocky
Ford, Manzanola. Fowler, Ordway and
Sugar City, and possibly Swink. 1t
having not as yet been definitely de-
cided in the latter instance. These
exemptions will reduce the valuation
for high school purposes from S..
5I5.Ol0 to about 35.s50.0O0. This
was the reason for Increasing the
levy for high school purposes three
quarters Of q mill.
With = total tax levy Of 1896 mills
Rocky Ford will lead all the towns
q the county. and Manzanola and
lU&ler viil alss have inersassd lsv-
les over last year. TIE total levy
In La Junta. and all the other towns
in the county. il less than last year
notably In Sugar City. Last year
the total levy In that town was "
mills, this year 1t will be 5s.35 mills.
The decrease In La Junta Is four
tenths OF q mill.
The total assessed valuation In
the county for the year 1909 Is 80
io5. .922, as compared to $s.5l5.0l0 for
the year previous. an increase OF
ss90.9l2. The total increase In the
assessed valuation OF the various
cities and towns OF Otero county Il
s265.ii6, OF which La Junta With an
increase Of Slll. $3.50. has nearly one
half.
The total number OF tax schedules
in the county for the year 1909 Is
7,22O. q considerable increase over
last year. Assessor Adsmond Is not
contemplating the work OF extending
the taxes this year with any very
great degree Of equanimity. and says
he will not be At all surprised II all
of the members Of his official force
are candidates for the asylum by the
first Of the year. Not y single levy
In the county II composed Of an even
ISpmber Of mills. all having decimals
3ed some Of them are composed OF
0r figures. Last year all OF the
levies were composed OF an even
number Of mills. with the exception
Of three school districts and one
town. Last year extending the taxes
on twenty pages Of the tax roll
was considered \ good days work.
but this year about half that mum.
Der and maybe less will have TO suf'
flee - . days work for one man.
Everybody has bis troubles-evcn the
assessor. and he will probably BE-
working nights from now until tho
first Of the year. when the tax roll
has to be turned over to the county
treasurer.
Appeopsiatjoas for the estimated
expenses Of Otcro county for the year
1910 we're made 10 the various funds
~ follows: .
County revenue fund. =. $4,000
Roads and bridges fund. H.5so
Foor fand.. :. :. =. :. =. =. S.to0
Contingent fund.-. ;. >. =. is.ooo
Court house bond fund. =. 1.s0o
General school fund.. g. :. ls.o00
High school fund.-. >. :. :. 1000
Total Tor eounv porposss. .eiss.7eo
TAis year tAs total appropriations
Tor county purposes aggresated SiSs'
w. sAeWtng - tnoeeaes foe nexs
year q e1e.i6o,