Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-07-16

! NfNAHAf1 10 AAAH
conditions and people and law Ia fhe
lcenury. Mr. Rodey Knows MS View
Mexico as few people know IT, and
has tokcu "A prominent part IN the
draitine Of q constitution for the ter
IrfofF on more than one occasion Ia
uae past when statehood doomed on
the horizon
Mr.. Rodes says that in his opinion
lthe tax returns in New Mexico
Whieh have been from 3S.0n0. 600 to
| $4,000. 900. ought 90 bee somewhere
near "a billion dollars. with a result
ing tax rate having as rs maximum
limit one-half OF one per cen In
| Arizona. whore the property return
has been from 20. 200. 900 90 10000,
6uU. MI. Rodey also thinks that
owing 10 the rich mines of that terri
ltory 81 just return IN Aizona would
be also close 20 a billion The pres
cnt low assessed valuation ~ an classes
81 property IN Arizona and New
Mcxico, he believes, Is largely due to
1.-The example af the railroads which
ARE. he saYs. assessed far below their
real value as the result Of a combina-
lticn OF circumstances. many OF them
unavoidable. during the past quarter
of q century.
~ Air Rodev views n. only through
"a constitutional provision can the un-
satisfactory administration Of New
Mexico taxation be amcliorated lie
Furthermore believes that New Mex.
leo uoW has p golden opportunity 10
evolve "a taxation system which VIII
Doe u mode Tor every state In the
union.
- believe. said Mr.. Rodey yester-
day, that J am fairly well posted on
the taxation situation In New Mexico
land feel qualified therefore to sup
IGcst ~ tbe constitution makers that
they are confronted by no more Inn
%portant task than to remedy the tax
system. It's giaring defects aud in
.cqunlities have been tho outerowth OF
conditions FOR many years. and there
has lain no remedy IN the hands Of
the legislature or county authorities.
The making Of the constitution for
The now state offers the first prae-
.ticnbie opportunity to bring about a
tremendous and Tong needed reform
in taxation methods
zach new state should Incorporate
in its constitution "a provision limit
Ing the tax rate for AN purposes. state.
.city, county and precinct. 20 one-half
.of one per cent With an equitable
land reasonable valuation OF all prop
.trty. this rate would raise plenty OF
revenue and would bring outside
money into New Mexico by the mil
ltor
Speaking roughly from my knowl-
edge on New Mexico property. I
.fnollt estimate that the great land
.srluiS atone. with their vast supplies
'ot cpal and timber, are worth from
fofu t0 five times the entire present
tax return of the territory. The coal
mines aud coal privately owned. (.
'shouid figure, sfs ~arth several times
the present total return. with rail-
road property equal 10 easily thrice
the return Hnildings and lots in
I%rifies ana towns may bee estimated al
H value of three times the present
entire return stocks of goods alone.
would equal the present return tho
real valuation of sheep and cattle. or
of AGRICULTURAL lands. would prohab!.
equal the present entire return. As
general broad statement covering
the cnse / do not think 10 lee an eN-
s%eaelatiou 20 say TINT not oue-tWcu
It,cth of The actual property in NeW
Mexiro ts now returned to le taxed
ITho tax rate ranges from thre, 60
seven per cent By securing an
,%cQuitabl. assessment and cutting the
lrlte to "a maximum of one-halt 81
pne per cent for all purposes We
could hhNe tbc greatest taxation sys
H.M. H. HH. 4H.sf.I lr.H.. .H ....
ient0rs would mot fotr bene taxed on
ltrrir loans when BE- could not cNeeed
Ia hair cot "a per cent.
The history of The taxation OF the
railroads in New Mcvico Is prohably
tho kew 90 tho situation Vhe Atlantic
auG Parifie railway from AIhuquet-
lgue west wa- BUILT under au Ret al
ronsress ol 1895. which exempted it
f-on taxation ln the territory. The
'suurriur court CT the United States
sustained the railroad in its refusal To-
ray axe FINALLY 10 law WAS passed
nN congress Enlakiur the railroad ou
lthcir own tender liable Ton taxation
uu a valuation 80 t4.t0O t mile fet
500 miles loo New Mexico. As it stands
nov the remainder of the railroads
arr a.scssrd au oou o. mule When
lthese roads cross th, river iuto Call-
fofniR tho taxation is placed at STA
nn" R mile and iu kansas and Texas
t ia about $4,000 O. mile. Conse-
1urutIy ntl other railroads in NeW
Mexico are assessed on the same low
basis. ur nesrh ~. with that as Ia
basis 3D. is not strange that the talu-
alton of Hfi ath-r ciasses of PROPERTY
kept down tn tho minimum. be-