Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-01-08
Lve Mens From Mew Mexco and Arizona
What's Doing all Over the Great Southeast

sess il as required by law at rs actual
value. II Is recommended that coun-
~ treasurers be required. under the
same penalty OF prosecution md re-
moval from office, to publish delin-
quent tax lists and bring suit to re-
cover taxes on the delinquent property.
The further recommendation Is
made that property owners, in maxi
ing their returns. be required TO make
oath to them. as required by law. and
that any property owner making a
false rcturn be promptly prosecuted
for perjury
The resolutions then go on to show
that there Is no lack Of law in New
Mexico and that the revenuc system
as 1t appears on the statute books,
needs only enforcement to make II
sound. Upon the basis that there can
be no equitable assessment of prop
erty until all property is returned for
taxation at its actual value, the dis
trict attorneys ask the board Of eauali-
cation to take the initiatory step 70
this end at its meeting Monday, With
out the cooperation and leadership of
the board. 1t is pointed out, nothing
can be done, since the board has the
power under the law 10 fix a Valna-
ton for railroad property. and upon
which the proportion of value at which
other property is returned, is supposed
to be fixed. 1t was pointed out dur
ing the discussion today. by several
district attorneys that this suppositi0n
is not true. one district attorney
quoted figures to show hat in his
county the railroads were paying on a
higher percentage of valuation than
any other class of property. other
large property owners using the low
railroad valuation rs an eXcusc to make
even n lower ratio of return Of their
own property.
The board Of equalization Is the only
power which can fix and maintain the
railroad assessments, which are now
actually on a higher basis of valuation
than any other class of property.
throughout the territory with the pos
sible exception of livestock and certain
classes Of farm land. IT is to the
board which all appeals from local
county boards and assessors must
come and the resolutions Of the dis
trict attorneys point out that unless
the board Of equalization stands
squarely behind the local tax officers
and the district attorneys. no effort at
Improvement of conditions can sue
under the existing laws.
The text of the resolutions adopted
today viii be awaited with deep i'm
terest throughout New Mexico where
the questions raised by the district
attorneys are probably the most inn
portant and of most direct interest 10
the people of any public questions
now pending. Tho meeting itself and
the unanimity OF sentiment displayed
were very powerful evidences of this
general public interest. The district
attorneys first took UP the questions
cf enforcement OF the revenue laws
some months ago when called to-
gether by Governor Curry for the pur-
pose. At that time the attorneys were
requested to investigate carefully as
and taxation conditions IN
their several districts and to be pre-
pared to make a report at a future
meeting. More recently the governor
at the request of the board of equal
i~zation, appointed q tax commission
to make q special study OF property
values and assessment conditions in
the several counties and this commits
sion is now at work. The district at
torneys have in the meantime been
carefully investigating taxation con-
ditions and when the meeting organ-
lied this morning they were prepar-
ed to act. Attorney General Clancy
was elected to preside at the meeting
and District Attorney John Il. Crit
fifth of Socorro was elected secretary.
Travelling Auditor Stafford was also
present during the meeting. Mr.. Grif-
fifth started the bah rolling with a
resolution that Il be the sense of the
attorneys that the territorial
board of equalization and all other tax
officials see that all property IS re- !
urned at it's actual value.
with this as q starter the discus
sion waged during the morning and
when the afternoon session opened tho
attorneys were practically q unit on
he general program to be proposed
o the board of equalization. The
committee on resolutions composed Of
attorney General clancy, and District
attorneys Klock OF Albuquerque,
fervey of Roswell ana Griffith Of So
'orro completed their report short {
y after three O'Clock and il vas adopt ;
ID Immediately and without dissent
The whole trend OF the discussion
the meeting was to the end
with the avs now in force it is
possible to secure "a full aud equit- ,
Bile assessment of all taxes on all !
lasses OF property and hat 1t needs
My the active cooperation of the j
Of equalization to bring This g.
bout. The district attorneys agreed >
o correspond freely and to keep each o
posted on the progress or tho a.
essment and collection of taxes in u
several counties, as to the basis "a
n which assessments are being made I.
nd as to the success with which =
lxes are being collected. The as y
essrnent problem is considered far u
he more serious n at this time =
.ompared to the collection OF taxes y
m or twelve years ago the present .
ondition is excellent. In 1896 the Ill
ptal per cent of * collected Tor e.
ie year was 60 per cent. In 1897 il
as only so per cent. The report y
+ Travelling Auditor Stafford TO thu 81
strict attorneys today showed that
500 S4.71 per cent OF an taxes "I
WED in New Mexico We're collected. =
It it is desired TO Enforce all do r
auuent taxes for former years and u
insure complete collection OF taxes %
all the counties. Tor in some coun- p