Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-12-29

tlOHS ON myself, i lcel lnal IL merits
a short reply, although it is quite :
handicap on account OF the fact that
| am where l have no access to any
record pertaining to the various case:
referred to.
ton of the week" in making his in.
vestigations, and seems to have ar.
rived at the conclusion that taxation
is comparatively easy matter Ii
Mr.. Gobin will spend ten years, ye:
twenty, and can devise an equitable
system of taxation, he will do some-
thing that no other man on earth has
ever done, and confer boon on hui
manity that will be priceless. and
make his name famous for all time
The state of Colorado has never
had equitable assessments, partly on
account of having three distinct as
sessing departments, viz: The state
officers assess railroads and other
corporations, the legislature has fixed
the assessment on mines, and the
various county assessors list local
property; and from the further fact
that | believe the revenue laws OF
Colorado could be improved.
If | remember correctly, the law
has always been that property should
i
| am safe in saying that it has rarely.
except iii few instances been done.
In the year of 1901, | think came as
near listing property at its full cash
value as has ever been done in Colo
rado, on account of complying with
the new law just passed; when | at
tended the assessors meeting at
Denver. in August of that year,
found my assessment so much higher
than any other county that on my ar
rival home | made horizontal reduc-
ton OF 20 per cent on all assessments
IN order TO protect our own people,
because the state always collects the
limit. (four mills). From that time
the State Board of Equalization have
met with the assessors and asked
them to list at one-third, as that was
what railroads WAS listed at; and in
justice to local taxpayers, assessors
were compelled to adopt that basis
OF assessment; and will say for
Otero county that firmly believe
time credit sales), her citizens are as
scssed at one-third OF actual cash
value. | am OF the opinion that this
alleged investigation was made in the
interest OF the railroad companies
who Is very anxious to get its taxes
reduced, consequently wants to show
that local assessments are low, while
ITS value Is high. 1t is sometimes
said that figures don't lie, but some
times figures taken from records are
very misleadinp. and sometimes state
ments made by the actual owner is
subject to revision. Mr.. Gobin's
statement in regard to the fact that
the man with the average means pay
the most tax in proportion to amount
OF property, is true. An assessor
may use all means in his power to find
the hiding place of all of rich mans
property. and not find it If lie refuses
to divulge it, and the extremely poor
of course pay nothing. | have al
wavs been opposed to the personal
man with considerable property a
chance to omit many hundred dollars
in some cases if he is so disposed.
while poor man would only pay a
lew cents at most. Now in regard
to old houses being assessed as hig;l
now az they formerly were although
older. | can tell Mr.. Goblin that in a
large number OF cases they are actual
ly assessed higher for one of two rea-
sons: the cost has been greater by 25
per cent or more to build a house i'm
recent years than it did ten or more
years ago, and / have known old res
idences that sold for more than when
they were new, aside from the lots
on which they stood; the other reason
is the assessment may have been too
low previously. Most of houses in
Otero county have been kept in very
good repair, and most properties
have been improved by trees. lawns.
II.
f money derived from taxes were in
all cases spent with Judgment and
economy. by officers and institutions
who handle such funds. the average
taxpayer would be willing to pay tax
es more cheerfully, but knowing that
in too many cases. large part OF his
money is i'll spent, he naturally rebels
and his only way of reducing same is
bv lower valuation; consequently it
is constant war for the assessor to
get all property on the rolls. and also
to get it on at the value it should
bear. Mr.. Goblin says a large part
OF the taxable property is assessed at
only IS per cent and some lower than
10 per cent and have it on pretty
good authority that an affidavit has
been prepared. stating that assessed
valuations in Otero county is only
IRON IS per cent to II per cent. Now
MIR. Taxpayer, il your valuation is
doubled to make it 80 I-3 per cent to
conform to the railroad company's
idea of your valuation. you would pay
twice as much state tax and large
amount more local taxes. while the
company that is fighting YOU would
get substantial reduction. Now
Mr.. Taxpayer it you want your as.
sessments Investigated. why don't yor
of your own selection, and not have q
railroad company do it for you
hings always look different from tn,
other point OF view ] have no figh
with iLl ra:Iron-I- .L....I- =.