Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-05-09
DO OLD VOLUNTEERS
GET EXEMPTION
FROM POLL TAX
Interesting Question Arises
As Result of Former Prac.
tice of City in Giving
Badges for Service.

The efforts ~ the local school au-
thorltios e. collect the current poil
taxes. the proceeds of which. under
the law, are applied g. the school
fund has sivcn rise 20 an interest.
ms situation. ana 10 no little con.
fusion
II viii be recalled that under the
Old volunteer fire department system
which prevailed ia Albuquerque for
many years--ln fact from the birth OF
the city until the year 1902. when the
present pay department was organ
tea, an exemption from poll tax was
granted TO- all members OF the fire
department who had served the city
for As many os five years. AT the
end of each year of servitude. "A fer
man was gwen certificate OF good
standing. ana when he had accumu-
lated i've of these certificates he was
presented by the city with a gold
medal. which wap the emblem OF
faithlul service and thu evidence ~
his exemption from poll tax. These
medals were frequently very elabor-
ate and Handsome and great pride
VAS taken IN them by those who had
earned them
For some unacountablc reason, no
roll or list Of those exempt from poll
tax WAS ever kept by the city. and
the onli way that a member Of the
volunteer are department OF iive
years standing could prove his ex-
cmptien was tn exhibit his medal or
his five certificates OF good standing
ia the department Many OF these
medals aud certificates have been lost
In The passage o7 the years. and their
owners now have no means In their
possession ~ proving their exemp-
ton
The present administration of the
school board is making extra efforts
To- collect IN all the money possible
for the schools. and as there is no
record of exemptions, as such. kept
By the city authorities. a drag net
has been thrown out for the purpose
90 compelling the payment OF poll
taxes 10y al who can not clearly show
their right To an exemption. and
there has been some talk OF bringing
suits To recover these taxes unless
they were paid the exemption
proven. Naturally this has provoked
no little discussion among the old
time hremen who feel that az mat
/ ter Of principle and right they are
! entitled to the exemption that they
| have earned through faithful service
10 the city
Major u. Ruppe, who served for
thirteen years In tho Are department
OF Albuquerque. ana who was the last
| rhl"i pt the volunteer department
| ana the iirst chief of the paid de
| partment, said this morning that
there was no disposition on the part
of the old hremen TO defeat the col
lection OF poll taxes due the city. but
that as "A matter OF principle they felt
that II was only right that those who
had earned the exemptions should re-
ceivo the benefit OF them. He stated
that the only record now In existence
as In the men entitled tn these en-
cmptions as contained In the old
minutes of the city council which
| showed the appropriation for medals
for thOsc who had served ave years
AS hremen, and the names Of those
60 whom the medals were presented.
There Ncms TO be no disposition
on the part either OF the school
board or the old bremen to stii up
amy unwarranted strife on the sub
feet. hut both sides are anxious that
tho tauglc which has arisen shall be
straightened out ana justice done 10
| an concerned. u ia estimated that
there are probably from $50 To goo
men IN Albuquerque who are entitled
! Go these exemptions