Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1913-03-02
Secretary Clues Annual Report

county in the state.
This county has paid for many wild
animals that were brought from New
Mexico. and Mexico during the last
few years. in addition 10 the hun
dreds Of dollars paid each year for
the destruction OF harmless animals.
which they were compelled TO pay
under the law as il was then.
bounty is still paid for the destruc-
ton OF wild animals that are a mem
ace to the stock interests under the
law as amended. so that no individual
interest is left unprotected, while the
counties interests are being protect
ed, and clear saving of approximate
ly, s50,00000 for all the counties in
the state each year.
Your Secretary's four years exper
fence collecting back taxes under the
law of 1908, made him familiar with
The defects in the law and prepared
him to write the amendments that
would supply the proper remedy.
Under the law of 1908, il is impos-
sibie to collect all the back taxes, or
close the Back Tax Book at the end
Of any year, or any other time. which
defeats the first principle of taxation:
yix: - Every part and parcel Of prop
erty should contribute to the support
of the local, county and state govern
ments. in the ratio that its value
bears to the whole value in either.
This bill did not get TO final pas
sage on account of the shortness CT
time after its Introduction.
The School Bond and Interest
Funds bill met the same fate as did
the bill combining the Original and
Duplicate Assessment Rolls. Short
ness of time in each case.
However. the State Tax Commits
sion, holding that they had power to
prescribe the form of the Assessment
Rolls, sent TO the Supervisors OF the
several counties a form combining
the two books into one form and or
dered the Tax Rolls to be made ac-
cordingly.
This form is a copy of the one
made by your Secretary in the bill
offered for this purpose and intro
duced by Mr.. Saxon OF Santa Graz
County
This bill if il became a law. would
make a saving 10 all the counties in
the state of approximately, 100000
year, that they are now paying for
making the duplicate of the assess
ment rolls. and make the book OF
original entry the tax rolls, which
would be better business methods
than under the present system.
The State Tax Commission have
recalled their order and viii recon
mend the enactment OF a law, by the
legislature, at its next session, pro-
viding the form for tax rolls in the
future 10 make sure of its legality.
The mandates of the Constitution
occupied so much time of the leg
islature that il was impossible to get
consideration of the merits Of all
bills pertaining to, or amending laws
that had 10 do with the affairs Of
counties, which we had on our list.
The legislative work begun is part
" accomplished. and with continued
effort along the same lines, laws can
be put into our statutes that will de-
, mand business administrations in ey-
cry county of the state.
On the 9th day OF January, 1912, a
Judgment was rendered by the Dis
trict Court in Tombstone, in favor Of
Geo. 3. Wilcox, Clerk Of the Court, in
the sum of $1,44l4 A. in a suit he had
brought against Cochise County to
collect Clerks fees in tax cases filed
during the last few years OF his IN
cumbency.
These were all cases on which the
county had had no returns.
Your Secretary was the Tax Col
lector at the time, and at whose re-
lation all Of these suits were filed,
and knew there was no provision IN
the Back Tax Law under which the
suits were filed, for the payment OF
! fees TO any officer, unless the taxes
and costs in each suit we're collected
and actually paid into the Treasury,
therefore, the county by the judy
ment, was ordered to pay a claim,
and had no funds provided for such
claims.
Your Secretary took the matter up
with W G. Gilmore, County Attorney
elect, and requested him to give no
tice of appeal to the Supreme Court
and proceed with the case, at the ex-
pense OF our Association, il he could
not get an order from the Supervis-
ors to do So
The appeal was taken and the case
reversed and ordered dismissed by
the Superior Court, which has been
done.
The County again saves Sl44l.45
and costs OF the case.