El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-13
FIGHT IS OPENED ON TAX RATE
ASSESSED IN FL PlSO COUNTY
Confined From Page one3

office under a cloud. You know 1t is
customary when an Irishman IS hit
over the head to hit back
L would rather be removed from Of
flee in a case of trying to protect the
people than in a case where L failed TO
do So replied judge Sweeney. You
are an Independent officer. The attor-
ney general can't do anything You are
empowered to place values You are
court the same as the district courts,
or the county court Do you think the
attorney general can tell judge Jack
son, or judge WalthaQ, what decision
to make In caSeSE'
Unless we have the sentiment of the
people with US, we don't want to get
fired out" commissioner Clifford said.
IF you think you are doing right by
taxing the people more than anyone
else, stick to it said judge Sweeney
Does Not Want Prosecution.
well we want the sentiment of the
people with US" replied the commits
siOner. Il don't give q straw about the
attorney general removing me from Of
Ilce-It would rblleVe me-but don
want to be prosecuted criminally.
4 might say" said judge Eylar, that
IN 1907 tax law was passed demand
ing a full rendition at full valuation
and the commissioners court is re-
qUired to place the values 1 had Oc-
casiOn to Investigate this matter when
I was at Austin Ellis county, one Of
the richest counties in the state, dOesn [
pay anything; 1t gets more back from
the state than it pays in. The rendl-
lions of this county have increased and
as it is. we viii pay to the state this
year S15O,00O. We are simply being
held up. L suppose the way the other
counties are doing could be called a
monumental graft Some Of the counties
are not paying the state any taxes
The tax commissioner is allowed only
$500 for an expense account This en-
ableS him to- employ StenOgrapher
about three months in the year. His
transportation is not paid, so he can
n q g
the tax situation. Letters and excellent
pamphlets are got out, showing what
is being done, and also showing how
some counties are rObbing the state.
There are counties in the state that
are not contributing a cent to the state
FL PaSO is one of those sucker
sucker, I believe, is the wOrd-counties
that are footing the bills o. the state
If we would scale off about Is percent
of the values, we would save about
Clifford Would Cut II IS Percent.
Il would scale of 70 percent de-
clared commissioner Clifford do 1t,
and let them fire me off Those in the
court room applaUded him.
I'VE might have a public meeting.2
continued Judge Eylar, and see if the
people think the assessments are too
high
County tax assessor George Huffman
stated that cOnsidera BILE work had been
done on the rolls, which, If the scaling
was decided on. would be lost. He es-
timated that the extra work that would
have 10 be done then would cost in the
neiEhborhoOd of $500. Judge Sweeney
thought it would be good investment
for the citizens, if It cost $4,000 or
$4,000 to DO the extra work
The tax rate obtained from the
state on the intangible and rolling stock
of corporations could not be changed.
In view of a change in the other valua-
tons it was thought that this would
give the corporations an opportunity
70 come in and contest the state rate.
CAS- long as they can't put us in the
penitcntiary." said commissioner Cliff
ford. I don't care. 7 don't care about
being prosecuted. When the cut is
made. tell 'em that the values in the