Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-12-11
slIttaF1lFfn GOVERNMENT IN
NEW HExiCo.

where a - at
The people 81 New Mexico ere pro-
verbally patipnt onl there are tiracs
when potience ceases 20 be virtue
AND llttle uate Of The present type
81 administration is going 10 bring
mutters perilousls near the limit
chiefly IS reason o. dHatory meth-
ods on the para 81 the hoara II
equalization. the county tax rolls
have been delayed IN the various
counties The work IN the assessors
offices has also been hamptged and
embarrassed 20 the fact that the as-
SCISSORS have no salaries and cannot
employ che necessary assistance IN
wetung the work done. Litigation
over taxation inequalities and other
matters have aided in getting the tax
situation IN the state into d beautiful
mess Altogether the situation az ~
best, with the state short Of funds no
provision for financing county gov
ernment. and widespread protest
asainst Raises in valuation Is not q
cheerful one.
A short time ago the attorney gem
cral Of the state. president Of tho
board Of equalization. delivered an
opinion 70 che effect that thirty days
Or more should be allowed taxpayers,
free ~ penalty. before the payment
OF their taxes due December i. 1913.
IN order 20 allow the assessors time
20 complete their work
Yesterday the state travelling audi
tor. who Is secretary 81 the state
equalization board. came forward
with manifesto TO the effect that
while the attorney general might be
right AZ a matter o. mere Justice.
when Il came 70 the law on the mat
Ter he didn's know what he was talk-
ing about and that q was up 20 the
taxpayers 10 pay the legal penalty on
tho taxes after the first OF December
Meanwhile in Bernaltlo county
Tor instance. On the advice of The at-
tornoy general president ~ the board
Of equalization. taNpayers have csiled
~ the treasufers office and Offered
90 pas their taxes They have been
Informed that the tax rolls ere not
ready aud given 90 understand that
they win have al OPPORTUNITY 20 pay
their taxes sfter the first OF Jan
uary.
Nnw comes the travelling auditor
secretary Of me equalization board,
and declares these eitizens after be-
ing refused an opportunity 10 pay
their tuyes. must nevertheless stand
Cor the penalty az the resular rate
after December }
The president OF the board of
eqsaliaJion says they don't have TO-
The SECRETARY says they must one
end OF the government Is punns
northwest aud the other d pulling
southeast
An amnion from the governor
might be- expected "a differ radically
from either the attorney reueral or
the travelling auditor
Wore we % ask tho secretary of
state BE- would undoubtedly toll us
They we're ali wrons. whilc it IS O safe
bot that tho state treasurer would
differ with the secretary What the
position Qf inc lieutenant governor s
b would pc hmd to say we may bo
confident however that be- woaid
agree neither with the secretary or
the treasurer
Count, and state officials are work
ing at iogserheads and 40, citizen
and taxpayer Is offered d bcNildeune
variety Of conflicting opinions ro-
quests demands uud prohibitions
n b enough Go give the ayemge
man vertigo 90 us 10 discover whore
be- stands.
Meanwhile the state Be- standing
suli Last year we suffered slight
loss ln population Investors are get
ting tired Of waiting for ,he state 90
settle down to a business basis and
are tasting their money elsewhere
New Mexico. ihe new state. b. earning
reputation abroad for business and
administrative Incompetence and con
fusion in The meantime tho state
officials arc running around n circles
and rontrndlatns each othori and
a.. ..a...........r ts a. .uaf.I t...f.rI. i
expressed the opinion that the sIu-
alton wasn't particularly SERIOUS and
that me shoriase OF funds wasn't
WORRY Ing him.
To ga back 90 the tay question
yon can't pay your taxes nowi and
u sou don't sou have 90 pay the
penalty
This ls FAIR sample or me Kind Of