Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1914-03-13
CALL A HALT
ON HIGH TAXES
Which Are Positively Be-
coming a Burden
PROPOSED TAXPAYERS
LEAGUE COMMENDED
Otero County Taxpayer Makes Com
parsons with Taxes Back East
to Onr Great Disadvantage

Editor Enterprise:
In last weeks issue OF your paper you
had an article concerning our present
high taxes. and prospect of still higher,
and proposed county taxpayers league.
independent of politics.
Well, suspect. every taxpaye er in the
county would very promptly join. for at
the rate of increase we will soon be un-
able to live and pay taxes. Our taxes
are positively becoming a burden. And
why? Is it because we are the most ex-
travagant people in our demands on our
county officers, or are our county Off
cials the most extravagant on earth?
Now we are taxed out Of all compari-
son with other counties where values and
productions. salaries and expense are or
should be about the same. and in some
lines greater. mean to play fair and
not make any comparison with back
woods conditions. Far from it. We en-
Joy our good roads. We are proud Of
our schools and give full credit for all we
enjoy in the county. but we are positively
aware of the fact that we are paying too
lOt "idL We tIllOy. Dul uO"t pay
attention. lived for eight years on
farm in Marshall county, Iowa, the best
in the state. | am informed that last
year the tax on that farm of 24o acres
was Sl2z5o. A man on the streets of
Rocky Ford only short time ago. told
me he owns good farm here. also two
in Marshall county and one in Hamilton
county. Iowa, highly improved and very
productive and did rent at S o cash per
acre. and that his tax here was just FIVE
times as much per acre sssin Iowa. /
have neighbor who owns two farms
farm in Champaign county. Illinois. He
is ready to prove that he pays five and
half times as much tax per acre
here than in Illinois and his farm rents
there for $40 to Sl2 so cash per acre.
and note, Champaign county. ILL.,. is the
second best agricultural and richest coun-
ty in the United States. Lancaster county,
Pa, is the first. Now. the writer is part
owner Of l44 acres of well improved.
second bottom. Susquehana river land in
Pennsylvania, as productive as Lancaster
county land. My brother lives on the
place and pays the taxes. In his report
to me find our taxes for last year were
S46.94.
find these states and places compared
with have fully as advanced schools;
their teachers coming here are fully quail
fled to do our school work, and are re-
ceivng Just as high wages as we pay.
From positive knowledge of conditions
here and at places named I know the
expense for road work should be higher
there than here, as the work there is
continuous ali year on account of heavy
| rainfall.
Material is higher here. the cry has
been in explanation of high leyles. and
that we have SO much land of no assess
able value. True; but | have been all
over said land, made careful estimates of
expenses while deputy assessor, and find
no expense there that would cut any fig
ure whatever. Also, that we had to help
pay north side expenses, Ala same.
since they pay their own expenses ours
goes higher every year. | fihd our two
big county offices, treasurer and clerk.
pay money into the treasury, so they are
not the cause.
Now. in short-after giving due credit
for difference in cost of labor. material,
all visible and invisible lines OF expense
and deducting it from our present rate
find we are taxed out of all visible
reason and it is time that we call halt
that means something.
S. S, BAILEY