Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-16
Governor Demands That Funds
Be in Sight and VIII Make
Deep Cuts in Bill if This Is
Not Done,
POE MADE PRESIDENT
OF TAX COMMISSION
Crisis ConfrontS Not Only State
but Every County in New
Mexico on Organization of
New Body,

mssolse oisssres rorsiHe IousnlLi
Santa Fc, March l5.--Many Toms
IN the appropriation bill. Including
those for the university are in dan
ger This became Il certainty tonight
when the now state tax commission
met In the office of Governor Nc
donald Ia The capitol for organization
and preliminary discussion
The members present were sworn
In by Secretary Of State Antonio lu-
zero ag follows Herbert W. Clark,
.df Las Vegas. John W Poe. OF RIOS
well George /. Ilrich, OF Carrizozo
and Felix Garcia, Of Lumberton Jose
l.. Perea. Of Socorro, was absent
John w. Poe was elected president
Of the commission. which viii be in
session all this week
Plunge Into Work.
The members Immediately plunged
into preliminarics. and right at the
start found serious condition con-
fronting them. The Bursum tax law
limits the state tax rate to three mills.
The general appropriation bill pro-
vides for an annual expenditure of
tl,lG0.000 for the next tEO years.
The final assessed valuation Of the
state for last year was $4,000, 900.
The tax income was only little over
100000
A simple calculation shows that
this must be increased almost so per
cent in order to meet the terms Of
the appropriation measure. Governor
Mcdonald made Il plain In no uncer-
tain tones that he viii not consent TO
any item Ia the appropriation bill
that can be cut out, unless the tax
commission shows to him. black on
white. where the money is 10 come
from That Is an ultimatum.
This includes such items as those
for new buildings at various state
institutions, not excepting the. uni
versity, and such Increases for in
-sttutons az were voted Tor mAinten-
ance at the university and the normal
schools
u is a condition. pot theory, that
this time cOnfronts the state II Il
can be shown that there is enough
property that escaped taxation here
tofore ana that will get on the tax
folls now. wen and good then the
APPROXIMATIONS will stand. but the
revenue must be reasonably assured If
the expenditures are 10 be authorized.
The counties themselves are in a
similar fix. The Bursum bill limits
the county taX rate to five mills
That VIII not yield enough to meet
county salaries and other expenses IN
some Of the counties, especially In
such counties as SandOyal, Taos and
Rio Arriba, in which the tax collec-
lions have been az poor as the as
sefsment has been inadequate.
Assessors Must Tavc Nerve
In other words, 100000. 600 worth
of property must be on the tax rolls
this year There is that much in the
state. aud possibly twice as much
but the problem is. viii the assessors
find it aud have the nerve to put It
In their assessments. and then. Will
the collectors In each county do as
we'll as Dr. Watson of Lincoln county
has done with his 1913 tax duplicate.
collecting QS per cent of IT, even
though only a small portion of the
taxes Of Lincoln county come from
the railroads, which pay the bulk of
taxes In such counties as Luna and
Valencia, and pay them promptly
II the assessors and tax collectors
will druing the next few days assure
the tax commission that they will do
their part, then no doubt the gov
ornor viii approve all of the items FOR
new buildings and increased appro-
10 the state Institutions. and
there viii be no trouble in making the
per cent of all taxes sufficient to-
pay the salary of every county oftic-
ial
The tax commission expects to So
lect It's clerical force In day or two.