The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-15
Republican Leader Declares
Satisfactory Settlement New
er Will Be Reached by Leg
islative Action.
ADVOCATES SEPARATION
OF REVENUE SOURCES
Believes Constitutional Amend
ment Should Be Permitted
Now to Permit Greater Meas
ure Of Home Rule.
Estate Capital Bureau
(of Evening Herald.
(5f De Vargas Hotel.

santa Fe, n. NJ. Feb. iS.--H. ..
Bursum. ex-chairman OF the Repuo-
lican state committee and one of its
dominant hgures. authorized an in
terview today. giving something OF
his views upon the pending county
salary legislation. It's ultimate settle.
ment, and the taxation legislation
which IL The next large problem be-
fore the legislature.
Il assume" said Mr.. Bursum, that
with the county salary bin In fair
way to be disposed Of, the legislature
will now turn its attention TO taxation.
The two subjects have "A much closer
relation than a superficial View might
indicate, In that the difficulties en-
countered In settling both questions
bring US closer and closer TO the grow
Ing public demand for greater meas
ure Of home rule.
The question Of fixing county sal
aries should never be drought before
the legislative assembly. II has no
place there. Il belongs AT home, With
our county commissioners who are In
close dany contact with the people OF
their sspective counties, and who
| to ae paid, ia salaries TO county oit-
GERS and what the county IN able TO
pay for any given service. We have
| encountered no trouhlcin hNing sAplf-
les OF municipal officers because 'the
responsibility is definitely located IN
an authority close To the people. Dii-
ferences are easily and quickly ad-
iumed. A serious error can be cor
| rocted Immediately. because the peo-
ple are In position To enforce their
demands. The plan of complete home
| rule which works pa smoothly In our
| municipalities. certainly would do hs
| we'll In the county governments. IN
| deed this has been the experience oil
! those states where the home rule plan
| has been tried. To hold a member OF
| the legislature responsible for the
| county salaries In his home county u
| lmposalhie. lie has to- reckon with his
| fellow members from 2S other c"un'
| tlcs and re can shoulder the blame i"i
Iul, mistake upon them.
"stnl our constitution shoulders the
arrden of fixing coudty salaries up"
the legislature. and until We amend
| the constitution there is no chansins
| the conditions. All things considere,
believe this legislature has doue al
wcn as could be expected with what "a
always a vexing problem. II VIII al
WAYS he a veXing problem until we car
amend the constitution and place TIM
responsibility where il belongs' Wh'o'
1 belie,e IL with the local county gov
crnments. When the thing II possipl'
/ will favor such an amendment 20 th'
constitution.
~ do not believe our people taNol
tnking away an the taxing authorll
from our boards of county comn's
slonera and local assessors, ana vest
ing Il In an all powerful board OF stai'
tax commissioners. As nearly as ] cat
see the provision FOR state equali1lnl
board. possibly with more extensive
mowers than that originally provided
bv the constitution. but with Us act
ana the acts of assessors ana count
honrds subject 10 ready review ~ w
courts will best meet the conditions
''No law can be enforced unless pup
lie sentiment is behind u. DO no
, lheneye there are many reSihehts
New Mexico, who " required 20 sWe"
To their tax returns. could not he con
yietea Of periufy. without a deiinh
and very low limit upon our tax lev
, peoplc cannot be expected To ana WI
, not make a fun return of their prop
erty AT full value. Without such
maximum levy. the tax payer does no
: know what call for taxation may
4 placed upon MIN. Ia the Vernaeu'a'
/, he does not know what he ~ goins
aeainst and he Is going to play sale
o 'If. for instance, maximum levy
4 o,e ncr cent for all purposes shoui
he tixed am convinced that ever
dollar ~ property In this state Wonl
soon appenr ON the tax rolls; for 1"
? reasons. For one thinS the p"op
4 would feel safe In making full returf
\ OF their properly. In The second plao'
4 tnxing officials. and other oiilcialr' i'
I caI and state. would be conironie
. with the necessity of setting proper
h. on the tax rolls IN order to opefa'
g their offices and the government WI
+. which they are entrusted, 4 prospec
II i've deficiency would be the sures' COZ
. rectlvo for tax dodging
And this brings us again 10 u
% question of homo rule ana In my opi'
q ion TO the need eventually Of anoth'
70 constitutional amendment which vi
+ permit 81 the separation OF our sta
and local taxes and Income source