The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-10-26
REASONABLE ROAD ExPENDI-
TUBES.

auon e leading a movement
IN chaves county to dispense with the
county rad ievy this year ON the
ground that Chaves county will have
from thr surplus in Is coasty salary.
fund approximately s3o.Oo0. which
under tho law Is convertible into the
county road fund. and because with
the addition % this large sun to the
receipts from the county icvy pro-
posed 10 900 made. and the connty's
share ~ Che state highway hond IS
sue, n county win have approx.
mately tlOo. goo 20 spend On roal
building during the coming year, an
amount which he considers In excess
OF IFS necessities Mr., Haeerman mr.
Eues.ihat by eliminating the proposed
county levy OF one mill for roads a
reduction Of about 20 per cent can be
made IN the chsves couaty AK rate;
a reduction which he beiies ,he tax
payers would appreciate. and which
he holds might be made wl.hout In
any way interfering With the steady
prosecution OF an Intelligent cad CON
structlon program.
while the balance likely L, remain
In the county salary fund probably is
larger in Chaves county than IN many
other counties in the state. yet IL BE-
TO he expected that every unit will
have some balance IN this fund. which
may be turned over to the road fund
after salary requirements have been
met Mr. Hagerman's suggestion
therefore becomes % interest TO tax
payers In every county and a recent
statement by MIN sn the Roaweh
Evening News. in which his view 81
h matter is set 'rth. is reproduced
in the Herald ~ ncins Of very
general and tiyely interest
We get h clear impression from
his statement that MI, Haserman IS
N no way opposed TO The building OF
good roads. Indeed he has been one
~ the most active advocates OF sensi-
bic highway building. u " simply
that the president Of the Taxpayer
association. like almost every other
student 81 public finance and admin
istration IN Sew Mexico, secs IN thr
Wholesome enthusiasm which has
beer developed for road building in
this state a grave danger OF e%strava-
gance. Of construction that viii not
prove permanent. and o. serious
waste Of public funds. Ho merely
emphanises the stop. Look. Listen
warning which W G.. Reid OF his city
so clearly sounded at the recent good
roads conference Of state halfway Of
fieials in santa Re. There Is no argu-
ment against the proposition that
$4,000 spent iutelligently on road
building OF recognized necessity IS
a better Investment b 100000
sIent reckiessly. There is no arsu-
ment gains the further proposition
thn II a county can meet las immc.
diato needs in highway ~constructior
hy the expenditure of fifty or siNtS
thonsandadoiiars. Il should stop win
that expenditure and save the balance
10 the Taxpayer. against a uiac vher
Necessity calls Tor further eVpendi.
tarc.
Something Of this the editor of the
Roswell News expresses .n the follow.
ing portions Of an editorial, comment
ing on Mi. Hagerman'z statement
The suggestion OF Hon n D. fla.
german, made IN yesterdays Eyenina
News. that the tax rate ct Chavez
county be reduced. has attracted NOR,
attention than any communicable
printed Ia this paper for % IONS time
Mr. Hagerman proposes Co cut ou.
h road and bridge fhis year
reasoning that there Be- % of sl
large q sum ar 500 600 foe God rIr
poses IN nftoen m0nths ard tlat th'
right way 10 begin tax reform is q.
begin Il. The tentative hodule fhH'
has been arranged by me COURT.
commissioner ~ quoted b, him, an,
he makes an apparently strong case
We are not advised as 20 whether th'
governing board has In mind The cree.
tion Of any bridges of unusual col.
which would have "a good dea' to d'
with determining whether the 'r..
should stand as made, but we a'
free 10 confess that there Is room Zoo.
thought in the presentation of I'M
president Of the tax association
While Il II true that % would be 3
hard matter "a speRd too much mone'
on roads. providing h were properly
spent. there is m the aisun'i|
that the state b. suffer mnet
from Improper epeuding in the hur'
rah 81 the canpaign that To- jusi open
ing up. and IN which several million