El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-10
SHELVE ANTI0IATED LAWS SAYS
GOV. De BACA IN FIRST MESSAGE
By Request of New Mexico Governor Who Is III, His
Message Is Read by Lieut. Gov W. E. Lindsey Says
Liquor Question Is One of Morals Only and
Recommends Submitting Amendment
to Vote of People.

passed by the last legislative assembly
nave not produced sufficient revenue
| 10 pay the running expenses Of the
! state and the appropriations made by
Ihdt body; that there is at present
deficit IN the finances Of the state
amounting TO approximately $4,000
rms viii make II necessary to still
Aurlher increase the revenue of the
state 1 believe that by the exercise of
strict economy, and by providing the
state tax commission with increased
powers and an appropriation suffI-
Gently large to enable il to get on
the tax rolls the large amount Of
necessary revenues can be obtained
without increasing the limit 10 the
levies set by the present law.
Mine Tax Law.
The present mine tax law Is unfair
and unjust TO the other taxpayers of
the state The mines pay taxes upon
the net value of their output. or in
other words, they are taxed upon their
net income The merchant and farmer
are not taxed by this standard If they
We're they would pay very little taxes
in many cases
Again. a company or individual may
own thousands OF acres of mineral lands
and actually operate only so or 100
acres The land not producing is not
taxed, although very valuable as min
eral land.
Either productive mines and min
eral lands should all be taxed at their
actual value, like other property, or if !
tax is levied on their output it should !
be on the gross value of the output A
limit should also be placed upon the
amount of land contiguous TO an oper- /
ated mine that is not to be taxed.
Taxation.
"Our tax laws are further defective |
collection of the taxes levied. The /
county treasurers are sufficiently well (,
paid. and should be required 70 20 out /
and collect taxes and not wait for the |
delinquents TO come in and pay up.
If the treasurers will not do this, I
the state tax commission should be ;
given authority TO have It done at the /
expense of the treasurer inequality
in the collection of taxes is as great a !
discrimination as inequality IN the as
seSSmenL
Chapter IS of the session laws of |
1915 should be repealed Sheep and I
goats should be assessed in the county /
where they are found on the first day 1
of January Of each year, like other
property {
THAT portion OF chapter IS OF the /
session laws of 1915. which refers TO !
the sale Of tax certificates. should also /
be repealed Neither the board of coun- /
ty commissioners nor the county treas /
urer should be allowed 10 accept less i
than the actual amount due for any tax I
certificate.
If the tax certificates cannot he !
sold for the actual amount due, then 4
a deed should be issued 10 the county. I
the same as TO an individual. and the
land sold by the county board Tor not
less than the taxes due ana accrued in
terest-
A change should be made in the
manner Of publishing the notice of sale
Of tax certificates The result Is at
present that in many instances the 4,
cost of publication far exceeds the !
taxes due. Either no description should |
be required TO be published, or /
no publication should be required !
where the taxes are under certain
amount
Inheritance Tax.
7 also recommend the adoption Of
an inheritance tax An inheritance tax
is now in force in 20 Of the IS states.
The state tax commission has been
so limited in its powers and funds ap-
propriated for its purposes, that II mas
not been able adequately to perform !
the duties imposed upon it.
The commission deserves high praise !
for the results accomplished when thus /
hampered- Much property, heretofore /
untaxed. has been placed upon the tax /
rolls. There is much more property 4
yet esca ping taxation, and the COM ]
mission should be provided with suffi- /
Gent funds and powers 10 enable ii to 4
discover this property and have II /
placed upon the tax rolls
The commission makes several rec
concentrations in its report for which /
ask your serious consideration. I
Among these is a request that they be !
given power to investigate and make /
individual raises and assessments. in \
stead of being confined TO horizontal /
raises as now; and that they also pc J
vested with more plenary powers over !
the local taxing authorities. /
Travelling Auditor
The governor is the chief executive :
officer of the state. 1t is his duty TO /
see that the laws are faithfully exc ]
cuted- Among these laws are those re- I
lating 10 the handling Of state and !
county finances. and yet the governor is /
deprived of the control OF the office 4
Of travelling auditor. which is the chief /
source Of information with reference 10 |
these funds This is a lowering of the I
dignity OF the office of governor. and |
TIE state should have too much pride 1
TO allow it
Private Car Companies.
AT the present time there are many /
private car companies doing business |
within the state. None of these compa- |
mics pay any taxes. except the Pull !
man Car company ! recommend that a |
law be enacted taxing each one of /
these companies. It is estimated that /
the revenue derived from this source 4