New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-03-29
FROM STATE
LANDS EQUAL TO
MN. M.TAX RECEIPTS

Several thousand printed copies OF
the annual report OF the commits
sontr OF Public lands for the last
fiscal year have been deliver to the
office OF land commissioner Robert
p. Ervcn, for general distribution
amouug itizcns OF New MeXico who
are intcrcstsd d in knowing the status
OF the vast land tracts owned by the
state, the use to which they are be-
ing put and the revenue being deriy-
ed from them and likely to be deri-
we'd for use in present and future
maintenance of public institutions
The report is being mailed to large
list Of citizens who have asked foF
general information, and will be man
de on request to any person who Ii
interested,
The current report Of the Land
Commissioner is in more careful de
tail than ha, ever been attempted
before. II shows the exact status OF
each of the land grants as TO sale
lease and selection the revenue it T.
producing for the institution il Is
supporting, and the growth of this
revenue from year to year from es-
tabliShment Of the office, The ont
standing facts in the report. briefly
are that during the Fifth fiscal year
a total Of nine and e-half mllioi
acres OF the state land were in ust
and producing revenue that sele tios
Of the states grants has been com
pleted that the state has absolute
title to all hut two million acres OF
of the original grants OF twelve mil
lio acres: that 607 m acres have
been sold and that the state still
owns ten and a half million acres
nearly all OF il now in the revenue
producing class. This revenue during
the period was $10l3000, Or within
about 81 Of the total amount produc
ed by taxation for state purpose
during the same time; while S62s.
600 was p1id into income funds and
was actually used for various purpo
ses of state maintenance during the
wear. This total of maintenance pay
ments is % percent of the total o
the amount produced by the stat"
tax levy for TIN same period
The Importance OF this report
ard general knowledge of the status
and use OF the state lands on tho
part OF citizens and taxpayers ot
New MrXico. is Indicated in the foil
owing extracts from letter by
Governor Lindsey, written to Land
Commissioner Ervicn in acknowled
ginp receipt Of the report;
at is apparent" Governor Lind
Sey'S letter says. that the revenues
from the state lands have become ont
Of the most important OF the States
sources OF income and that the vol
umc OF these revenues probably win
be increased from year to year,
with the continued exercise of good
business policy and judgement in
the admistration of the lands The
income from our lands now bears an
important relation to the rate of tax
alton for state purposes and for this
reason alone, aside from Others
OF equal importance. it sees proper
that the people should be as tho
roughly informed as possibled as to
the lands, their uses and resources.
The report, believe, should oc
printed and given as wide distribu
ton as possible, and would ur5c
personally that citizen and particu-
larly every taxpayer in New Mexico
give the report thorough and
thoughtful reading
A copy will be sent free to any
citizen who will apply to the State
| Land Office, Santa Fe, N. M.