Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-22
ALBUQUERQUE IS IN
GRAvEST NEED OF
MORE FINANCES

LCon.inged From Page onel
been passed by the legislature, The
| present general fund limit is three
mills, raising total of $40,6S750
yearly for city purposes. This sum
has been found, year after year, to
be entirely inadequate to successfully
| meet the obligations of the munich"
pality. .-...
Consolidation Suggested.
A number of remedies have been
suggested for relieving the financial
situation Of the city. Among Ahem, is
Dne providing for the consolidation of
the city and county. 1t has been sug-
gested that one sheriff COULD, do the
work now done by the sheriff of the
county and chief of police of Albu
querque; one school superintendent
could do the work now being done by
the Superintendent of the city schools
and superintendent of county schools;
and that other useless duplication of
offices and work could be avoided. 1t
is believed that this plan is not feas-
tble because of the many legal imped-
iments, the functions Of city and ,coun-
~ government being recognized in
entirely different and distinct. The
city for instance, is liable to: respond
in damages to n person who suffers
injury on street, while the county
Is not liable to a person who suffers
injury ON county road. 1t is APP
parent that a consolidation would
lead to countless complications and
that confusion would be the result in
stead of a smooth working govern
ment of both organizations.
Albuquerque County Proposed.
AS a part of the city and county
proposition, the suggestion has also
been made that the Legislature be
asked to create and establish a coun= i
ty TO he known as Albuquerque
County" with the present city limits
of Albuquerque as the boundary lines
of the proposed new county. 1t has
been pointed out in this connection
that the carving of new county out
of Bernalillo county, with Albuquer-
que as z separate county, would mean !
nothing more than taking the heart
out of what is now a compact organi-
cation; that the result would be to
attach the strips in the outlying pre-
cincts to Sardoval. Valencia and Tor !
rance counties, serving no useful pur-
pose to those counties, and resulting |
in the severing of commercial and |
business relations between Albuquer- |
que and its back country.
Relief to he Asked.
It is certain, however that the leg |
islature will be asked for relief by |
Albuquerque, regardless of whether
other New Mexico towns and cities
join in the request. There must be a
financial readjustment, as between
city and county, according to those
who have made close study of the
situation. Albuquerque, for instance,
has received no benefit, within the
city limits, of the | mill road fund
levy, taxed upon all property in the
city, raising 100000 each year for
1915, 1916, 1917, and which will also
be raised for 1918, all of which goes
TO the county of Bernalillo. Neither
does Albuquerque receive any direct
financial benefit from money that
goes each year to Bernalillo county
as the county pro rata of the money
paid by automobile owners for state
licenses. In 1917 this county received
$4,000 as automobile license money,
he city receiving nothing. The injus-
ice of this is apparent when it is
realized that there are l, 1856 automo-
oiles in the CITY, and only n in the
county. 1t is true that tho money so
'eceived by the county is expended on
,ohnty roads, but this fact, it Is de-
,lared, does not satisfy those who
'riticize the present status of road
money affairs The county commits
ioners It is said have thus far to ac-
knowledge any road debt to Albu-
luerquc, holding in substance, that
,ity streets of 4 buquerque, are not
county roads within the meaning of
he laws now existing on the statute
looks.