El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-16
Upper Valley To
Get Irrigation
Lac With Teeth
Present New Mexico Meas
ure Does Not Permit Tax
Levy For Work.

I That the teeth were pulled" from
the irrigation district law Of New
Mexico when passed by the last leg
islature, is the assertion OF George
Clark. one OF the prominent farmers
Of the upper valley. and he says the
/ land owners OF the valley are going
to have them put in if we have to hire
a Pullman car and go to santa Fe and
stay there until the legislature aids
US
We got through law allowing US
to form an irrigation district" he said,
I but when il was enacted it did not
oestow upon the district the right to
levy a tax for improvements. so We
can only collect from those who are
willing to pay and this does not in
clude, of course, the owners Of the
large tracts that are not being farmed.
but which are being held for specu-
lative purposes, to be sold at a high
figure when the men actively engaged
in farming succeed in building up the
community We are going to Santa
Fe and get this law amended; then
We can make the owner Of big tracts
OF idle land help US to pay the cost of
improvements that help to increase
the price Of his holdings
To Clear Up the Law.
Because Of this, the most impor-
tant piece of legislation affecting the
interests Of the Rio Grande project in
Dona Ana county 10 come before the
next legislature is the irrigation dis
trict amendment.
Very few farmers realize the grave
Importance and immense value OF this
proposed amendment to their inter-
.ests- The specific purpose Of this
amendment is TO clear I'D any doubt as
10 the authority of the irrigation dis
trict to tax idle lands for portion Of
the irrigation works on this project
The amendment also defines more spe-
officially the character of land that
may be exempted and the duties Of the
treasurer and assessor Of the county
IN levying and collecting the various
water assessments under the state ir-
rigation law
Irritation Law Fun Of Difficulties.
Many OF our farmers will recall the
extreme difficulty with which the If
rigation district law was put into eff
teet on this project It seemed that
TINS law had been drawn wMh an in
tent to delay. hinder and make expen-
s1ve the formation OF such a district
and its administration thereafter. De-
spite all these difficulties and with an
Infinite amount OF labor by the Water
Users association and farm bureau
and at considerable expense, the dis
trict was finally formed by a vote OF
200 to % OF the land owners
Where the Trouble Came.
The election was finally adjudf-
Gated and a decree issued stating that
the proceedings were all valid and &C
cording TO law At the time OF the
irrigation district campaign. il was as
sumed that, like all other state irriga-
ton district laws, the power to levy a
minimum charge, or a portion OF the
cost OF operation and maintenance was
given to the irrigation district direct
ors- Upon recent investigation. how
ever, It has been found that this pro
vision has been left out Of our state
law The right to tax land within an
irrigation district and portion Of the
costs Of the operation and mainten-
ances or at least a minimum charge
per year is recognized as a funda-
mental principal in all irrigated sec
tons. private. bonded or in coouera-
ton with the United States"