Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-21
TAX MATTERS ARE
F ULLy DISCUSSED
BY BUSINESS MEN
Banquet at AIvarado Is Fol-.
lowed by Full and Free Dis
cuSsion as to Condition of
City Finances,

Perhaps the most harmonious and!
helpful meeting ever held in the city
was the Retail Merchants association
banquet and the discussion of taxa |
ton matters which followed, at the !
Alyarado hotel last night. While there /
were few minor differences of opin- |
ion regarding certain tax matters, |
these We're brought out in connection
with the discussion merely for the
purpose of throwing additional light |
on the subject and not with the idea /
of finding fault. Everybody seemed |
imbued with but one idea--to find out |
what is the matter with Albuquerque
and, having located the trouble, to APP |
ply the necessary remedy. As a result
of last nights banquet, which was at |
tended by about one hundred repre-
sentative business men, there will be
closer cooperation between the bus |
mess interests and the city govern |
hereafter.
Following the banquet. T. C. Boyd, |
rs chairman, INTRODUCED City Manager
Hebenstreit. Mr.. Hebenstreit showed
by data which he prepared that, while
the city pays ISL per cent of the taxes
il receives in return only AL.
You are now paying your taxes,
said Mr.. Hehenstreit. on have
found that there Was an increased
from S mills to S.94 mills This was
caused ny providing for interest and !
sinking funds and does not net the city
government Il single dollar of addi-
tional revenue. The city was com
PEELED to make this additional levy
to meet obligations when they hecomel
due. The time for meeting these OIL
tc.at . . hA lgl
eight or ten wears ago when the bonds
were issued"
Charles Il. Wade. chairman CT the
commission, called attention to the
fact that the city is growing.
''As the city grows we need moreI
money" he said. I'VE cant grow
without having things that cost I
money. The taxpayers are asking for3
more things, yet we are restricted rs
to the amount of taxes we can raise.
For the last year we have not beenl
able to get as much for a dollar as
we could before" Mr.. Wade added.
These things may adjust themselves
later but it means that We have got
to raise more taxes If we are going!
to do more work
S. f. Roehl county assessor. show
ed from charts which he had pre-
pared that practically all taxes have
increased during the last eight years.
The total taxes levied in Bernalillo
county for the year 1910 amounted
to s264.665, while in 1918 the total +
was s549,776. This was divided as
follows:
1910 1919
State ...........S 49,500 $lO9,937
County ......... $4,000 l09.290l
Schools .....s,... $4,000 A147,765
City .A..a..... 67,326 137,767i
The county levy for 1918 includes
$21, 300 for paving the North Fourth
street road to Alameda.
Frank Wilson took exception to the
policy being pursued BY the city in
using receipts from the water depart
ment to pay the running expenses of
the city. and stated that water rates
should be reduced, which brought the
explanation from Mr.. Hebenstreit that
it was necessary to use this money or
declare the city bankrupt. I'VE are
keeping an accurate check of the
money borrowed from the water de-
partment," said Mr.. Hebenstret," and
in due time every cent will be repaid.
In regard to cheaper water. Mr..
Hebenstreit stated that il was adj
visablc to proceed slowly in this mat
ter, for the reason that at present
during certain seasons of the year the
water plant IS taxed u it's capacity.
Cheaper water would mean addition
al consumers. This would necessi
tate enlarging the plant. Furthtrn'ore
the distribution system in certain
parts of the city woald have 70 be N
creased If additional demands were
placed upon it. The commissioners,
therefore, desire to proceed slowly, he
10 nj
year before attempting 10 make any
changes in the water rates.
DR.. NJ. X. Wylder. chairman of the
board of county commissioners, said
the meeting augured we'll for the fu-
ture. He smoke ~ the above move
roent Started some time ago 30 sep
a.ata Albuquerque ft5'n 1'erralillo
county and said he lii not favor such
IAN.
He also called attention to the
state tax law which provides that the
assessed valuation of incorporated
towns and cites shall be excluded
when apportioning the road fund.
This should be remedied by the legis-
lature, he said.
City Commissioner j. II. Reynolds Z
said the city IS poor and the county
is rich We don't want to take money
from the county. But we must have
more money for the city.
In reply to a question by Arthur
Eyeritt as to how the county property
was valued for assessment purposes,
as compared with city property, Mr.. h
Roehl said that owing to the fact
that two of the county commissioners
were from the rural districts he had IN
the past experienced trouble IN get
ting land assessed at what he consid-
cred fair minimum price.
Railroads Are Under Valued.
A. B. McMillen advised the city
commissioners to proceed slowly IN
the matter of lowering water rates,
calling attention to the fact that
sooner or later parts of the plant
would have to be renewed. and as de-
mands for water increased new en-
tensions would have to be PROVIDED
for. He thought It would be wise 10
allow the receipts from the wafer
works to be placed in separate runu
for the purpose of taking care OF
extensions and creating SINKING Innu
to nav interest on bonds as Wen 10
retire the bonds
Mr. McMilien,s statement that the
railroads are being taxed for all they
are worth brought Mr. RoehL 70 ms
feet again. He stated that the oan'a
Fe. railway in New Mexico had peen
assessed at s47,500 mile. when was
reduced by the state tax commission
to s43.500 amile, the physicai Vaiua-
tion fixed by the interstate comihe,ce
commission. In Arizona the santa re
is assessed at valuation OF sof:ovV'