Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-19

| last OF winch creates an income tax Tor
| New Mexico, for annual incomes over
| $4,000. One-half per cent must be
4 paid on a $4,000 yearly earning and
| a higher percentage on higher in
comes. up to per cent on $4,000 or
over.
| 1t was decided to make tax levy
over a period of five years sufficient
| to raise $4,000 for enlarging the
buildings of the state institute for the
tbind at AlamogordO and S122,000 for
| needed expansion at the state insane
asylum at Las Vegas, Certificates
| will be issued, and the money bor-
irowed at once.
Thus at the last moment one of the
neglected items of the governors leg
| islative program has been passed.
or the large number of bills car
ried it is assumed that Governor Lar
razolo who has up to Friday to sign
the bills, will find few to oppose. The
! legislature has followed a close APP
Proclamation of the program he laid
down when he delivered his inaugural
address in person at the opening of
the session,
Road building and providing means
for equaling government appropria-
ton occupied a promMent place in
the closing part of the session and it
is probable that an extra session OF
the legislature will be called in Oc-
tober to complete the fiscal plans and
make the necessary appropriations out
of funds which it is expected the peo-
Pile viii vote for that purpose at the
polls next September, s ..s
Five Constitutional Amendments.
Five constitutional amendments
will come up for vote in the fall, a
resolution calling for the election
grouping them all on the same day in
September. They are;
To ratify national prohibition.
To grant New Mexico soldiers alb
sent from the state on duty the right
to vote in state elections, wherever
they are stationed.
To create a board of three members
to supervise all state institutions in
stead of the twenty boards now Off
ciatng.
TO ratify a bond issue of $4,000, 900
on the part of the state, the proceeds
to be used at once for roads.
To ratify the Barnes amendment to
the state constitution, allowing future
bond issues up to 100000 without
holding a special election, provided
that state does not pledge more than
one per cent of its taxable valuation.
Appropriations for highways, drain
age, public health, child welfare. girls
welfare, educational advancement, ex-
termination of predatory animals, the
state constabulary, and increases Tor
the higher educational institutions
and state departments as a whole. VIII
make the Legislative bill bigger than
before. The finance committees have
borne the brunt of the session, being
appealed to from all directions to
raise the states levies, Some appro-
priations have been cut down.
OF these the state council of de-
tense automatically comes to an end,
having used but $4,000 of the $780,
600 covered into the fund at the last
special session for all branches of war
and defense work.
Set programs of legislation were
urged by bankers, lawyers, stockmeh
farmers, road boosters, educators.
women's organizations, and county
and city authorities in turn. The
laws which were passed indicate Sc
lection from among the pressing de-
mands after prolonged committee
work and discussion. Few laws de-
filming crime and regulating public be-
havior were enacted.
New Taxation Laws.
series of tax laws was enacted
which materially advances the system
of taxation in New Mexico. A tax COM
missioner who serves all the year
round at a salary of $500, and two
assistants, replaces the present tax
commission of three which is in ses-
sion only a portion of the time. Broad
powers in correlating the work of as
SCISSORS and compelling true tax re-
turns, are vested in the commissioner
and his assistants.
While a commission of three makes
inquiry into mine tax conditions pre-
paratory to recommending a law that
will fit local conditions for the con-
sideraton of the next legislature,
mines will be taxed on the average
amount they have paid the last three
years Since production is decreas-
ing. the mines will pay higher rate
on their output for this year and next
than they formerly did, The expenses
of This commission of inquiry are linz
tied to $40 per day each for 12O days.
H. b. 1862. Should the output be
found higher than the average, the
companies will be required to pay on
the higher output.
New Mexico has an inheritance tax.
1t is levied on heritages of $lO,OO0
and up the maximum rate being per
cent H. B. 37S, An occupation tax
extending the scope of the old statute.
Fl. B. 239; and a franchise tax on cor
porations, H. 3. 239, are now in force.
Road taxes for men up to so years
of age are now $3.50 yearly, the same
law calling for a highway superin-
tendent in each county. An attemptl
to amend this bill to give the appoint
ing power to the county commission
ers failed, and the governor VIII APP
point twenty-nine highway superln-
tendents, H. p. 1928. F
House bill ia relates to maximum
rates of taxation; and senate bill 1Ol
provides a method for compiling al
state budget before the next legisla-
ture. This is the only bill introduced
by Senator KasemSn, member from
Bernalillo County commissioners are
empowered to employ special attor-
neys to collect delinquent taxes by
house bill 3S1; and another house bill
as amended by the senate requires
that purchasers and lessees Of state
land shall pay taxes on 40 per cent of
its value while contracts with the state
are pending
New Revenue Sources.
To help make up four and a half
millions for the federal road build
ing program, all counties are allowed
to levy an extra mill, and proposal
for bond Issue of 100000 will go
before the people for vote. An ex-
else tax of 2 cents a gallon on gaso-
line, and a $40 license fee from all
gasoline dealers will go for roads. One
Inspector in each of the eight judi
cial districts will be appointed, at a
salary limited to S15O a month plus