The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-08-17
RAPS COUNT TY
OFFICIALS At
TAX HEARING
Half Are Inefficient, r.
c. Reid Tells Revenue
Commission

SANTA FE. n. NJ. Aug 17.--"NW
over fifty per cent OF the county COM
missioners, assessors and treasurers
OF New Mexico are competent. effi-
Client and Industrious" said Major II.
G. Reid today In his remarks at the
hearing OF the special revenue COM
mission. Major Reid is president OF
the farmers association and former
president OF the state tax commis-
sion. lie was talking on the subject
OF land valuations and the question
OF assessment and valuation in gen
eral.
His remark quoted was In answer
to n direct question by President
Hagerman, .oi the revenue commits
sion.
Major Reid declared that cultivated
lands should he assessed at relative
value. rather thar. uniform value.
The average valuation OF such lands
now is fifty per cent OF the selling
price, he said. Some other classes OF
property. may be assessed higher
than farming lands. with respect to
selling price but none higher In re-
lation to earning power, he believes.
Against New Laws.
Effective administration of state
and county offices would go long
way toward relieving the present
serious tax burden, In the majors
opinion. and the present campaign
ought 10 he for efficient administra-
tlon OF existing tax laws, instead OF
the creation OF new laws.
Another recommendation he made
was that Il member OF the state tax
aI.. -
the state budget committee, and that
all state institutions should bo re-
Tuired to submit their respective
budgets three months before the COM
miitee makes up Its budget.
There was general discussion OF
the delinquent taxes.
Object OF Hearings.
Hearings which the special revenue
commission IN now conducting here
viii be used to form the basis for
some of the most important legisla-
tion that the New Mexico legislature
has ever been called upon to enact
into law. This commission. appointed
by Governor o. A. Lqrrazolo, was
authorized by the special session of
the fourth legislature, which made
an appropriation to cover clerical and
other expense. After a careful study
of the general tax situation. as 1t af-
fects not only the Individual. but all
the Industries, the commission will
make report to the governor. II Is
possible that the report will include
a tentative draft of acts relating to
AN incoWe tax and u mine tax. The
report will be used for recommends
tions to he Incorporated in the next
biennial message from the next gov
ornor to the firth Legislature.
The commission. is composed OF
Herbert J. Hagerman, OF Roswell,
president OF the New Mexico Taxpay-
ers' association, chairman; John
Joerns, OF Santa Fe. secretary OF the
state tax commission; william q.
Hayden, OF Las Vegas. attorney at
law; Albert q. Simms, OF Albuquer-
que. attorney at law; w. w. Rlsdon,
of Albuquerque. recently appointed
state mine Inspector
Harry $. Bowman, assistant attor-
ney general; j. Il. Saint, chairman OF
the state tax commission. and II. II.
Asplund. director OF the New Mexico
Taxpayers association, are among
those attending the hearings In an
OFFICIAL capacity. There is also asso-
ciatcd with the commission now Rob-
ert Murray Haig. of New York, asso-
ciate professor OF economics OF Co
lumbln university. Professor Haig is
assisting In conducting the hearings,
and afterward will remain with the
commission as counsel He has served
In an advisory capacity with the
revenue and tax departments Of sew
erai OF the states and also with some
OF the Canadian provinces. During
the war he was excess profit tax re-
Viewer for the United states treasury,
70 Study situation.
This special revenue commission
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