New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-12-31
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL RE.
VENUE COMMISSION AP.
PEARS IN PAMPHLET
FORM

The report OF the Special Revenue
Commission, created al the special
session OF the legislature, has Just
appeared in pamphlet form. This re-
port covering 324 pages and a pam
phlet of 20 pages containing the
report Of hearings held by the Com
mission constitute a record of acti-
Wit es covering several months. The
members of this Commission are II.
J. Hegerman, chairman, Roswell I;
W. w. Risdon, State Mine Inspect
or. Gallup; John Joerns, Secretary
State Tax Commission. Santa Fc
A. G. Simms. Albuquerque and VIM.
G. Hayden. E. Las Vegas.
CHAPTER 9 of the special session
laws, 1920, provides that the commis-
sion shall have power and author
itv to inquire into and make recon-
nendatiors as TO the policy or neces-
sitv Of the adoption by appropriate
legislation OF a system of taxation
Of incomes and the relation OF such
Q system of taxation to the present
system OF taxation OF property in
New Me~ico real and personal. tan
PiLIe and intangible. the taxation OF
the net income of producing mines
and all other methods and powers
81 f'-~''o~ in fore W tie State o.
New Mexico or which may be re-
commended fo~ Abortion bv the leg
stature Of The State OF New Mev-
leo" Acting under this authorize
ton The commission investigated the
present system Of taxation, the
vrai'h and so-roe of the State,
al. rvaea,, rae. "a ro,.-,ma,. st.,
need Of safe and local govern
rents and various possible sources
OF revenue.
II was found in general that New
Ne leo dos not have unlimited tax
paving ability. that The present svs.
TEN of taxation is incquitab'e. tNa'
the demands Of fhe state and lr~r'
Institutions and departments can not
4. u'r' nv n-esen' revenue measure
snd that consequently there must "
brought about a rigil scrrtirv ~
snd -''ranchment IN expenditures
and additional sources 81 revenue de-
vised. The facts and figures pres
er'rH - the report Of the Commits
sion show that taxes are increasing
III alarming rates which are. never
theicss. Inadequate 20 r1eet dcrand
foi revenue Hence the uecesei'v -
srch a simp'ifica.ion and eoordina-
tion OF governmental agencies a.
shall eliminate useless expenditure
and waste.
Possibilities for o economic
and efficient administration are
pointed o~f hv he -fon+;on Of adc-
crate budgetary methods for state
cnr-n-v ard -nuricinsi Covernmen-S
resdjustment among state deDar'-
menis. centralized control or conso-
ication of state Institutions and
ELIMINATING ~reeiees ~off'ces and func-
ticns IN various divisions Of govern
ment. Tnc1-drd IN the -erom-1Hfa
items are the e~Iirni-stion Of thc ier7'
sdviser 10 the governor. the insur-
srce Commissioner. the gasoline in
spectors ard che county road super
intenderts. A reduction in the num-
Der Of corporation commissioners
and in the mounted police force is
recommends. The grand jurv sys-
ten is forni 70 involve needless ~
pendifures THE publication of deIin-
quent tax lists affords opportunities
for charges against he county with
or, arv commensurate results IN tie
collection Of taxes: and .he nsv
tema;ic methods in purchasing $50
Pile occasion e~i-svagsnce IN AZ d
psrtments. The Commission believes
that through proper legislation cov
ring lis suggestions and recornmer-
cations. a saving IN governmental
expenses could be brought about
snoun.ing 10 hundreds Of thousand
Of dollars and At the same time
there ~ouid result greater efficiency