Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-28
ASSESSMENTS FAULTY.

%
The state tax commission announces that re-
turns from counties OF the assessed valuations Of
property 1919 foot up s2,056,s37 more than for
1918. The increase would have been greater but
for a deduction of 100000 in the assessment of
private companies The total for the latter year
was 1917 ,26G IFS, Had Grant county. not shown
49, the total for the state would have di
minshed. Grant increased over three Millions de-
spite the creation of Hldalgo county.
The honor. roll shows &c counties increased, as
follows; Bernano, slG,2G5i Colfax $l9l56O; Curry
SI506l5; Eddy, $4I2S2j Grant, $3.705,SSS; Hi
- dalgo (new), s31S56S; Luna, s6G5,oSl Mora, ST.
coz 086; otero $2l9,S2S; San Juan, $4,000: Santa
Fe $36lls4; Sierra $l27,95; Socomo, $15l,O7%;
1shoe Taos sS4sSOG; Union sl2975s9; Valencia, ST.
4s8,sll. Total increases $iO,473SOS.
And here are the ia that either unlucky or
unfair in decreasing: Chsves $46i $50 ;. De Baca,
s75SO37; Dona Ana, s633,142; Guadalupe, s96lS0Si
ce4Sa Lea .244,555; Lincoln s4l55oo; Mckinley S4lS
re; Quay s293,764; Rio Arriba, $6S6995; Roose-
welt $500 OS3; Sandova 1914 45G; San Miguel
,nn s1u4S7; Torrance $l48SlO. Total decreases
$76t6O20.
In a few of these counties it is known decreases
directly due to deductions Of cattle and land
values as a result of the drouth period preceding
year 1919. But certainly the state tax commits
sion needs make review and call certain counties
~ to the carpet for explanation or discipline They
must have their day court to satisfy the state and
---- for the good OF their reputation if they can
= :" show Justification. .... ...-..E
why should the county of Chaves rich in pros
perons farms orchards railways with one of the
largest cities drop in assessment nearly one and
half million dollars, while its adjoining neighbor
EDDY county with half large valuation and
shows increase OF nearly half million?
The counties much alike in their develop
ment and industries And Dona Ana county, grow
ing and rich, in the same class with developed r-
rigaton system, slumped over half million Why?
And to what is the increase Of over three millions
in Grant county due? Presumably, from the gem
eral stimulus OF reyiyng metal mining, despite de-
crease in copper production; else that county is
playing farer game than some others
The remarkable increase in assessments in Mora
and Union counties may be credited largely TO wheat
production, though Quay county with great crop
worth millions, fell down. Quay, however was in
the drouth section hurt in the preceding years,
while Mora and Union did not suffer in stock
from such Land values increased III
the two unaffected counties. ...
The necessity of equazng tax assessments gem
orally throughout the state and securing full rendi-
ton led the special session of the legislature in
March to authorize a commission study all tax
problems and advise the next regular session upon
the subject The state tax commission, and the
present taxing system have accomplished much linz
provement of years but the evasions and varN-
lions resulting in the condition shown by the re-
turns for 1919 demonstrate the urgent need of the
Barnes commission bill and further, legislation.
Several months ago. after careful checking up
in all the counties by the state tax commission of
nearly 1000 real transfers to determine how
assessments compared with actual values, tabu-
statement published showing that the
average OF assessed value in county was but
81 per cent of the sales values received, while an
other county averaged as high as 95 per cent The
other counties varying percentages between
these extremes, The average for the whole state
but So per GENT Of the actual money considera-
ton, that the total valuation proved by sales was
N s2OOS3s64 But the property was assessed at but
III s1i272207, .., .l.,..... B., ....ta,.. +..
An At this time it may to explain the reason
M for 1919 low assessments in Chaves and some
other counties quote a frank confession made in
IN Roswell News editorial early in February. as
IN follows: &4,>u ri.f 90, ',.t.t ,-
~ II 1.-THE regular session of the legislature is
NJ, going to have good deal TO attend to in
course, and it is a good thing to be left as clear
a4 q to do them possible. For example, there
I'D is the big problem of reform in the
81 ment laws. If you doubt ,<be need of this
Ell take an hour in looking over the fig
81 ufes in the office of the assessor of Chaves
e H county. 1t will be perfectly plain to you that
g ii lodging is popular sport and that there
" should be effective and proper way of
enforcing honest renditions. Not one man in
ten is honest in this particular. All of the
rest OF them commit perjury when they sign
the rolls 1t is excuse TO say that the popu-
lary Of the 4ofense renders it a general mis-
demeanor rather than q crime.
There is nothing wrong with the present
system except that it is all wrong The hon
| esty Of the taxpayers should not be tested
they should not be exposed to temptation.
All real property should be valued by men
who know the game and who have the back
bone to play 1t. If this can not be done, then
there should be a system of tax seuthing,
such as has practically Strengthened the mat
ter utyin Illinois In the Sucker state. people
know that If they lie about their holdings they
will certainly be caught and penalized. They
don't lie, simply because it pays 10 tell the
truth We need something like that in New
IL Mexico, in the imperial domain OF
! Chayes-and need 1t badly"