Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-27
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 27. 1872
FAULTY REAL ESTATE
TAXATION.


/ by the new Barnes law has a large
Job before it, not only in consider
ling an income tax law and settling
mine tax problems, but also IN
causing assessments to be equal;
! especially as to counties that now
squeeze down valuations in assess
ing, and let others bear heavier
burdens in state taxation, which is
used largely to support public in
stitutions, even in counties where
assessments are not up to the mark.
1t is very evident assessment laws
are not enforced according TO the
letter in any county, and in some
there is very marked official negli-
gence and individual Stacking.
b Some of the counties from which
come the most strident complaints
about heavy state taxes are the
worst offenders in the way of "let-
ting George do it." Even rich,
populous counties, in some cases,
permit assessments on much lower
: percentage than in some OF the
poorer and sparsely settled coun-
I ties.
The State Taxpayers association
has made a study of assessed VAL
ues of county and city real estate
| transferred in various counties, and
ascertained sale values, in 6,591
| cases. Tabulation just made by
Secretary Asplund shows that there
is yet much to be done by the
state in leveling up assessments.
Some counties show, in the cases
Investigated, assessments were near
the values received in the sales
Other counties did not approach
sale values in making assessments.
In Bernalillo, only city property
was treated in the table, but in
most counties figures were given
uon both town and county, in sep
aarate columns. In Bernalillo the
transfers investigated footed up
$197,119 sales values and assessed
values were s138,S75, showing a
20 per cent assessment.
San Miguel made the best record,
showing rural property was as
sessed at 105 per cent. or five per
cent more than its sale value, while
urban was assessed at but 70 per
cent Of the entire selling prices the
combined assessment percentage
value in sales being 95; based OF
aale s figures.
Sooorro ran down to 20 per cent
on assessment of rural and AZ on
urban, with q as the combined
assessment on the total sales value
Of both Glasses,
Taos was down to 81 per cent,
urban not being treated. Sierra
scored but 3S per cent in assess
( ment on sales values total values.
q Sandoval assessed at 76 per cent
! on rural lands sold, urban not be-
ing counted.
The two counties of Chaves and
Dona Ana. similar in products and
conditions under irrigation systems,
might have been expected to nc
approximately alike in comparative
sales and assessed values. But the
discrepancy was very great.
In Dona Ana rural property sol"
and investigated was assessed DIT
80 per cent of the values it sold for,
while in Chaves Al was the per-
oentage of assessment. In Dona
Ana urban sales were on a basis
of SO per cent assessment and in
Chaves but AZ per cent was as
sessed, compared with sales values.
The combined average of both
classes in Dona Ana was 80 pnr
cent assessment and in Chaves only
43 per cent. Eddy county showed
So percentage assessment.
Grant county assessed the prom
erty sold in above computation at
81 per cent of what sellers received
while Guadalupe scored but 80 per
cent.
~ The figures varied much through
out the whole list OF counties. In
the nearly 1000 cases looked UP
the assessment averaged but S.
per cent of sales values.
At. The urban sales footed $4,577,-
ss513 in values. but the same prop
--erties were assessed at but ST.
513,494. or Ga per cent, Rural
.ssales were s15,466.441 in sales val
&,iEe, but assessments on the properly
footed sS,759,2t3, which was &c
per cent.
The total Of sales of values in
sabove cases were $20,04S,954,
while the actual considerations
:1feoted but s11,272,207.