Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-06
FOUR CON STITUTION NAL
AMENDMENTS.
The Budget Amendment.
A -. 4 4 Y q q 4 1 IA

The Budget Amendment.
Amendment No. il ratified, will
place New Mexico among the mos
progressive states in the unior
in providing and spending public
revenues. The governor is giver
nearly three months to study the
needs and resources of the state
| Under present provisions a newly
elected executive has less than o
month. After a thorough consid-
Grafton, the governor. under the
change proposed, is directed to set
forth a comprehensive budget for
the various departments, institu-
| tons, commissions and boards and
/ to submit an appropriation bill
| based upon such budget to the leg
| islature. Thus that body will have
complete picture of the eXpendi-
lures for the previous years, the
requests for ensuing periods and
the executives ideas as to the al
lowances to be made. This feature
of the proposal alone should be
sufficient to win the approval of
! the voters. But the amendment, II
ratified at once will place upon the
governor the responsibility for ap-
preparations finally made. Though
the legislature may initiate special
appropriation measures, the gov
ernor will in the final analysis be
held responsible as the executive
in any great industrial concern Is
held responsible.
The Soldier Exemption Amend
ment.
Amendment No. will, IL rati-
fled, permit the legislature to grant
to every soldier who served the
United States in any war an ex-
emption from taxation upon prop
erty to the value of $4,000. II
5000 claim the exemption, 1t will
mean a reduction of assessable
valuation of $10.000,000 or a re-
duction in annual revenue for the
government of $250,000 a year for
perhaps forty years. If the num-
Der of claims amount to 10000 the
assessable valuation will be re-
duced $20,00O,0o0 and annual rev.
enues a half million. During
period of forty years the cost to
the state would amount to $780,
900, 900 on 5000 claims and to
100000 on 10000 claims.
Note, too. that the exemption
privilege is not limited to those
men who entered the service from
New Mexico. All who come from
any state in the union, who are
otherwise eligible, can upon ac-
curing property secure the ex-
emption up to $4,000. 1t is impos-
sible to calculate what this will
amount to in reduction of valua-
ton and cost to the state.
The most serious argument
against the exemption is that 1t
will not solve the problem. II
5000 secure the benefit of the ex-
emption privilege there will still be
10000 ex-service men who will re-
ceive no benefit and the state will
face the necessity of providing
some form of bonus or compensa-
ton adjustment for two-thirds or
more of those whose claims are
perhaps more entitled to consid-
Grafton than those who have prop
erty. Surely some better method
can be devised for recognizing pat
riotic services than through ex-
emption from taxation, which ts
subject to great abuse.
The Tax Limitation Amendment.
Amendment No. provides rea-
sonable limits for state, county.
city, town, village and school dis
trict levies. Only through limi-
tation upon tax levies can an ade-
uuate and equitable assessment OF
property be brought about. and
full collection of taxes secured.
1t will also prove an effective
means of enforcing economy In
the expenditure of public funds.
These are the reasons which should
appeal to all good citizens who de-
sire the utmost benefits that can
be secured without burdensome
taxation. Taxation Is one of the
principal factors among the causes
for the high cost of living and af-
fects all whether they pay taxes
directly or indirectly through
higher prices.
The maximum levies fixed in the
constitutional proposal are ap-
proximately those actually being
levied at the present time, and 1t
cannot be argued that they are.
too, low. Through the exercise of
proper economy all governmental
services can be rendered without
loss in efficiency. The only OBJ
lection so far raised has been as to
the fifteen mill maximum levy for
schools. Presumably. therefore, all
agree that the other limitations are
satisfactory. Will the schools be
crippled by fifteen mill maxi
mum? No figures have been sub
mitted to prove the assertion that
such q result will follow the adop-
ton of the amendment. For the
present year $4,800,000 was levied
for school district purposes
through state, county and school
district levies. Let 1t be noted
that nothing in the proposal pre-
vents the legislature from increas-
ing the present state school tax
or from providing special school
district taxes for maintenance; nor
Is there anything in the amendment
to prevent the legislature from
making a special appropriation to
aid schools in counties where a
deficit might arise because of in
sufficient funds. For the coming
year only three counties will need
to go over fifteen mills on their
county school levy-Curry, San
Juan and Torrance. Curry can
remedy the situation for itself by
increasing its present inadequate
assessment Of property. In all
probability the total deficit under
fifteen mill levy would never ex-
coed 100000, which small In
crease in the state school tax levy
would raise. AS a matter of fact
under the proposed amendment it
Is believed that 100000 more
can be levied than was actually