Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-04-25

j. Felipe huDDellt county HSSeS-
sor Of Bernalillo county, has issued
the following statement relative
to the tax situation In BernalillO
county and the changes in the tax
laws as made by the 1921 leglsla-
ture:
THE office of county assessor
carries with II a two-fold respon-
sibllity; first, TO our state and
county government, and second to
the constituency represented. Tax
questions are delicate ones be-
cause they affect the individuals
finances, and should be handled
impartially. l am endeavorinig to
give everyone a square deal, as /
see 1t, and political affiliations are
entirely forgotten in doing this.
Ever since entering the
office one OF my ambitions has
been to obtain lower tax rate. OF
course, l can only do part of what
is necessary to accomplish that.
And 1t is being done, in spite of
adverse business conditions, which
reflect on tax matters as well as
all other financial enterprises.
What | refer TO is the valuation OF
property for 1921. If we have
more values and need approx
mately the same amount of money
for the coming year as for lS2O,
q lower tax rate will be the result.
Land Values Increase.
Land values are our principal
source of increases. These increas-
es are not obtained by any radical
raises In valuations, except in
very few instances. They come
by equalization, which Is only JUS
tIce. Two tracts OF land lying side
by side and OF the same value on
the market should be assessed at
the same valuation regardless OF
who the owner is. We are also adj
ding to the rolls property that has
not been assessed before. We are
endeavoring to increase the as
sessed acreage of that which has
been assessed in other years, but
where the acreage was returned
short. We are endeavoring 70 get
as much in the way of new build
ing" etc. as possible.
1.-TWO sources of taxation which
have suffered during the past year
are merchandise and livestock.
Merchandise comprises one-tenth
of the total valuation of the coun-
", amounting to $2,140,519 for the
year 1920. In spite of the fact that
markets have declined, | expect to
hold up the valuation at close to
these figures for 1921. The reason
for this is that the increases in
valuations during high prices were
not very large. According to my
predecessor, merchants claimed
that they could not get any large
quantities Of goods during the high
price period, and therefore their
returns We're only proportonately
raised.
Livestock valuations, which are
fixed by the state tax commission
are lower this year than for 1920.
The stockmen are entitled to this.
/ hope, however, to keep our live
stock values up by combing the
county for that which is not being
returned. 1t will make it easier
for the man who is honest and
turns In all his property.
THE last Legislature authorized
additional expenses for the con-
duct of this office. l have taken
the matter up with the chairman
Of our board of county commits
sioners, and he has assured me
of his cooperation. The assessor
is the financing officer OF the
county. II he does not get the
property on the rolls, the county
can not collect money on 1t, and
the more he gets on the rolls the
lower our rate should be, and the
tax burden more evenly distribu-
ted. In order to do this efficiently
there must be adequate allowance
for the work. This allowance up
to the present time has been $1,000
per year for deputy hire. At least
three deputies must be hired dur
ing the first three months of the
year, which cleans out that allow
ance. Every additional dollar CIV
en- to this office will produce ten
fold in revenue for the county.
And If our county Is in good shape
Il Is that much easier on the tax
payer. - =,
"Quite a number of changes in
our tax laws were made by the
last Legislature. Among there
might mention the manner OF tax
ing banks In the past they have
paid on the book value OF their
capital stock, which is the face
value at which it was issued. I'm
der the new law they will be taxed
at the market value. For instance,
stock that was formerly taxed at
book value of 500 q share will
now be taxed at $3.50 per share, or
whatever its market value may be.
THE assessment period has been
changed from January and Febru-
airy 30 as to be in January only.
An exception is made for livestock
and farm products, which will be
assessed on April 1 in the county
where such property is located on
$hAt date.