The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-06-15
THE law AND THE coMMIssIoNERs

"a , NEARLY il an he nscortained the county se1sso made a very
IA complete assessment upon automobiles and mesor trucks IN use
IA this county last spring. The valuation Of motor vehicles for
assessment purposes was generally increased. A very fair valuation
basis ga maintained in this county. No protest has been heard from
the owners Of these cars aud trucks.
soasidsseSS tax. Aisrss majority q them are owned IN Ai6uqucr
sue. Y ,ls,e owners pay ths county tax upon their ears they sr
|qusrque IN reasonable comfort and with a reasonable element Of wear
Albuquerque. moreover, as the unit which pays more than rs per
cent Of all the county taxes is entitled TO have the roads leading into
this city, and certainly those at its very doors kept in fairly good
Neither this city nor is motor vehicle owners are getting any
duty. The taxpayers have done their duty. The county commissioner
have up 10 date, done nothing but present 20 suppliaDt taxpayers ra
sons Why road work cannot OF win NOT be done.
Although the county road law enacted by the last legislature was
iodays Herald for the information Of taxpayers.
Particular attention IS directed to sections 7 and s Of the law
See. T. Al a meeting 10 be held hetwccn the f-st day
Of June. and the second Monday Of September in each year,
after publication for two consecutive weeks i'm a newspaper
Of general circulation in The county, Of a notse stating the
misdeners Of each county in this state shall prepare and
adept a budget covering an expenditures Of county road and
Suds.. .bsn rseosn,s. e sseb school osl. ai. tSss in the od prnt and M
provide for a FAR AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
Of road and bridge fund expenditures throughout the entire
county. Such budget shall be in the form o. q resolution Of
the board Of county commissioners and il shall be unlawful to
cxpend or disburse any moneys from the county road and
bridge fund for any other purpose n in any other manner
than a y provided in said budget, except IN accordance with
an amendment To said budget, duly adopted by resolution Of
said hoard Of county commissioners.
II may be advanced ~ n reason why the Bernalilo county com
missioners have held no advertised road budget meeting, and have
prepared no legal budget, AS required by the section of the law quoted
tWN "a tt INV i'ihAhn sum 'f''AN1N ""'f'h WN''it ~ W wv
at any time up to the seeoud Monday Of september, and that onr com
missioners will proceed TO obey the law at any time, during the next
30 days that they see f. This. however. would no, take into eonsid-
Grafton section s Of the law. which says
See. s. As soon as possible after the passage aud APP
proval Of this act. and not later than June 1, 1871, the board
Of county commissioner of each county shall prepare and
adopt a plan and budget in The same manner and with the
same effect as provided in section z Of ths act, for oil ex-
pcnditurcs from county road and bridge funds for the bal
ance Of the current fiscal year ending November 30, 1921.
'n the same manner and with the same effect" undoubtedly
means that the budget meeting for the balance Of the current fiscal
year shall be advertised as specified. 81 that citizens may appear and
present the claims Of each school district for road and bridge work
needed
No such meeting has been held. so far As the available records
show.
Section II Of this road law provided;
See. II. Any public official who shall divert or misuse
auy county road and bridge funds or who shall violate or fail
20 carry out amy Of the provisions Of this act. shall be liable
upon his official bond therefor, and shall be subject TO re-
moval from office o account thereof.
The Herald does not want anyone removed from office We dc
NOT know Of any one who does. But Their. is a very general demand
in this community for intelligent action looking TO the proper main
fenance Of the roads leading into this city and the law provides a Yer,
definite course looking 10 such Bcuon. The law is supposed 10 RES
alike upon the lawyer, the banker, the public officer, the private cit
izen, the rich man and the poor man. This road law provides that
man who fails to pay his road tax may be fined from S25 TO 500 l
citizens m 90 pay ths. tax, the county commissioners certainly SHOULD
set an example for citirrns by obeying those portions Of the law whicl
decline their duties.
IS IL II o.kefeIer ~ no earued his first douar raising lar