Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-02-16
yfrg Tho new product Of opera
Advises complete Change.

:
lions.
Advises Complete Change.
Mr.. Hagerman. speaking first,
asserted that ne did not wish TO
leave the impression that only two
men in the county could make the
valuation. since many could do it.
He declared that the revenue com
mission felt that the situation
wouId not be met by retaining the
tonnage tax as it stood or by the
Irepcal of the contiguous territory
clause but that an entire change
was needed. He argued that me
NEW value of the output be retained
las an important factor in determlh-
/ inc The true yalue Of mines.
John SulIy, general manager OF
| The Chino Copper company, called
to speak, declined to enter into
! controversy over methods, lie
showed that difficulties had been
| experienced in all states and urged
that a tonnage tax system was fair,
e. s. Rodey argued against the
tonnage tax law and upheld the
Arizona system. lie insisted that
| New Mexico should retain its taxa
ttion of mines by the state tax COM
mission and not by local assessors,
hui the commission be given power
to go ahead as they have in Ari-
iona. ...-l.a ~
Values Calculablc--Magee.
Senator Reinburg then caNed
~ nF n
uuerque Morning Journal for his
views. Mr. Magee argued that
question Of cXhaustlhility and de-
plction were questions Of assess
ment. He instanced business tram
sactions in oil fields where the
same factors of risk and depletion
apply and showed that there sales
took place regularly due to the
ability of both parties to calculate
the going value of property. He
urged that if mines We're brought
up 10 full value. other property
should be similarly assessed
j. Ea Saint, chairman Of the
state tax commission, expressed his
dislike of the contiguous lana
clause He showed some difficult
ties of operation with the tonnage
tax law and expressed his opinion
that mine taxes would drop If the
system were TO be employed dur
ing the next few years, owing to
decline in the market value Of
metals.
Mr. Saint urged that county as
SCISSORS be required to assess all
property on tho ground and that
they forfeit their bond by failing
to do 50. He thought this would
add 100000 to the state tax roll.
1t was his opinion that the valua-
ton could be completed for this
year, as the state only has two
producing metal mines and only
seven or eight coal mines Of any
size. FEe declared that if the tax
commission were to make the val
uation, he would want expert as
S!stance.
Believes Experts Expensive.
Representative Winston declared
that he did not believe an expert
valuation. could be made for less
than 100000 and might cost twice
that sum. He favored the net
output plan, suggested that the. tax
commission allow rs per cent of
the net proceeds TO cover depletion
charges, then capitalize the re-
naming rs per cent. 1t was his
thought that th.g would double
present mine taxes.
w. A.. Hawkins, attorney of the
I2l Paso and Southwestern railway,
was asked to speak. He reviewed
the possibility of federal handling
Of coal lands and then considered
the New Mexico tonnage tax law.
Reading from the statute, he in
sisted that the contiguous clause
had not been properly admins
tered due to failure OF local as
SCISSORS and laid the blame for fail
ure of mine laws to produce
enough revenue upon the admin
istration of the law and not upon
the law itself. He held that if
the local affices would enforce
the law as it was written, the
present chapter would be acccpta-
BILE.
Judge ROdey declared that he
had tried to get the state tax COM
mission to interpret the law as
Hawkins had outlined it, but that
the body had refused to do so.
The hearing closed this after
noon and the finance committees
of both houses will take action
later.