Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-09-29
CITY BUSINESS
MEN MAY SOLVE
COUNTY PROBLEM
County's Condition Discuss
ed by Business Men Who
Will Take Active Part in
Selecting Candidates.

albuquerque business men will
take an active part in the poll
tical conventions to be held i'll
the county in an effort to Sc
cure candidates for both parties
who are qualified to give the
county business administra-
tion. This was the decision
reached at the meeting of the
Albuquerque Merchants asso-
citation last night at the Alvara-
do hotel.
Although no definite plan of
action was outlined, it was de-
cided by the business men that
they should take part especially
in the selection of delegates to
the convention and make an Ell
fort to see to it that the dele
gates select the best possible
candidates for county offices.
This decision was reached fol-
lowing several addresses in
which it was pointed out to the
business men that the county's
affairs We're not in good shape
and were being badly managed.
Condition Critical
1.-THE condition of the finances
X of the county is of vital inter-
Y est OF Albuquerque business men
and the present condition is such
that it is imperative that local
business men take some action
toward remedying the situation"
declared Major b. Ruppe, chair
man of the meeting in explain
ing the reason for the special
gathering, I'VE must have a
business administration of the
county affairs, regardless of
party politics." Major Ruppe
stat-l and called upon Sum-
mers Burkhart, as one well vers-
ed in the affairs of the county,
to outline the present condition
of the county finances.
Records Mixed Up.
II attempted to make spec
ial investigation of the county
records at the clerks Office"
Mr.. Burkhart said, But | find
condition that such an investti-
cation would take an expert
many months to complete.
'I could not find what was
the amount of the county's un-
is almost impossible for any one
to get that information"
Mr.. Burkhart stated that al
ready this year approximately
$836,O00 has been collected in
taxes by the county and that
the county general fund is bank
rupt and that persons having
unpaid bills due from the coun-
ty and amounting to approXi-
mately $4,000 have but little
chance of ever getting their
money except possibly as back
taxes are paid in from which the
creditors can be apportioned
money on the bills according to
law.
Tax Rate Jumps.
THE tax rate for Albuquer-
queans for the year 1916 was
.2066 mills and the rate has
now jumped to .4338 mills, an
increase of 230 per cent and
still the county can not pay
its bills" Mr.. Burkhart declared,
and added that when the pres
ent county board took office
there was $4,000 due old cred
itors and that this amount had
now jumped to $4,000.
Holding that the system of
transferring money from the in
terest fund to the general fund
was illegal, Mr.. Burkhart de-
clared that the interest fund |
money should be used to pay off |
bonded indebtedness and that the |
county should be operated within |
its general fund budget as ap- |
proved by the state authorities |
without having to cut into the |
sinking fund finances.
Attacks Road Management.
He attacked the road operations
and declared that last year 25
per cent of the road funds had
been used for overhead expenses
while the law only allowed 10
per cent for this type of expense
and prescribed that the rest of
the money should go into the
roads themselves.
''The system was duplicated
again this year" he stated, land
by the end of the first six months
OF the year the entire 10 per cent
/, tld been expended for supervi-
! ION and since that time the coun-
Jty has been without q road su-
) rintendent.
Where Does Money Go?
T"The county roads are in a
= rible condition-what has hap
,iijcned to all this money!" he de-
manded. He then gave several
examples of what he charged
we're poor management upon the
Tart of the county commission
and urged that the Albuquerque
business men take some action to
secure an efficient and business
administration of the county's
business. He stated that in
many instances Chairman Albert
G. Simms, of the board Of county
commissioners had been out-voted
on important matters and had
IN 1r been removed from the
Craftsmanship of the board by the
other two members.
Up to the People.
Asked to explain his position in
cllnty affairs and to suggest any
PIN for bettering the conditions,
Nj. Simms said:
The county is as we'll governed /,
az it deserves to be--if you don't,
ps-e 1t, change It,"
u Endorsing Mr.. Simms' state
Il ient, Frank A. Hubbell declared
4 at the business men of the city
y I'D county were not active enough
, n their interest in the county af-
iairs and that 1t was for this rea-
On that sometimes men were T
elected to office who could not c
perate that office in a business 7
: like manner.
IL the county is not properly
operated. it is the business mems 3
fault" Mr.. Hubbell claimed, "for
they do not take enough interest :,
to see to 1t that proper men are :
named as candidates for office" =
Mr.. Hubbell added that the busi- !
ness OF the county was part of \
every business mans business and :
should receive at least a part of Z