United Veterans Organization v. New Mexico Property Appraisal Department

500 P.2d 199, 84 N.M. 114
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 30, 1972
Docket819
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 500 P.2d 199 (United Veterans Organization v. New Mexico Property Appraisal Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Veterans Organization v. New Mexico Property Appraisal Department, 500 P.2d 199, 84 N.M. 114 (N.M. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

OPINION

HERNANDEZ, Judge.

Pursuant to § 72-25-19(A), N.M.S.A. 1953 (Repl.Vol. 10, pt. 2, Supp.1971), the several veterans organizations appeal a ruling of the Property Tax Appeal Board which holds that appellants’ property is not exempt from ad valorem taxation.

The appellants claim error on three points. They are:

“POINT I: Certain of the findings of fact of the Property Tax Appeals Board are not supported by substantial evidence.
“POINT II: Failure to adopt all of the appellants requested findings of fact and conclusions of law constituted an arbitrary and capricious act and should not be upheld.
“POINT III: The substantial and primary use of the properties of appellants are for charitable and educational purposes, and are therefore exempt under Article VIII, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of New Mexico.”

Article VIII, Section 3 of the New Mexico Constitution exempts “ * * * property used for educational or charitable purposes * * * ” from taxation.

Over the years, our courts have been called upon many times to decide cases involving this specific section and out of them have evolved two fundamental rules: (1) “the educational or charitable use [of the property] must be both substantial and primary” and (2) “[i]t is the use of property, not the declared objects and purposes of its owner, which determines the right to exemption.” Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 461 v. New Mexico Property Appraisal Department, 83 N.M. 505, 494 P.2d 167 (Ct.App.1971), aff’d 83 N.M. 447, 493 P.2d 411 (1972).

The uses made by the appellants of their properties are very similar one to the other. Each has a building with a large meeting room, which is used once or twice a month for membership meetings. This same room is used once or twice a week for bingo games which are open to the public. The room is rented at times for private parties and is also used by the members for dances and parties. The building has a bar where beer is sold for thirty cents and all other liquor at fifty cents a drink. The barroom has pinball machines and other amusement devices. Some have separate card and billiard rooms and all have offices, storage rooms, bathrooms and all but one have kitchens. Meals are sold for about $2.00 apiece. The building is also used by the womens’ auxiliary and some of the organizations sponsor boy scout troops who hold their meetings there. One appellant has a drum and bugle corps and a junior drum and bugle corps which also meet in the building, and all have various committees who meet there. An annual Christmas party is held for needy children.

We must, in our examination of the record, look not only to the variety but also to the magnitude of the various uses. Helpful in this regard are some of the gross income figures of the respective appellants.

American Legion Post No. 13 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 1970: bar $51,417.50; bingo $42,208.35; meals $16,-202.13; hall rentals $9,837.90.

American Legion Post No. 72 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 1970: bar $38,344.00; bingo $98,688.00; pinball machines, etc. $2,730.00; hall rentals $775.00; shows $3,482.00; games $282.00.

American Legion Post No. 49 for the year 1970: bar $48,000.00 to $60,000.00; bingo $40,536.41.

Disabled American Veterans, Chapter No. 3 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 1970: bar $43,096.04; bingo $203,870.07; pinball machines, etc. $2,950.41; hall rentals $2,881.50.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 401 for the year 1970: bar, bingo and meals $148,112.76.

Appellee, in its answer brief, argued as follows concerning the use made by appellants of their property, referring here specifically to American Legion Post No. 13:

“The Appeals Board found that approximately 4,554 man hours * * * during the yearly period were devoted to charitable or educational activities * * *. In just eight months, from May 1970 through December 1970 * * the members and their guests and families consumed $31,261.67 worth of alcoholic beverages. Projecting this figure to a full year’s gross, the bar revnues would amount to $46,892.91 (in the fiscal year ending April 1970, the bar revenues were $51,417.10, * * *). If each drink were to average fifty cents, * * * and if each drink were to take fifteen minutes to consume, the total number of man hours spent in this form of recreation on the premises would be approximately 23,446. In addition $6,621.77 worth of dinners were sold during the eight month period, and projecting this figure out for a full year, $9,932.60 would be grossed by the restaurant activity. ($16,202.13 worth of dinners were sold during the fiscal. year ending April 1970 * * *). If each meal were to average $4.00 per meal * * * and if each meal were to take one hour to consume, approximately 2,483 man hours would have been spent on the premises during the year consuming food. In addition, there were many hours- spent at dances, many hours spent by employees providing all of these recreational services, and a considerable number of hours spent on the premises playing bingo. * * * Total-ling up these figures, a tremendous number of hours were spent on the premises in pursuit of recreation, while the number of hours spent by the members in charitable or educational pursuits appear quite meager by comparison. * * * ”

Counsel for appellants countered as follows :

“What the appellee apparently is endeavoring to use as a means to combat the argument and evidence disclosed in our Brief in Chief is to minimize a discussion of a rather fundamental constitutional provision to a mathematical formula, largely of his own making, revolving about an audit approach of bingo and booze.
“Its figure of 50 cents per drink and $4.00 for a meal is not a ‘reasonable’ construction of the evidence to arrive at a ‘reasonable’ conclusion that ‘a tremendous number of hours were spent on the premises in pursuit of recreation’ and that the charitable or educational pursuits were ‘meager.’ * * *
“ * * *
“For decision by this Court is whether the ‘premises,’ with reason, can be chopped off from the admitted educational and charitable activities of these organizations and rendered subject to the ad valorem real estate taxes. To determine this with reason requires more than mathematical computations.
“ * * * If the spirit of charity and education can be promoted to the extent that this record reflects these veterans organizations have accomplished, then we suggest that their base, their real property, and operating headquarters, be not classified as ‘recreational luxury.’ True, the test is the vise of the property, but what limit is to be given this ‘use’ if it can sprout so much activity, upon which the appellee does not even dare comment ?”

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Bluebook (online)
500 P.2d 199, 84 N.M. 114, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-veterans-organization-v-new-mexico-property-appraisal-department-nmctapp-1972.