The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-27
Municipal Goyernn,ent TN New Jers,

Municipal Government I'm New Jersey.
The Commission appointed by Govern
or Mcclellan, at the instance Of the New
Jersey Legislature, to prepare scheme
OF general laws for the government Of all
the cities, towns and counties of the State
have placed their report in the hands Of
the Governor. The political parts OF the
bill are not to take effect till April l, 1881,
in order that both political parties may
prepare themselves at the approaching
local elections for the change. The bill
legislates no one out Of Office, but legis-
lates into Office those who are in posses
sion OF the local governments at the time
at which it goes into effect. The only
officers which the bill requires each city
to have are Mayor and Common Council,
a Board Of Education and 0verseers OF Poor,
q City Attorney, City Clerk and City
Treasurer, while city may, il the mum.
cipal Legislature see fit, have Police and
Fire Departments, Law Departments,
bureaus OF Charities, Of Correction and OF
Surveying, and almost all other possible
parapheNnala OF city government. The
bill does not contain any clause repeating
Internationally any Of the city charters
in the State. Only those parts Of existing
charters which are inconsistent with the
proposed act are rendered imperative.
The thirteen towns and the ten boroughs
in the State are hereafter to be known as
cities. There are now thirty.six chartered
cities in the State, 80 that ilfty-nine COM
munities are affected by the new bill.
Mayors are 10 nominate subordin ate
city officers TO the city council. This rule
extends even TO policemen. The tax raised
for municipal purposes shall not exceed |
per centum OF the Assessors valuation OF
city's property; but in this limit the tax
for the payment OF the principal or inter
est on tho public debt Is not to be includ-
ed. Nor Gun any city contract debt lar
ger than one-tenth OF the total assessed
valuation Of It's property. Cities whose
debt has already reached this limit cannot
contract farthing more.
A General City Sinking Fund Commits
sion is provided for, to consist OF citizens
appointed by the Governor and State Sem
ale, and the State Treasurer and Comp
troilers er.o6icio. Each city may have It's
own separate sinking fund, and the local
board may direct that the moneys raised
to fund any debt for municipal purposes
shall be paid either to the local commits
sion or the State commission.
When the assessors have performed
their duties the court is to confirm the
taxes. All persons may have hearing
before the Circuit Court, which is finally
to settle the assessment. The time within
which a Certiorari may be applied for is
thirty days. The taxes become first lien
on real property. If not paid, the land
may be sold for o term not exceeding fifty
years, and the sale may, II the city author
tiles see fit, be subject to all other tax and
assessment liens. The warrant TO sell
issues directly to the City Collector. He
must sell within four months, and his
bonds are answerable for his failure IN
this regard. In fact, the City Collector
must show cause every year to the Circuit
Court, why he has not collected all the
tax bills placed in his hands for collection,
and any citizen may apply to the court to
compel any board to do its duty under
penalty Of going to jail for contempt. The
property owner has the right to redeem
within two years.