The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-07-25
'CONFISCATION /; THAT'S ALL!


were as 10 tue uhAuitcu PuWSIS VI ills
commissioners appoirted under it; and
the fact that it does not apply to back taxes
alone. 1t can be enforced against taxes to
ba levied in the future as well as those that
have been levied in the past, and in this
respect the taxpayer has even less cpper-
tunity to save himself. The moment he
becomes delinquent, the summary process
Of the Act can be started to wrest his prop
erty from him. In some quarters it was
said that this additional feature needs spe-
cifc acceptance by the city to make lit
operative; but in others it was SAID that q
general acceptance Of the Act included an
acceptance of this part of it along with the
rest. The Commissioners. too, are invested
with absolute power in the matter of adj
justment They may not only cut down
assessments when they see fit, but they
may also increase them to any figure that
pleases their within or satisfies their con-
science.
coNF1scATIoN FOR LAND SHARKS.
The act was drawn by City Attorney
Frank Bergen of Elizabeth, who is prob
ably one of the best posted of New Jersey
LAWYERS on rhe topics covered by it,
s The Act he said to the TATTLER is
confscation pure and simple. 1t will help
to adjust the financial difficulties of Eliza
beth, butt might raise the .dsviiin any other
CITY. Elizabeth alone wanted it, and we
never could have got it through the Legisla-
ture but for the clause leaving it optional
with the cities to accept it or not as they
saw fit. The Governor would not sign it
after It'll had been put through, wouldn't
even file it. The Brooklyn Act is bencf-
cent and generous to the tax payers
az compared with this one.
/ didn't dare to put the 60 per cent. clause,
which is one of the salient features of the
Brooklyn Act, in this, because with it we
shouldn't have realized $50, 900 from its
enforcement. Why? Much of the prop
erty in arrears is covered with assessments
representing ten times its value. can't
tell now how much will be got cut-of it-a
good deal less than the people expect.
And it won't be got soon either. The Act
leaves loopholes for litigation that may
defer payments for years. 1t is true, too.
that the purchasers at sales may buy q title
Of little value, but the Act makes the city
passed by the Act cannot be upheld the
city will have to pay the money all back to-
the purchasers 1t is true, too, that it
seeks 10 reassess assessments that have
already been set aside by the Courts Tor
illegality. and even for unconstitutionality.
1t gives the property holder no show at all.
At tho same time it has in it solution OF
the problems the bankruptcy of Elizabeth
has confronted us with, and believe it is
going to be a good thing here.
It was incidentally learned, too, that a
party of capitalists is being formed in New
York to buy up property at these tax sales,
which is cerroboration of the view taken
by CITY Clerk Scott that the effect of the
Act will be to place such property as the
taxpayers don't save to themselves in the
hands of foreign landsharks.
PATERSON WON'T HAVE IT.
The Paterson Board of Aldermen having
approved of the Act and hastily reconsid-
cred its action until the principles of the
reporter visited that city yesterday and not
being able to see Nj. Watts Cooke, the
President of the Board, called On Hon.
fhn W. Griggs, President of the New Jersey
mate. It will be remembered that Mr..
wggs last winter hittorly opposed the
Usage Of the bill.
81 consider it nothing more or less than
Bankrupt law" he said.
Asked why the Board had recsnsidersd
action. Mr.. Griggs said, s'My idea would
e to have the payment of cid taxss-and
old taxes / don't mean those assessed
,ring the last two or three years, but
can taxes remaining unpaid from 1873
,wn to say, 1882 or 1883-on unimproved
scant property enforced in some fair way;
I'D the purpose of the Board was to urge
Just tins, and the Board was under the i'm
preston, too, that it was to designate to
the Commi ssioners when appointed, just
what property they were to reassess. The
moment:they learned that the Commission
ers had full power in the premises, the
Beard reconsidered its action.
OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE.
"Why," he continued, ga dishonest
man could make $4,000 on that commits.
sion in month. The argument against
that fear would be that such men would
not be selected; but how do you or / or
any taxpayer know who will be appoint
cdr Mr. Griggs had many objections to
the bill He said it was an outrage for
any community to say to property
holder who, probably having ur to, say
last year, paid his taxes punctually, and
having by reason of misfortune or other
wise, allowed that to go by default for
while, that his property must be confsca-
ted and sold in fee simple for % PEI cent.
of its value; and this is Just what the Mar
tin Act contemplates.
siFor," he said, ssdoesn't the law pro-
pose to give the Board of Aldermen and
Finance Board power to sell the whole
title Of mans property, If they see fit,
for one years taxes or, in other words,
70 sell 100 per cent. to pay n per cent?"
Another objection is this and with this
serious defect have very grave doubts
of the constitutionality Of the law;
all property on which the taxes have not
been paid, has been sold from time to time
and from year to year, and the city, in con-
templation of this law, might be called,
after q certain time, the owner in fee, and
not mere lien holder Of the property.
The taxes levied under that assessment,
and all the legal remedies suggested by
the Legislature = the sovereign taxing
power of the commonwealth have been
enforced. Now the proposition is to take
this property to which all these remedies