Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-01-15

Inlnk tne same proceedings should be taken
with reference to this company as has been
suggested with reference to the Morris and Es-
sex, so that the State may ascertain whether or
not the amount paid by it for years past under
this alleged contract truly represents the sum
due to the State | would suggest that the leg
islation on this subject should be made broad
enough to include inquiry into the case Of
every corporation claiming contract with the
State on the subject of taxation.
do not propose to discuss at present the
matters involved in the thirty-four pending
suits, because they have been argued, and in
all probability will be decided by the Supreme
| Court at the February Term. Every possible
constitutional and legal objection to the taxes
! imposed under the act of April 10th, 1884, has
been raised and discussed in these suits, and
the Attorney General and his associates de-
serve the thanks of the State for their energy,
great ability and conscientious work. A his
tory of the work performed will be found in
the report of the Attorney General. The Leg
islature should not adjourn until it shall have
taken effective action within constitutional
limits to compel these corporations to pay
their just share of tax. The fourth section
of the act of April 10TH 1884, should be
repealed. 1t only tends to make difficulty for
the State. There is no reason why the plain
rule set forth in section of the act of April
II, 1866 (Revision, p. 1150) should not be
adopted. 1t provides that ''all real and per-
sonal estate within this state, whether owned
by individuals or by corporations, shall be LA
BILE to taxation at the full and actual UdLue
thereof" This would prevent the railroads
from availing themselves of the violation of
duty by local assessors, in not assessing indi-
vidusls the full value of their property. What
further legislation, if any, may be necessary,
will be more clearly ascertainable after the de-
cision Of the Supreme Court.
TAXES ON RAILROADS FOR LOCAL PURPOSES.
The railroad corporations complain Of the
local tax as an unjust burden. Is it such
The railroad and canal companies of the
State own one-ffth of all the real and personal
property in the State according to the returns
made by the State Board compared with the
list Of ratables. The act provides that the
State tax and the local tax imposed by the
State Board shall together never exceed GER
tain percentage. The act also provides that
the main stem of railroad and the water
ways of canal shall not be assessed for local
purposes. The valuation of these, according
to the State Board, is $S1, ,108600, or more
than one-ninth of the assessed valuation Of
all the tangible property in the State. Rail-
roads are no longer an experiment. They are,
if honestly managed, paying investments.
Under general laws no right of private prop
erty is sacred against their encroachment
| The dwellings of the living and the burial
places of the dead are alike subject to their
exercise of the right of eminent domain. The
effect Of this discrimination in favor Of the
railroads with reference to local taxes can be
| illustrated by taking dwelling Of citizen in
Jersey City, the terminus Of all the great rail-
roads of the State, and showing how it is affect
ed by these determinations. The assessors OF
that city for the present year returned the rat
ables as S66, ,599, ,z42.00. Upon this amount
tax is imposed for city, county and school pur-
poses amounting to 81 ,599, ,00200, or $685.
1880 more than the entire amount assessed
upon all the railroads and canals of the State
| (including their franchises) for both State and
local purposes. The valuation of all the rail-
road and canal property, including franchises,
amounts to $192, ,S64, $500. The value of
railroad and canal property in Jersey City.
exclusive of main stems and waterways and
personal property, is 81 ,626, ,714.00. This
aInnnnt Is Distributed &c -fnlln1rs
Central Railroad of New jersey $4, $50 722
Jersey City and Bergen Railroad. "a, ,5V7
| Long Dock Company ............. 3,9O7. 1893
Morris Canal and Banking Comply 1,555O2O
Morris and Essex Railroad.......-.... $780, 81
National Docks Railroad ............. o10606
Newark and Hudson Railroad Y4,456
| N. Y, Susquehanna and Western
Railroad. ......... ............... 5,341
Northern Railroad of New jersey 1906
Paterson and Hudson River R. r.. 1l5O20
United New Jersey Railroad and
Canal Company any........................ 1891, ,046
Total. $40, ia
fair apportionment for Jersey City of the
valuation of main stems and WATERWAYS within
that city would increase this amount to ever
10000, 10000. Add 100000, 10000 to the
ratables of jersey City, and you would have
nearly S97 ,G0D,GO0 of property for taxation
instead of about s57 ,0G0 10000 Making all
proper allowances it would make reduction
OF about one per cent. in the tax rate in that
city; the rate is now $3.92 per 500. In other
words, man who owned house in that city
valued at ten thousand dollars, and who now
pays two hundred and ninety-two dollars tax,
would pay one hundred dollars less provided
| the railroad companies of the State were taxed
the same as individuals
Another illustration may be taken from the
farming lands of the State. South Brunswick
township, in Middlesex county, is on the main
line ofthe Pennsylvania road The total amount
of rstables, exclusive of property used for rail
road purposes, is 81, ,546,9 $50. The tax rate in
this township is $1.22 per hundred dollars.
The amount of property used for railroad pur-
poses in said township is $S15, ,276, which, add
ed to the ratables, would amount to 81, 1853, ,206.
II the railroad property was added to the rata
bles the tax rate would be about 70 cents per
hundred dollars. This would make differ
ence to the farmer of $4.3O Of tax on every
81 600 Of property ne owned. The total local
tax allowed this township by the State Board
is s., ,506.26. If the companies paid the local
rate Of Sl.22 per 800 on their property, they
would pay $9,946.36.
TAX ON MISCELLANEOUS CORPORATIONS.
The taxes levied in 1884 upon n,iscellaneous
corporations under the act of April is, 1884.
H. 1884, p. 2S2,) were $195, 1850 OF this
amount sos, 1861 was paid in 1884 and $22.-
1910 in the fiscal year Of 1885, leaving due
So, 1922 of the tax for 1884 under that act.
All these delinquent taxes are in the hands of
the Attorney General for collection. A few of
them have been paid, but the great mass are
upon corporations that have no property what
ever. The tax levied under this act for 1885
amounts to $235.769 40. OF this sum $ll6.-
O4452 was paid in the fiscal year ending Octo-
Der 81, 1885. Between that date and Decem-
Der 80, 1886, $903.18 Of this tax has been paid
leaving due on the tax of 1885 $11S, ,821. 10. or
deficit OF taxes under this act for the wears
1884 and 1885 of $194, ,25092. 1t is not prob
able that over thirty to forty thousand dollars
OF this amount can be collected. This act will
not yield annually oyer $3.50, 900. The amount
could be increased, if deemed necessary bv
extending the operation Of the act to other
corporations, or increasing the amounts now
paid Hereunder
SINKING FUND.
The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund re-
port that the assets Of the Fund amount to
$903, ,628.04. Of this amount $542. 1884. 90 is
represented by the real estate which the Com
missioners have been obliged to take in salts
faction Of mortgages held thereon. The act
ual value Of this real estate can only be ascer-
tained by sale of the property.
They Maid SQl SOC of- ;;uta~..f -. ~ -tI..