The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-10-31


form of taxation for school, city or county
purposes. The total value of the personal
property owned by the railroad and canal
companies of New Jersey is S21, 6O4. 226,
This property il also absolutely exempted
from every form of municipal, school OF
county tax.
The property of the railroad and canal
companies which is subjected to the ASSESS
ment of one per cent for municipal uses,
is that which is outside of the road bed
The value of this property in Jersey City is
assessed at &21 1923, ia. If the compan-
les should pay the oneper cent. tax assessed
for the benefit of Jersey City, the city would
receive from this property the sum of 1915
267. If all the property owned by railroad
and canal corporations within the limits Of
jersey City exclusive of personal prep
erty) had been assessed this year at the
same rate as the property of private citi-
gems. ths sity WOULD HAVE RECEIVED
OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
FROM THESE CORPORATIONS.
Now, let us look at these figures and see
how they affect the tax rate and the tax
payers of Jersey City. The total assessed
value OF the property of individual tax
payers in Jersey City for the year ending
December l, 1885, is $66, sos, 242. Upon
every dollar Of this property there is levied
tax rate of 2.08. It may be vacant and
unproductive, but the heavy hand of taxa
ton il not restrained. It may be the home
of mechanic, whose years of patient toll
have secured single lot and building. 1t
may be the stock of goods in the little
store where widow struggles to feed,
clothe and educate her children. 1t may
be the stock of larger establishment,
whose owner is forced to compete with
New York prices. It may be any Of these,
or anything else, but if it is not used for
railroad purposes, it is taxed at the rate of
$2.98 ON each 800.
THE EFrncr OF EoyAL TAXATION.
In order to find just what equal taxation
would mean, we have but to contemplate
the following facts.
Upon $50. SOC, 600 worth of property in
Jersey City, used by railroad and canal
companies, the total tax assessed for State
and local uses is, $3.50 600.
Upon $50, 5000 worth of property in
Jersey City, owned and used by private
citizens, the total tax is $908, 900.
In fairness, ask you, how long do you
suppose Jersey City can stagger under the
burden of this unjust discrimination with
out passing through the gates of repudia-
If all this property had been includedin
the 1atables of Jersey City-if all property
had been assessed according to value, ire
spectivs OF ownership or use-the rate of
taxation necessary to raise the 81, 500, 900
appropriated by the Board of Finance and
Taxation for the fiscal year ending Decen-
Der /, 1885, would have been $1.98 on each
500. SO that upon each 81 900 worth of
property owned by any taxpayer in Jersey
City. there is assessed, this year, the sum
of $40 for the benefit of the railroads which
have their valuable and profitable terminal
lands on che western bank Of the Hudson
river. This il to-day; tomorrow the bnr.
den viii be greater. The railroad now in
course of construction at the foot Of
Bergsn Hill, known az the Junction
railway, is owned by company which
recently purchased the Harrison estate.
That property, for the tax levy Of
1885 was assessed at full rates for the
use Of Jersey City. Next year the portion
Of this estate used for rcadbed will be ex-
alton. The remainder, valued at $50, 00e,
viii pay to Jersey City but one cent. tax or
$780, So that the appropriation OF this
piece Of property to railroad uses creates
an annual charge against the property of
individual taxpayers Of over two thousand
dollars. Within year several large tracts
of land have been purchased in Jersey
City by railroad sompanies, and the grow
ing demand fer ssrAiaal facilities viii an
nuAlly absorb blssk after block. The mo
msnt . foot of land 10 purchased by rail-
road company it IL taken out of the tax
levy. If it is used a. roadbcd, it is exenp-
tod from local taxation of any kind. Why ?
Because it Is used for resdbed. SiMply
this and nothing more. And yet there is
not, in this State, any property as valuable
TO its owners IS is the roadbed in Jersey
City to the railroad corporations. Within
short time. two railroad depots in Jersey
City have been saved from destruction by
ere by the Jersey City Fire Department.
The machinery used to extinguish these
fires vas paid for by the taxpayers of this
city; the firsmen are on the city pay roll. Yet
preserved by the shield of absolute ex-
emption from municipal taxation. Why?
Because this property is used for depot
buildings. There is not any point in
the city requiring more vigilance from our
police force than the railroad dspots But
they do not pay dellar to the city for this
protection. IF those buildings were de-
stroyed during riot, the municipality
weuld have Sts make good the loss to the
company. Yet there ia no charge for this
insurance.
Nor is this all. The act of 1884 be-
became . law nearly three years ago.
Yet, UP TO THE DATE OF THIS
WRITING, NOT A SINGLE DOLLAR
ASSESSED BY THE STATE BOARD
OF ASSESSORS HAS BEEN PAID
TO THE CITY OF JERSEY CITY. The
Morris and Essex Railroad denies the
right Of the State to levy any tax upon any
property cf thai corporation, used for rail
road purposes, for the benefit of Jersey
City. The Railroads leased by the Phila-
delphia and Reading Company have been
beaten in our State Courts, and will APP
peal to tbs United States Supreme Court.
The Pennsylvania Railroad have made a
pretence of payment. That is, this COM
Pany claims exemption from taxation,