The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-25
State TAXATION.
The Legislative Commits
sion Hears the Testi-
mony Upon Church
Exemptions.
speclal 70 the Jerssp citp Ns.s..

SALEM, Sept. 20. 1890. .-Thei New jersey
Tax Commission appointed to prepare
bill for the equalization OF county taxes,
gave through its counsel, General w.
F. Albeit, a hearing at this place today,
to the Salem county assessors. The mem
bers of the Commission, Bakers Gum
mere, Attorney General Stockton, Sena-
tors Gardner and Everett, and Assembly
men Voorhees, and Marsh, were not
present
The first speaker was the Rev. Chester
Bridgeman, OF Woodstown. He de-
manded relief from what he termed
double taxation, THAT is in taxing se-
curities held for loans made outside of
the State, when a tax is where the pro-
perty is located. This" he continued,
was unconstitutional, unjust, and I'M
called for. 1t is hard for those who make
the loans, many of whom are ladies, not
competent or calculated to do business
and therefore are dependent on lawyers
or agents to look after their affairs, who
place it for them, with the understanding
that the tax is paid where the loan is
made. Now ii these persons must also
pay tax where they live, very likely in a
city, where thu rate is some twenty dol
lars per thousand, cutting down the in-
come one-third, 1t becomes serious ques-
ton whether such persons can afford to
live in one of our cities or larger towns,
which they would naturally resort to. 1t
is calculated to drive capital, or capital
lists, out of the State. Persons residing
IN our sister State OF Pennsylvania pay
only what is called State tax of three
mills on dollar on such securities, which
would be partial relief"
C. FL. Sinnickson called attention to
the fact that Salem County pays more
than its just proportion of State school
tax.-more than is received--owing to the
full valuation at which all kinds of prop
erty are assessed Several other couu-
ties, when the taxed valuation is low. re-
ceive more than they pay-thus Salem
county helped educate The children of
these countless "a form of charity not ap-
preciated by our taxpayers.
General Albeit suggested as cure for
this irregularity State Board of Tax
Equalization, with power to correct such
Irregularities, and thought such meas
ure would be provided for in the new bill
which the commission is to frame.
Mayor Richman, OF Woodstown, who
is the assessor in Pilesgrove township,
thought that real estate throughout the
county was over assessed.
George Morris, Assessor in the East
ward, this city, spoke in reference to the
assessment of bank stock, and stated that
considerable tax was lost by failure TO get
statements of stock in the hands of hold
stock be assessed at the bank, and the
amount OF tax deducted from the divi-
dend orvalue of the stock, and the amount
paid to the collector of the localities
where the stock Is held, on the basis of
the local tax rate. 1t was also suggested
that bank stock ought TO be taxed at it's
selling value.
DIR, Edwin Chew, of this city, called at
tention to the Five County Act" This
act, which was passed when special legis-
lation was permissible, exempts certain
counties from tax on personal property
for the benefit of the State He thought
every county should bear its part of the
burden for State purposes. The new bill
will. without doubt, correct this matter.
The Upper Pittsgrove Assessor, Mr.
Gray, stated that there was two or three
farms in that township, owned by re-
ligious societies, which were not taxed
last year owing to reported decision of
the Supreme Court exempting such prop
erty from taxation. General Albeit was
of the opinion that they should be taxed
the same as other property, in as much
as the proceed went towards The payment
of the PASTORS salary.