The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-21
ABBETT'S ADDRESS.
Continued from First Page.

II
tors waiting; it should not borrow money
on temporary loans while IL hasthis prop
erty in lands under water. We owe over
hall a million dollars. We have prop
erty which we are selling, the proceeds of
which would enable us to gradually
hquldate this indebtedness. Is IL
not financial wisdom, and for the best
interests Of che State, to use the
revenue from this source to meet the OBJ
legations of the State? This proposition
does not touch the school fund as it nov
exists. That is protected by the provis-
ions of the constitution. All that legis-
lation on this subject could do would be
to devote money which arises from this
source by future sales and leases, to the
payment of State obligations. / recon-
mend to the LEGISLATURE to amend the
acts OF 1871 and 1872, n pledge the
money to be derived from these lands, in
the future. to State purposes.
While it is true thAt the present deflo-
iency arises from appropriations made by
previous Legislatures, which failed to
provide the means for raising the money
for their payment, yet this does not re-
lieye the State from these obligations.
The Legislatures in the past did not see
fit, in their wisdom, to provide for the
payment of certain appropriations. They
have left the execution of that duty to
you. Many, if not oil, Of the appropriations
A WcL6 mdQC lOI~ pul bOSCc QCAlAhttNt W
the necessities of the State, from q
high and exalted patriotism, and in the
Exercise of a broad and liberal charity to-
ward the afflicted. If the State owns
property which it can constitutionally
use to pay the debts growing out of these
appropriations, / know of no reason
which should prevent the use of these
funds for the payment OF obligations in
Cured by former Legislatures. | do not
deem it wise legislation to make ppropri-
atoms without providing in the act the
means to raise the money therefor, unless
there are existing sources Of revenue TO
pay the same. The Legislature
should be unwilling to take the
credit of milking appropriations
for legitimate and praiseworthy pur-
purposes, unless it is ready to assume
the responsibility of providing the money
to meet them. 1t is very easy to appropri-
ate money and to leave to others the re-
possibility of paying it in the future. but
tits not just t~oithose who come after us,
nor is it wise as a matter of State policy.
/ shall deem it my duty to veto all such
appropriation bills. / ask your earnest
cooperation in the effort to break up this
Objectionable practice, by refusing TO pass
any act appropriating money unless there
is revenue to meet it or the act provides
some means of paying it.
INCREASING H RAILROAD TAX.
The Comptroller estimates that. during
the present year, about S950,0O0 will be
derived from the State tax of one-half of
one per cent. On property used for rail
road and canal purposes. An additional
tax of one mill on this property would
yield $3.50, 600. This sum would soon re-
heve the State from all difficulty, and en-
able 1t to meet the demand for extensions
of State institutions.
Whether it would be fair or just to raise
this money from this source, depends
upon whether the railroad and canal conn
panies of the State are now paying taxes
equal to those of individuals. 1t the tax
on these corporations under the present
law imposes upon them burdens equal to
those borne by the individual taxpayers,
then it would not be just TO impose this
additional burden.
Upon this point / submit the following
facts to the Legislature as bearing upon
the question:
These corporations, in addition to the
$685. 900, will pay, under the estimate of
the Comptroller, about 100000 for muni-
cipal purposes, or a total tax of 81 ,270, 600.
These corporations pay the tax of one
half of one per cent. upon all of their
property used for railroad and canal pur-
poses, including the value OF their fran
chiscs. The additional State tax, which
is appropriated to county or municipal
PURPOSES. is derived from only o small
portion Of their property. There is ex-
empt from this tax, which is one for
II municipal uses. the main stem of the rail
roads, the waterways of the canals and
the franchises and personal property of
these corporations. There is left, subject
to this tax for municipal uses, only
the real estate used for railroad and
canal purposes outside of the main stem
of the railroads "A the waterways of the
canals. / annex hereto q statement
marked a. which separates the totals
of values taxed in the years 1884 to 1883,
s.a1,-1sx-n sntA Stnyt1a nf M nf,a sian, ur1
waterways, franchises, personal property
and real estate other than main stems or
waterways. The total OF all of these
items pays q State tax OF n half of one
per cent; the last item pays an additional
tax for the use of localities. This adj
ditional tax is limited to not exceeding
one per cent. Ifthelocal rate is less than
one per cent, this item only
pays the local rate: if the local
rate exceeds n per cent, the corpora
ton gets the advantage of the one per
cent. limitation. This statement also
shows for each year the total tax that is
assessed for State uses and the total tax
that is assessed for local purposes. The
estimates of the Comptroller show the
amount of these assessments that will
probably be collected after appeal and re-
view by the courts. The figures in the
statement show that the increase of rail-
road property is not sufficient to more
QklRh AZ VI In
ordinary expenses of the State.
This statement, under the heading of
1885 and the item of main stem, shows
SS1, 065, 500 of real estate. To ascertain
the amount of tax which this property
would pay if subject to full local rates, it
is necessary to apportion this value of
''main stem" among the several taxing
districts in the State. 1 present to you,
in the statement hereto annexed marked
'sB,n an a-pportionmenG OF this amount
among the taxing districts of the State,
which | believe is accurate. 1t has
been prepared from various official
sources and data which can be verified by
an examination of the records and papers
in the Office of the State Board of Asses
sors. Ny limited time and examination
have rendered it impossible for me to \
now present to you an superintendent of
the t'main STEM among the localities for
the other years. The result obtained
from au examination Of the records of
1885 win, however, apply substantially to
the other years contained in the state
ment marked ssA.n The small precent-
age Of difference in these years will not
practically change the conclusions to be
drawn from the data given.
The statement hereto annexed, marked
"C,n shows the result of this apportion-
ment in detail in thirty districts, which
are the principal taxing districts of the
State; 1t embraces all the cities of the
State except Gloucester City, and includes
also other important railroad aud canal
points. These thirty districts contain
thirty-fve per cent. of the entire main
siam 0f rho railFnulg and nf tha Entar- I