The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-09-02
TAXES IN HOBOKBN.
Assessor Dol1ard Tells
What He Knows About
Them.
HOW PROPERTY IS RATED.
Values Placed at About Two
Thirds of What They Should
be-The Same Practice
in North Hudson.
HOW PROPERTY IS RATED.

= =
The State Board of Tax Commissioners
met in the Hoboken City Hall this morn
ing, and had a three hours talk with AS
SCISSOR Dollard and the North Hudson
assessors. Commissioner Black stat ed
in opening the objects of the
State Board. He said that they
were to investigate the meth ods
of taxation in the different parts of the
State with vie W to devising uniform
system and said that he would be only
Zoo happy to hear any suggestion that
Mr.. Dollard might have to offer.
In answer TO questions Mr.. Dollard
said that the office of Assessor in Ho-
boken wso elective. and the term was
three years. lie stated that he
sgst ssglns Mosaav hs 81 NAV on aaS the
that he must have them completed
by June 20 for the County Board. After
that the assessments are passed on in
September by the Council and are gener-
ally confirmed. 1t was compulsory for
him to turn in his assessments by Sep
tember 23.
"As you have been an assessor for eight
years, Mr.. Dollard," said Commissioner
Black. ''give the Board the benefit of
your method of assessing. Do you assess
property in lump or do you place a val
uation on a lot and then on the build
ing ?"
Mr.. Dollard SAID he as sessed property
in bulk as rule. although he admitted
that the fairest way would be to ascertain
the value of the land and then the build
ing. Mr. Dollard told how he ascertained
the value of property. He said he con-
versed with real estate men, and so
along the line. II there was
a piece of property sold in the neighbor-
hood. that aided him in arriving at a
valuation. He did not discriminate at all
in fixing valuations.
NO FAvoRITIsM SHOWN
II q certain property holder was a
"good fellow" as Commissioner
Black tersely remarked. it
made no difference to Assessor
Dollard. His assessment would be just
the same as though he were not 'good
fellow" Assessor Dollard treated every
Then the Assessor pointed with
pride to his assessments as veri-
fled by the Commissioners of Appeal.
He said that there had been over
three hundred protests presented to the
Board at its last meeting, vet the Com
missioners had only decreased his valu-
ations only to the extent of 100000.
DO YOU exempt the real estate of
banksg, Commissioner Black asked,
81 do" Assessor Dolard replied.
Are you aware that bank property is
assessed IN Jersey City and Elizabeth,
and that the law does not exempt such
property2"
II am aware of that" Mr.. Dollard re-
Piled
Well, why don't you tax bank prop
erty 2" queried the Commissioner.
Because don't think the law Is a
good one and it is doubtful ii it could be
enforced"
"We agree with you, Mr.. Dollard, said
Commissioner Black. "Now as to the
shares of q bank; how do you ascertain
how many bank hasf'
II 60 to the bank and get list of the
shareholders, resident and non resident"
to reach nonresident shareholders
and Mr.. Black said that the Board
thought of adopting q rule by which the
local assessor, where bank is located,
could send the names of the nonresident
shareholders to the State Board and the
Board would in turn notify the Assessor
in the city where the shareholder lived.
Assessor Doilard suggested that the
S tate Board could, by writing to the
banks, get the names of the share
holders and read them that way. The
Commissioners thought the suggestion a
valuable one.
POLL TAX.
With regard TO poll tax Assessor Dol
lard had little to say. He said it was a
very hard matter to collect the tax as
persons were moving all The time. Itwas
also hard to collect personal taxes. He
never visited the Surroeaue's Office to as
certain the personal property of any indi-
vidual.
There's where the assessors make
serious errors" said Commissioner
Black. "We believe that they have ex-
traordinary facilities for getting informa-
ton"
Mr.. Dollard said that he valued real
sonal at Sl,671, ,1e0. This was an increase
of about S2,000,000 over last year. He said
that this was about on q basis of two
thirds its real value.
"Tnen hereafter you will assess at true
value and if the rest of the county does
not do the same you will communicate
with the State Board" said Mr.. Black.
Mr.. Dollard said that the exemption
under law of 1891 were city property, $685.
500; United States property. s25, 900;
church property. 500, COO; schools and
colleges, Ss40,0o0; militia and firemen,
SS5, 600.
Mr. Dollard then exhibited his books, and
explained his values, as compared with
the true value of the property.
NORTH HUDSON.
J. +. Curry, the assessor for Union
Township was next called. He had
Deen assessor LOT OuH year, auu as
sessed under the general State law.
The real estate was valued
at 81, 800, 400, and personal property S76.-
600. The exemptions were town property,
$1,000; school property, $1,000; church
property. $1,000. He assessed about
eighty per cent. of the true value.
Daniel Sturm, the Assessor for the Town
of Union. said that the real estate iu that
town was valued at S2,016 420. and the
personal at sl6T, 400 He based his valua-
tion on Sheriff sales.
Assessor O'Donnell said that he had
been Assessor for nine years. He would
not dare assess property at its true
value. One year he attempted to do so,
and the next year he was
defeated at the polls. The Com
missioners told him that it was
absolutely necessary that the true value
be arrived at. Assessor Jacquet of West
Hoboken was also advised TO assess pro-
pertv at its true value, and the Commits
sion adjourned.
RnsaNn Cot thN Cntfar