The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-28
KBARNHY'S INCREASE.
Supreme Court Asked to
Set Aside the Action of
the Equalization
Board.
WRITS OF CERTIORART.
The TaXRate Was So Reduced That
the New Valuation Makes
Little Difference.

An effort was made this morning be-
fore Judge Knapp by several manufac-
turing concerns of Kearny to have the so
per cent. increase in the valuation
OF their property, ordered by the County
Board of Equalization, set aside 1t will
be remembered that the Assessor of
Kearny acknowledged that he had
assessed the property of the manu-
featuring concerns of his township
at only one-third their actual value. His
excuse for such action was that the manu-
facturers were benefit to the township,
and should be encouraged by concessions
in the way of taxation.
The County Board could not see why
Kearny should be benefited at the ex-
pense of the remainder of the county,
and it peremptorily ordered the Assessor
to increase the township valuations one
half.
A wRoNGED CORPORATION,
This morning ex-Judge Garretson. Mr..
James B. Vredenburg and Mr.. r. o.
Babbitt applied to Judge Knepp in behalf
of the Clark Thread Company. the Mile
End Thread Company. Marshall g. Co.
and the Nairn Linoleum Company. all of
kearny, for writs of certiorari TO remove
the proceedings under which the Increase
was made into the Supreme Court for
review
Mr.. Babbit said that the property of the
Linoleum Company had originally been
assessed at 5000, 600; that the company
had appealed to the Township Committee
and had reduced it to $3.50 Now came
this increase of the County Board,
which increased it to over $270.000.
This sum Mr. Babbit declared was
much more than the properly was
worth and more than the company con-
sented TO sell it for some time ago.
The assessor said he had made this
increase not because. he thought, in
his judgment, that the property
was worth any such sum, but because he
had been ordered to do so by the County
Board in order that the county tax could
be increased.
Mr.. Vredenburgh claimed that as the
increase had been ordered by others
than the regularly elected officer
of the township, it was void and
received notice of the proposed increase
so that they could il necessary make OBJ
jections.
ALL THE SAME IN THE END.
Judge Knapp thought that the Board
had the right to order the increase. Mr.
Kenny. counsel for Kearny, happened to
be present and said that the
to him. Nevertheless, he would do all he
could to have the action of the County
Board reviewed by the Court. The
increase was obnoxious to the en-
lire township. and they have
done all in their power to have it set
aside They had appealed to the County
Board and to the new State Board
of Taxation and in both cases
they mad been defeated. He also added
that Notwithstanding the fact that
the valuations in his township
had been increased fifty per
cent. the tax rate had been reduced
corresponding by, namely from 274 to 100,
so that the result was about the same as
it was last year.
Judge Knapp said that he did not want
to embarrass the Township of
Kearney. and still he thought he
should allow the writs. He finally CEN
cluded to do so upon condition that the
parties applying for the writs pay two
thirds of their taxes. which will be
due December 20. This the
lawyers present agreed to do.
Mr.. Kenny thought even that would en-
barrass the township as, if they paid the
county $4,000 they would not have
enough for township purposes. Judge
Knapp thought differently and signed
the wrltS.