The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-02-22
EVERYONE STARTLED,
The New Tax Bill Strikes
People Like Ice Water
Down the Back.
INJUSTICE TO JERSEY CITY.
An Utterly Disproportionate
Representation in the County
Board Of Equalization.
NO CHANCE FOR DEBTORS.
Cheap Spies and Spite Work at
a Premium The Five
Counties Act.
INJUSTICE TO JERSEY CITY.
NO CHANCE FOR DEBTORS.

proposed by the non partisan commission
and Introduced into the Legislature last
we, (which was published III The JER-
sEY City NEWS last evening, created con-
siderable discussion among citizens gem
orally. Hr. William d. Edwards, in
speaking OF the measure. said that he had
not considered it as carefully as he would
like to-
s'We1l, there is one section of the bill, !"
no continued. (which l think Is very
unwise one. and one which will be detri-
mental to Jersey City. | refer to section
OF the several districts in a county are to
constitute County Board of Equaliza-
ton. This viii do away with the present
efficient Board which consists OF City
Collector j. B. Cleveland and G. ID. Van
Reipen of Jersey City, City CLERK VIII
liam G. Hamilton Of Bayonne, James g.
Morgan OF the Town of Union, and VIII
liam Utz Of Hoboken, and in its place will
create hoard consisting OF the thirteen
taxing officers OF the county, of which
jersey City will have but three.
INJUSTICE TO JERSEY CITY
1.-THE result OF this will be that although
jersey City pays 81 per CENT. of the taxes
OF the whole county she will have
Only three representatives in the Board
TO eight of the townships which pays only
per cent. of the taxes Jersey City will
thus be at the mercy Of the townships
which can raise her valuations and di-
minish their own as they may choose.
President Michael J. O'Donnela of the
Tax Commissioners also condemned this
section of the new bill on the same
grounds put forth by Mr. Edwards. That
was not the only section, however, which
Mr.. O'Dopneil denounced.
According to this bill as understand
he said, 'the Taxing Officers go to cor
poratlOn and assesses its property at a
certain valuation. The State Board OF
Equalization, revision and enforcement
of taxation which the Dill creates could
have he power to ser aside that valuation
and the local Board which understood all
the circumstances and surroundings OF
the case, and is better able to judge OF its
value than these three strangers in Tren-
ton would have to accept the latters' de-
cision as final
In this way, you see. the State Board
practically becomes State Board Of As
SCISSORS This l claim is all wrong, In
giving this Board the authority TO remove
IN assess ment in this manner is putting
more power into the hands of any three
men, / don't care who they are, than
they should have.
a'rhe section which provides for the
collection of poll tax IS I think good.
Any man who enjoys all the privileges of
citizenship ought to be willing to contrib
ute 81 a year toward the expenses of the city
government. But the collection OF poll
tax should be enforced or 1t should be
wiped out entirely.
OTHER GOOD FEATURES.
Other good features or the bill are
those which give local boards the power
to tax personal property of corporations,
and which prohibits the swearing of of
all debts except those of record / also
~ - rvj1jQh ppn1Iirac q
land to be assessed first. and then the inn
provements, will work good and prevent
discrimination by assessors
EFFECT IN THE CITY.
A well-known city official, whose re-
quest that his name be withheld Is re-
spected, said:-
sThis new bill seeks to change the
whole system of taxation of the State.
Its enforcement would be invested in the
hands Of three men whose powers would
be greater than those possessed by all tax
authorities in the State today. They
could set aside assessments made by any
assessor or board OF assessors OF any city.
county or township. If any local assessor
refuses 10 carry out their will they could
set him aside and make assessments TO
suit themselves.
ssJbe bill does not exempt securities or
bonds of the State or municipalities.
Then it does not permit the deduction or
Indebtedness from either personal prop
erty or real estate. except Tor debts OF
record in this State. This term of
record is vague 1t may mean mortgages,
iridrments and the like The assumption
Is that anyone now doing an extensive
business and desiring TO make oeauc-
ton for their Indebtedness would have to
record such Indebtedness IN the county
Clerks office of his county.
s.This would be serious indeed. as no
merchant would desire to have his in
debtedness exposed to public view, and as
such exposure would be injurious TO his
credit.
Then there is an abominable spy system
attached to this. by means of which local
Assessors can enrich themselves
at the expense of taxpayers. 10
Illustrate the spy system fees OF 50, 50,
So 10 81 are given to persons who 1urnlsn
information against a taxpayer. and all
the charges Of this system OF espionage
are to be charged against the property
The adoption of system like this would
be ruinous to the large cities OF the state
and is death stroke to home govern
meut. There Is Capitalization OF power
in this peculiar law from which, through
which and by which the Governors
authority is sustained in every enforce
meDt Of the proposed law. ,s.o.a
at gives him the power to determine,
revise and amend the tax values made py
the three men he has selected to form the
State Board. To me 1t appears W pc q
bill framed In the interest OF the, agr1cui-
tural classes, because 1t Is well known
fact that the farmer makes the mortgages
on his farm debts of record, while Inc
merchant or manufacturer cannot DO so
with his obligations.
sIfancy it would be a good system 70
perpetuate the power or 70 carry out the
views OF the Farmers Alliance without
breathing that party into life III sne
State"
EFFECT ON MORTGAGoRs.
Under the new law mortgages Will pc
taxed TO the nortgagees," said
we'll known cicizen, "there be-
ing no provision in the new act
by which in the event of no claim being
made by the owner of the property for a
deduction, by reason of the mortgage
debt from the value of the property the
mortgage is to be exempt. Under the
present law a MORTGAGE Is not taxed at
all unless the owner Of the property
makes che claim for deduction above re-
xerred 60. Some modification is made