The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-10-04
The Fifty Per Cent. In
crease In Her Valua-
items Upheld by the
State Tax Board.
KICKING HARD IN CAMDEN
Increases Ordered in Several Towns
Mathematical Methods
Established.
Special to the Jsrseg GIN Nesos.

TRENTON Oct. 3. 1891. The New Jersey
State Tax Commission completed its work
yesterday. aud after placing its official
findings on file in this city adjourned mn
til October 20
One Of the Commission s findings which
was OF Importance to the people Of Hud-
son County was the dismissal Of the ap-
peal Of the Township Of Kearny against
the County Board of Equalization The
county board. having heard that Kearn ,
properties. notable the Clark Thread
Mills, were grossly undervalued, Increased
the rateables of Kearny by fifty per
cent. to eauaIize the burden Of the coun-
ty and State school taxes. The Kearny
Assessor. Mr.. Ellis. admitted that he had
assessed at only one-third of the true
valuation, and explained his violation Of
the law, which commands full and fair
assessment. by saying his predecessors
had followed the one-third rule for ten
years or more. Kearny appealed from
she increase ordered By the County Board
and the State Commission has dismissed
the appeal on evidence tending TO show
that heRrny's mode OF assessment was
>~~<~+%-~ ~ 49, -
CAMDEN Discomfort.
Much discomfort was aroused in Cam
den county when the recent tax assess
ments were announced. The townships
OF Delaware, Haddon and Centre ap-
peared as complainants before the State
Commission, claiming that while they
had assessed local properties 100 per
cent. or true value, Camden City.
Gloucester City, Stockton Township
and the borough of Merchantville
had been assessed at grossly unfair
PERCENTAGES, so that the eomplainanrs
had been called upon to pay an unjust
proportion Of the county and State school
taxes. The State Commissioners, In their
preliminary hearings in the municipali-
ties naued as defendants, learned that
property in Camden WAS assessed at
eighty per cent. Of its true market value;
in Gloucester at seventy-five per cent; IN
MercnantviIie at thErty-three aud one
third per cent, and In Stockton at sew
enty-fIve per cent.
The Supreme Court having decided
that the assessed values in any taxing
district should not be increased unless
those affected be before the adiudicating
authorities. the State Commission spent
time in drawing the repre-
sentatIves OF the interested localities to-
gether Evidence proved that the above
percentages were The real basis of assess
ment in the localities mentioned, and thar
100 per cant. had been assessor in Had
don, Centre and Delaware. This was de-
termfned by instances where recent sales
proved the market value.
MATHEMATICAL METHODS
The Commissioners having deter mined
that the defending municipalities were in
the wrong. ordered the following in
creases.--Ca Camden, 20 per cent: Glouces-
ter, 25 per cent; MerchanDyille. 60 2-3 per
lf1ptrfaff AZ NOR This
the complainants paying too much OF the
county taxes.
The Commission adopted mathemati-
cal rule for the case which. it is believed,
is so just TO all parties concerned that it
will stand the test of certiorari proceed
ings. The Commissioners rather hope
that such proceedings will be taken, SO
that the rule adopted may be given a
legal standing, to be used as precedent
in all similar cases that may arise in the
future The following table illustrates
the process