The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-21
TAXABLE VALUES.
Mr.. C. C. Black on the Diff
ficulty of Fixing
Them Fairly.
THE PERSONAL ELEMENT.
Interesting Discussion by the
Board of Trade-Those
Powder Boats.

the purpose of discussing the subject OF
taxation. Before the subject was taken
up a communication from the Grand
Rapids. Mich, Board of Trade was read.
1t advocated urging upon Congress the
necessity for postoffice telegraph system
as the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany has not reduced rates. The cooper
alton of the Jersey City Board was asked
and granted. The Board also decided to
ask Congress to see that an appropriation
be granted for grand naval review on
the four hundredth anniversary OF the
landing of Columbus.
The secretary read communication
from Willard G. Fisk, the President of
the Riparian Commission, in answer to
request from the Board, explaining as
TO which State Bedloe's and Ellis Islands
belonged. The communication indicated
that both these islands belonged to the
State of New York.
WATER IN TWO FORMS.
Mr.. Hall reported that he had asked
the Board of Street and Water Commis-
sloners to take some action in regard to
Morgan street dock, and was told that
the Board had no money and the dock
was still in the mud.
President Dear reported that with
other members of the Board he had
journeyed to Trenton on the water ques-
ton and appeared before the Senate Com
mittee and addressed them twice. Mr.
Deer was convinced that the members of
the Board had made no impression on the
committee, and Notwithstanding a gal
liant fight made by Senator Hudspeth the
water bills never came before the Senate.
Ihe question of the powder barges
again came up. Mr.. Ringle said the
barges were still there and the Secretary
was instructed to communicates with
Senator Mcpherson and urge a speedy
settlement of this question.
Mr.. Vessels spoke of the necessity for a
fire patrol. He saia ne found it hard to
get insurance. The Secretary said he had
communicated with the Board of Fire
Underwriters, but had not as yet received
any answer.
Mr.. Carr offered a resolution to the
effect that the Board was in favor of the
North Hudson County or any other COM
pany extending tracks through Summit
avenue to the Paterson Plank road. Mr..
Dear did not like the idea of the North
Hudson County doing this. He said it
was remarkable that large city like Jer-
sey City should have several of her horse
car lines centering in smaller city.
Pretty soon ali the traffic would be direct
ed to Hoboken. The resolution was
passed. Mr.. Ringle thought the Jersey
City and Bergen should extend its tracks
down West Newark avenue, and MI.
L.
that this would be done as soon as the
street WAS In proper condition.
BLACK ON TAXES.
State Tax Commissioner Black was
then called upon to give his views regard
ing taxation. The Commissioner said in
substance:-' The proper basis of assess
ment and the only one strictly legal must
be the standard of true valne. This true
value is hard to define. The definition
given by Chief Justice of the true value
of piece of property is, THAT which it
will bring for cash. The only question is
the application. Any one can see the
difficulty of arriving at the true valua-
tion of a manufacturing establishment
when large. and perhaps the largest,
portion of the plant depends upon the
man himself. How are you going to ap-
ply the definition in this case? Are you
to eliminate this mans brains when you
are supposed to arrive at the value of
everything that exists2 So far as my OBJ
servation goes, that class OF property
should be valued according to it's tangible
existence.
"Then there is the application to cram
berry bogs and seaside property. with
some years of prosperity ana others of
depression. The greatest evil and one
which should be eradicated is the idea of
the taxpayer that large amount Of
money is improperly expended When
you stop the wasteful expenditure OF
money, the taxpayer will gladly pay his
share OF the taxes and not try to evade it.
In my judgment, if the public moneys
are properly handled, the tax rate should
not exceed SIS per thousand. Then the
valuation should be at cash value. But
how shall the Assessor arrive at the cash
value2 Walk up Newark avenue and
look at the buildings. What would you
value them at? The Assessor is only
human and has not The time to
hunt up real estate men to
find what the property rents
find that the owner who has a peculiar
knowledge of the value of the property
will not offer him any aid. Therefore we
have made rule in cities of the first and
second class. First-The Assessor Is to
ascertain the market value of the land
per foot. Then by inspection he is to
ascertain the value of buildings. What
we want is one assessment properly made
and that will be great aid in future
assessments.
PERSONAL PROPERTY.
"It is very difficult to arrive at personal
property. In some portions of tue State
the assessors have furnished the tax
payers with a blank to be filled in with
the amount of his personal property,
accompanied by an affidavit. In some
places this system has been successful
while in other places with a different COM
munity it has proved an utter failure"
Mr.. Hall wanted to know how the AS
SCISSOR would act il on the day the assess
ment was made q manufacturer had an
unusually heavy stock. Mr.. Black said
that no such case had been before the
Board, but he thought that it would be
proper to assess the average stock the
manufacturer carried.
FALSE STANDARDS.
Mr. Booraem argued with Mr.. Black
that the taxpayers should be made happy,
and the public money properly spent
Mr.. Booraem thought that If some foolish
person had gwen big price for q piece
of property this sale should not act as any
criterion The cost of the building had
nothing to do with the cash value. A
brown-stone house on Morgan street
would not be worth any more than n
frame building. Mr.. Booraem criticized
the gentlemen in the tax office at the
CITY Hall, and SAID that after the people
had been robbed they We're insulted.
Mr.. Hall thought Mr.. Booraem was
wrong as he believed the officials at the
City Hall were gentlemanly.
Mr.. Dear then said that the great un-
derlying principle was that the taxpayer
should have complete confidence in the
officials, and be satisfied that their money
was not wasted. He thought that true
value AS defined by the Chief Justice did
not define anything. Mr. Dear believed
that the cash value OF any piece of
property was that which it would bring
at a forced sale. Mr.. Dear believed that
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