The Jersey City news., 1892-01-12

be exceeded IN any taxing district.
Fifth-Requiring all assessments on lands
and improvements to be made separately in
municipalities of over 5000 inhabitants. 80
"a Sixth-Giving the state board of taxation
power to increase individual assessments.
Seventh-Requiring all incorporated COM
panies i'll the state, on demand, to file with
the state board of taxation list Of their
shareholders, with the addresses, and re-
quiring the said corporations to pay the tax
on such shares as are held by nonresidents
of the state of New Jersey, thus increasing
the amount of tax derived from invisible
personal property.
Eighth-No deduction for individual debts,
except from the assessed value of personal
property.
Taxable and Exempt Property.
In connection with the matter of taxation
it is interesting to consider the value of
property in this state and the extent of ex-
emptions under existing laws.
The total assessed valuation of property
in the state subject to taxation is as follows
Value of railroad property in
1871. SIlu,U44,SaO w
Other classes of property in 1891 701 ,320,029 30
Total. al...................,..... S9ll,S045i4 w
To ascertain the total real
and personal property in the
state we must add to the
above:
First--The deduction for debts
made from the valuation of
the real and personal estate of
individuals by local assessors
under section 20 of the act Of
April IL, 1866, amounting to-. 35,000,000 90
Second-The amount returned
by local assessors of real
tate exempt under section of
81 the act of March 10, 1891. $685., ,979 90
Third-The amount of exemp-
tions to veterans, national
guard men ,firemen, etc, under
special acts, amounting to-. 100000 %
Total. COS, ,752, ,953 90
municipalities and Taxation.
Municipal taxation is the heaviest burden
imposed upon the taxpayer. 1t is unequal
in different parts of the state. In certain
municipalities the tax is limited by a per-
centage upon the ratables; in other places
there are no restrictions. Annexed hereto
is appendix A, which shows that the local
tax rate varies from "a cents on 500 in
Upper Pittsgrove township, Salem county,
to 81. 20 per 500 in Cape May city. There
is no direct state tax upon individuals ex-
cept the state school tax, which is returned
to the localities for the purposes Of educa-
ton If, therefore, relief could be obtained
by some act limiting the amount of local
tax, it would be the most important to the
taxpayer. Every experiment to keep mu-
nicipal tax within reasonable limits, except
the one limiting the amount by percent
age on the ratables, seems to have failed.
Whether the tax budget is made by elective
officers or appointive officers the result
seems to be the same. Debt is incurred,
and the tax rate is increased unless there is
an iron rule limiting expenditures.
AS the great burden upon the citizens
comes from municipal taxation, the legisla-
ture should endeavor to find some method
which will render it impossible for extrava-
gance, incapacity or fraud, to impose unnec-
essary burdens upon the taxpayers i'll the
municipalities. The charters Of certain
cities and localities which fix the tax rate,
beyond which the local authorities cannot
assess, is, in my Judgment, the only sure
method of tax limitation. It may not be
the best, and your wisdom may find some
better rule, but in the absence of any better
method I urge upon the legislature tie pas
sage of general act limiting the tax rate in
cities and towns, and if deemed wise in
other localities, by fixing PERCENTAGE upon
the ratables, beyond which it shall be un-
Tho ao9reo.+e a,,onnt of local tax az.
soesod 90 for as r. CON l,a ascartainad from
~ +he da+o in +be co,nntrollar,s Office ia s1s..
ses roe os Wh;1e tb;s ;s not absolutely cor.
,oot ~ is s,,fi,;an+1v occnr.+a to anaIJe the
iegislstnra 70 deal with tbe subject Oi
+l,;s s,,,o,,t ohor+ ss ooo o0o yas for the
,,,,.,,osa of ,,avino the interest on municina
;,,dah+odnoss
NJ snhioc+ de,,ands 1a,;s
,,4;,1o ot+a,,4;ar tho,, +b;s o,,ast;o, Of loca'
4anotier, 90 ~, 11,;+.tio,, EY,or1y 20 va,
~ az 1900 di,actl,, fae1s ito effac+ mi.
1ooaI 20 ,,,,,s+ ba tol,sn ont of tho income
derivad FROM, nronertv Ind;rectlv ever,
to,,a,,+ ,,,,,s+ fod1 its ;,,sra-ca ava effect j.
49, o,o,,r+ of ,e,tals +o he Maid
M, la ,,,,7r+ o;the, cac,,ro its no
~. t,;, ~, i,-,,,osi,, +ha h,,,dan mo,
tia a +a,,a,,t ~ biS inco,,o. will ha s,,bstan
Ill, isJ - d;r,,;,ishad l,-r rnsson tberaof Th;
- a1so tha r,ros,,a,.;t,, of eve,.,
1ono1;t,, H., tara+in, d,,;vaS aryoy r.,
~ +a, x,o1,,a ~ ,,ro,,a,t,
j., oa1r Iooo1i+,. NJ saru;ca +ha+ no Iar;s
1a+rro ao,, o,,ao. tI,a ,,ao,,la will ho Or,
| ora+efpllv annreciated than 81 law which
I'll ,+o., az ;,o,,,oco of ,,,,hl;c aab+ ,,ro
| vida for tho navmant of that now EXISTING
and sec,,ra q limitation of the tax rate fo
mnpicioal nnrnoses If Won do not deem /
wise to r,ass an act affecting all municinali
| ties tho act NAV nrovide for limitation q