The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-27
REDUCTION SCANDAL
Twelve and a Half Per
Cent. Cut Off Newark
Avenue Valua-
tiOnS.
BANKRUPTCY IMMINENT.
General Application Of the
Same Rule Brings Ruin
to Our Doors.
GROSS MISCONDUCT SHOWN.
The "Reduction Board" Had All
the Facts, But Politics and
Pull Prevailed.
BANKRUPTCY IMMINENT.
GROSS MISCONDUCT SHOWN.

Mayor Wanser's Commissioners of APP
peals made their first reductions yester-
day. AS Board OF Revision the gentle
men promise to make lively stir among
taxpayers. Out of twenty-nine complaints
against Eigh and alleged excessive as
sessments, reductions were ordered in
twenty-five instances.
The original assessments on the twenty
five parcels Of property as levied by Com
missioner German aggregated 1888, 600.
The reductions in the twenty-five in
stances. as shown in yesterdays JERSEY
CITY NEWS. amount to S42. 400. which is
more than twelve and half per cent. of
the original assessable values. If this
course is purchased by the members OF
the Board of Revision throughout every
district in the city, the tax rate will be
increased to at least five per cent. on the
hundred next year. The budget will be
burdened with deficient accounts on ac-
count OF the slaughter of this years levy.
The members OF the Board in their
anxiety to curry favor for the Republican
party are plunging into a pitfall from
which they will experience much diff
Guilty in eXtricatinR themselves.
NOT DONE IN IGNORANCE.
The members OF the Board when con-
fronted with the increase in the tax rate,
which is an inevitable result of the whole
sale slaughter of assessments, will not
be able to terry that 1t was misjudgment
or unfamiliarity with the facts that
caused them toi make the reductions
which promise to have bad effect upon
the city's financial standing. That the
reductions were made for campaign am.
munition Is an assured fact.
An interesting fact in this connection
was discovered this morning. James
Warner, the President Of the Revision
Board, owns property directly opposite
that Of Mr.. p. H. Nugent, whose assess
ment was reduced Sc, 200. Mr.. Warner voted
for the reduction on Nugent's assessment.
Inquiry at the Office of City Collector p.
H. O'Neill reveals the interesting fact
that as yet Mr.. Warner has failed to pay
his tax bill which amounts to $639, or an
assessment Of 1000 on real estate and
$500 on personal property.
Tax Commissioner German, with a
view to aiding the Commissioners of Ap-
peals in their deliberations, appeared be-
fore the Board prior to their meeting and
placed them in possession of facts aud
figures which, IL considered, would have
had a tendency to check the slaughter
of assessments now in order. He
laid before the Revision Commissioners
facts and figures obtained by tracing up
private and auction sales Of property and
property bought and sold for speculative
purposes. Commissioner German SUBJ
mitted that lots Nos. II and 13 on Ex-
change place, owned bv John Smith, are
held by the owner at $50, 900, bona fide
offer Of $50, 600 having been received.
John Mullins paid $32 000 for the Phila-
ieIphia Hotel, and since then extensive
improvements have been made. Peter f.
Meschutt paid $4,000 for the lot No. 80
Montgomery street, Brown & Van
Hanley refused S25, 900 for the lot No. 43
Newark avenue, Mayer Brothers paid
$2s. 100 tor the lot at No. 1877 Newark
avenue and are holding it for rise
Euas Fitzpatrick refused an offer of
$50, 900 for his property at No. 129 Newark
avenue. In this manner Mr.. German COW
cred the property from Exchange place
ND Newark avenue to Jersey avenue. He
levied his assessment in a fair proportion
to the value of the property aud the per
cent. of revenue that was being derived
therefrom.
ONLY ONE JUST CASE.
In the long list of complaints received
there is virtually but one instance where
n reduction could have been justly or
dered. This case Is that of James Dew
lin of No. 45 Sussex street. Devlin's
property is assessed for $2S00. Com
missioner German considered this
case long and well once before and or
dered slight reduction. still maintain
ing against his colleagues that a still
greater reduction should be made, Dew
lin being poor man and deriving but lit
tie revenue from the property. Commits
sioner German explained this matter
fully to the Board Of Appeals and
those gentlemen ascertaining that
Devlin was Democrat, reserved
their liberality and confirmed the assess
ment, in the face of the fact that Mr.
German had reviewed the property and
considered $500 a fair value. In this
dividual, but in every other case the in
1ustice worked falls upon the city and is
Intended to injure the Democratic as
SCISSORS.
AS an example of the intelligent man
ner in which the Commissioners of APP
peals ordered the wholesale slaughter of
assessments the following is sub
mitted;-
GLARING MALFEAsANCE.
Aenas Fitzpatrick owns the property
at No 129 Newark avenue, which extends
through to Railroad avenue. Upon this
property Commissioner German placed
an assessment of $4,000. considering it
only fair valuation. Charles 5. Furst,
who now occupies the building
facing on Newark avenue, offered Fitz-
patrick $4,000 for the property. Fitz-
patrick laughed at him. Furst then en-
deavored to lease the property, and his
surprise was complete when he ascer-
tanned that the only conditions
under which he could lease it
were that he must take il
for twenty years with the privilege of
buying at the expiration of that time for
$4,000 During the time the lease was
running, however. he could not purchase
the property for $40, 600. james Warner.
Reuben Simpson and John Fraser knew
this. A conference was held and queries
made.
he support Republican candidates II we
reduce his assessment"
The reply came'"Yes."
Down went the assessment 81, 900.
Another fact which makes the above
reduction appear in a bad light is that
some time ago the owner of the adjoining
property offered to sell to MIR. Mullins
one lot on Newark avenue, which, unlike
the Fitzpatrick property, does not extend
TO Raill oad avenue, for $2l 900. Mr.. Null
Inns refused the offer. Notwithstanding
the fact that he was advised by personal
friends to make the purchase. III the