The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-01
SIMPSON " ANTS TO KNOW
The at-Large Re
oeiVes Much knowledge
Through a Query.

Alderman-at-Large Simpson. who, by
virtue of his office, is a member OF the
Board of Flnauee, was the meaue. at yes
tefGay afternoons session OF the Board
of the Board OF Finance, of D~rolonging
the agony of reporters, aud at the same
time Of bringing out some exceedingly
interesting facts in connection with Il
subject which, at the present ti.ue, ID oc-
cupying The thinkers" of hundre els
of ! citizens. and exercising the
minds of persons who are so forum ate as
to possess any amoun Of the commodity
known ny personal property.
Mr.. Simpson started II by saying tha5
| two of his neighbors mad complained TO
him That they had received notices to pay
personal taxes, aud That lnaSmuch az there
was no Board OF Appeals sitting :it the
present time they could GET no redress
! from excessive valuations. Mr.. SiInpson
| cited ore instanc. In particular where a
mai was assessed $500 who kept a board
lug house, which was limos entirely
| furnished by the boarier5. Mr.. Simp-
SON merely wanted TO know what answer
he could make To sacn complaining cltl-
zens, OF whom there are scores
PUZZLED FINANCIERS.
The other mem Oers were III as much OF
a auandary as Mr.. Simpson, but Corpora
tion Counsel Edwards was only too glad
to give the desired information.
Had we,'' said Mr.. Edwards, always
insisted upon The payment OF personal
taxes, aud incidentally the prompt pay
ment of taxes upon realty, Today we
would not find ourselves confronted with
about st, 900, 900 worth of Tax arrearage
bonds
This whole matter for years has been
a farce. Personal taxes are just as i'm
portaut as any o5her, only, IL notepald.
they do not act AS a lien UPON real estate,
but only upon personal effects. People
cannot plead ignorance of tins law, be-
cause we must all know that II the city
makes a strong stand to collect personal
taxes aud arrearages 1T can selze the Ell
rects; it can cause the arrest OF 0eilh-
qaents. This is a most important mat
Ter. and our tax burden would he greatly
relieved if more attention We're gwen to
the collection of personal taxes. Ii is d
fact that i'll our ciGy of S31, 00O, 0O0 realty,
we find that S.. 100000 OF personal. aud
upon this very liLtie Tax Is paid. Why. l
belieye That one concern pays about one
third OF the whole amount Of personal TAX
collected.
VAST SUMS coMING IN.
81 am glad TO say tnaL l was 1nstru-
mental in inaugurating this movement,
and / learned only a few lays G from
Collector O'Neill that vast sums were
coming i'll from these very notices, which
are now DelnR Seub OUT.
Il do not Intend TO defend the laXity OF
the clerks down stairs, but this is a mat
ter which. il overlooked IN the past,
should not be neglected III future. LII Is
q fair and Just Tax anu / would advise
this board not in any way to opstruc6 the
work now being carried on in this dlrec-
Jion. We at one time had Il collector OF
personal arrears, and l can assure you
that he Drougnt Ia the money from Inc
down town personal tax payers. Some
people may dispute the justness aud far
ness of a personal Lax law aud tue w
of arrest which is given to IL City, Du0 The
only way 10 secure the repeal of Il bad
law Is 10 see us rigid enforcement.
we are slow here III the matter OF the
collection OF taxes of botn classes aud we
cousiuer ourselves lucky If we get 20 OF
% per cent. of the realty"
H CITY'S POWERS.
"Why, the city of ElizsbeLn last year
co ilecled % per cent. Of It's taxes u snort
time alter the bills were ready for issue
People III jersey City do not appreciate
tile lenieney of our city. Why, landlords
do aot seem to stop aud think that the
CITY can NC to IL teuanG ard compel him to
pay to the city his rent, aud keep GU do
lug so uuJil me taxes are paid. IL eau De
done, il much harsiier means are III
our power, in the personal tax matter,
but we do not euforce it.
.tIu conclusion, Mr.. Simpson, L would
say to you that IL would ee advisihle for
your friends TO step up aud pay tile per-
sonal tax bill, as tue rest have done.D
MIR. Edwards plan. as now being Dur-
sued by City Collector OsNeill, Is WORKING
wonders. aud Is bringing into the city a
lot of dollars which have hitherto been
allowed to escape through The neglect
and oversight of officials.