The Penn's Grove record., 1894-03-02
Borough or NO Borough?

UE No kbOEVukMt
That's the question that is agitating
the minds Of the citizens Of Penn's
Grove and vicinity at the present time.
What does a borough meanp 1t means
to incorporate under certain laws OF
New Jersey making a boundary line
within q limit Of four square miles and
form q government Tor borough indie
pendent of the township Of Upper
Penns Neck, with a Mayor and six
Councilman in the place of the township
committee. This Is not for one OF two
years IS an experiment, but must con-
tinue as long as the town lasts. Moth
ing short of complete bankruptcy and a
receiver will ever release you from such
a corporations grasp.
Like Millville Marine and Fire Insur-
ance. She was a body corPorated mu-
tual and a~ssessable, &C., and under the
laws Of New Jersey, but she's bankrupt
and has q of them receivers we hear
90 much about. $107, 900 of debts to
be paid by the citizens Of N. ]. who are
unfortunate enough to be in it. Citiz-
ems of PENIS Grove will have to con.
tribute their share most likely and then,
II we could feel sure when we will ever
get out 1t would be something. That
Corporation was thought to be q good
thing TO 60 into a few years ago, along
with several other orders and corpora
tions, &C., too numerous to mention,
such as Iron Hall, Earnest Workers,
Frsternal orders of the d., etc. As
we well know did not exactly pan out
what we expected and are now being
cleared out by that well known receiv-
er.
Now then the schemers have come TO
the front with another great scheme.
Incorporate the town they sayl Have
q Borough, cut loose from the township.
That's what's the matter with us. It's
the township that keeps us down, we
want water works, electric lights,
drainage, a lock up, sc. Our wants
are many, but whose to pay the bill?
o, the tax payers. Do you think they
can afford itP Haven't the taxpayers
Of this town enough to pay these hard
times2 Haven't they had enough to
pay the last two yearsp Yes, yes, but
the taxes are 10 be lowered, those who
advocate a borough say, and attempt to
prove it by referring them to one solitary
borough, Woodstown, in South Jersey,
and it Is situated high and dry and has
more than twice the amount of taxable
property that PENIS Grove has. in fact
10 much as the whole township. and
they already have succeeded in accumu
lating q bonded and floating debt of
$3l, 500. Beware you renters? Beware
you taxpayersr Beware you property
holders and mortgager's.
The average tax rate of the fourteen
bcrough's Of South Jersey including
the counties of Camden, Gloucester,
Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and
Salem in 1892 was S2.26 on the 500.
In 1893 it was 2 .16 Oh 500. The high
eat borough tax rate was 81 OH 500
1892, So. so, 1898, Holly Beach Cape May
County. The lowest borough tax rate
is $50. on the 500, Woodstown, Salem
County. The average tax rate of the
fifty townships in the same counties is
S1.10 Oh 500. The highest is $1.73 on
the 800. The lowest is 74c on the 500.
These rates are taken from the reports
of the State Comptroller. and the aver.
ages are practically correct. The aver
age township tax is less than half the
average borough tax. Think of 1t you
taxpayers Of Penn's Grove. Think of
having your tax more than double what
1t was last year. Such is the average
borough tax and the ideas of these bor-
Oughites of our town are certainly not
below the average for expense.
The township Of Upper Penns Neck
has no debts, bonded or floating. Her
credit is good. Keep it good. The
foot paths. the street and the roads, in
ordinary weather, are in better condi-
tiOn thar they have ever been. far bet
ter than the average borough. The
township committee offer to light the
streets if the citizens vote it. In fact,
we have no need of a borough in q town
Of the size of PENIS Grove. The town.
ship committee under the present law
have q right to give us anything q bor-
ough council could and certainly as
much as the people Of this town are able
to pay for without being impoverished.
Citizens of PENIS Grove don't be
misled by the slippery tongues Of these
boroughites about improvements, lower
taxes, etc. 1t is all bash. 1t can't be
done without increasing the tax rate,
injuring the credit Of the town and ad-
ding to the cost Of living To all classes,
rich or poor, and may eventually bank
rupt the town.
Citizens Of PENIS Grove, stick TO the
Old Township. She has always been
true. Don't give up the ship" Turn
out on the 9th Of March and vote
against Incorporation" Vote down
this borough dragon" and cease this
everlasting agitation.
A CITIZEN AND TAXPAYER.
RESOLUTIONS.
WHEREAS it has pleased our Heay.