The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-05
State TAXATION BOARD
Recommendations Contained in
It's Third Annual
Report.
Special to Tho Jersey city Neacs.

TRENTON, Jan. 5, IS94.-The State Board
of Taxation has completed its third annual
report, and it is now in the hands of the
printer. 1t contains a great deal of valuable
and interesting matter in relation to assess
ments, valuation and taxation. The rules
adopted by the board and the directions to
assessors are given in full. A brief report of
the fifty-nine meetings held by the board in
different cities throughout the State, and of
meetings of assessors attended by individual
members of the board, occupies a number of
pages. These meetings were held for the
purpose of hearing individual or corporate
appeals from private or municipal corpo-
rations. The advice of the State Board did
much to secure greater uniformity of action
by assessors.
Seven counties, including Hudson, nave
had cases before the board in matters af-
fecting these taxes. The boardhas distributed
much information in relation to the law and
has secured a great improvement in most
cities In the matter of assessment.
LAWS TO COVER EXEMPTIONS.
The board suggests general laws to cover
exemptions. There are a great many spe-
cial laws granting class exemption and the
tendency is to increase the number. Last
year the Legislature added three more
SItboSNo - ERS11C1 OAC1llDLlOu 10 lLLl
clpal bonds, to dwelling houses owned by
religious corporations and to real and per-
n property owned by exempt firemen's
associations. Tn board suggests gem
eral laws to govern exemptions
for. the property of the State
general government, municipal prop
erty, school, colleges, libraries and churches,
cemeteries, other than those owned by stock
companies, in which case exemption to be
granted only to the owners of plots in use
for burials, and not to the property still
in the hands of the corporations.
The board suggests the re-enactment of
the entire body of tax laws into a harmoni-
Gus code applicable to all taxing districts.
This code should make the time for assess
ment, it's completion, the collection of taxes,
and the time when taxes become a lien, uni
form throughout the State. The exemptions
should be reduced to the narrowest limits
and the tax rate to have a fixed limit. The
land and buildings to be assessed separately,
no deductions for debt except mortgages, in
creasing the salaries paid to assessors in
townships under 10000 population, and COM
pelling obedience to the law by penalties.
Requiring corporations to file with the State
Board of Taxation lists of stockholders and
the amount of their stock; requiring assess
ors to make specific returns to the State
Board and amending the statutes under
which bank stock is assessed.
lC4AL abJh ALCE Or The SlAIE.
The total ratable value in the State is $685.
S24,674. The value of railroad and canal
property is $685., 46S, $50. The deduction from
ratable values for debts was 1913, 179, 554.
The churches, schools, cemeteries and public
property exempt was $780, 64 135. The vet
Grams, militia and firemen's exemption was
about So, 10000.
The total valuation of property in the
State in 1893 was S1,0S6, 537, 152. The ex-
emptions from all taxation under special
statutes was S106, 243, $50. In 1892 five
counties returned decreased valuation.
They were the agricultural counties
of Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester,
Hunterdon and Salem. Their aggregate de-
crease was S627, 061. The remaining coun-
ties showed an increase of Sal ,941, 729, giving
a net increase for that year of S41, 314, 66S.
The counties that showed the largest in
creases that year were Camden, with S11,-
$40, 436; Essex, $11, Al, 900: Hudson, S., $685.
0S7; Passaic, 81, 63S, 631, and Union,
81, 694, 500. Hudson would nave made a
much better showing, but for the large re-
duction caused by railroad purchases.