The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-11
ASSESSMENTS 9d0 HIGH
Property Owners Appeal to the
County Board Of Tax
Equalization.

day, and it's entire time was devoted to
individuals w4ho claim to have been
assessed at too great a valuation. Ihe
Commissioners heard the complaints
and said that they would all have
proper consideration in committee meet
ing.
Henry l.. Meyer of Bayonne was first
to find fault with his assessments. He
said that a piece of property owned by
him was In 1894 assessed at a valuation
of s9,400. This year the assessor had
urjustly raised the valuation to $500.
He said no improvements had been made
during the year. The appeal was re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole.
Martin Olsen protested against an as
sessment of 500 for personal property
in Hoboken. This complaint was like
wise referred for committee action
William H. ninth of Union Township,
a wealthy ice dealer, objected most en-
phatically to the valuation that Assessor
Howith had placed on his property. He
said thu his property originally con-
tanned ten and one half acres, but the
Boulevard a taken a strip twenty
feet wide off the front of 1t and the
only consideration he received was one
dollar, which the count paid. h re-
duced the area of his property to ten
acres. -Four of these acres he made no
complaint about but he did object to the
of the remaining SIX acres.
He said that this property had been
assessed for So, GOO and his personal valu-
atoms placed at $500. He admitted an
exemption of $500 under the veteran act
Two years ago, according to Mr.. Smith,
the real estate was assessed at a vaiu-
alton of $4,000. last year It was IN
creased to $500 and this year still
further increased to $4,000, about double
the valuation of 1893.
GOES FOR THE ASSESSOR.
ST can show you by the Assessors
field book" said Smith. that the Asses
sor has not assessed all property alike.
Last year there were three lots, one being
on the corner. these were given a valu-
alton of 81, 600. If I went to the owner of
this property and offered him $4,000 for
the property I would be kicked out of his
house"
Mr.. Smith referred to a number of
specifically mentioned pieces of property
which he claimed had not been assessed
at the valuation his land had been and
then in an irate manner exclaimed
THE Assessor himself has a fine piece
u IOpSA = Ol LIS SOdtlNJ oObAC cA ~ -
placed a valuation of $500 on it. He is
exempt $500 as a veteran and therefore
pays on a valuation of $500. At a meeting
Of the Township Committee a year ago
some one present remarked when the AS
&sSor'S books were being examined, II
all property were assessed like that
there would be no complaints Another
person asked Howith II he would take
$1,000 for the property. The Assessor re-
3lled no that he would take $4,000 for it."
That's false" interrupted Assessor
Howlth in an excited n
1T is the truth" retorted Smith. "and
/ would say further hat l bought a piece
Of land two years ago that had been
as l secured the title to the property
the Assessor jumped the valuation at
lest one-half."
"How much frontage on the County
Boulevard AVE you?" asked Commits
siGner Morgan.
II AVE TOO feet"
THAT is twenty-seven lots"
Eyes, but a portion OF the property is
a swamp which / use as an ice pond"
UPHELD THE ASSESSOR.
Slammed the field BOOK attenttvely for
some time, and then they reported that
they found that Mr.. Smiths property
had beer assessed relatively lnd +b Inc san same es as
to by Smith.
II think the assessor has assessed all
~ P4OPoAI 49, NNN
marked Commissioner Morgan to the
Board. but I believe that all of these
valuations are too great. Some of them
are assessed for one hundre cents on a
dollar, and that Smiths lots would not
sell for the valuations placed or Them"
The protest was then referred to the
committee.
JonnPohley; on behalf Of his mother,
Margaret P9hleys eompiained that prop,
given a valuation of $1,000 this year by
the Assessor. The property was situated
on Tower Hill avenue, and consisted of
ave lots and two houses. one house be-
ing unfinished. The assessor claimed
that this house was worth 1000. but
Policy said it was not. for his brother
built 1t himself, and it did not cost more
than 50, 600. This complaint was also re-
IGNORED THE REQUEST.
At the requeyt of President Van Rey-
pen. the Clerk Jf the Board read a copy
Of a resolution that had been adopted
by the Township Committee of North
Bergen and forwarded TO the Board. It
was to the effect that the assessor,
George Bruce, demand the custody OF
the field book for that township. and d.
recting him to turn it over to the com
mittee on July 16, at nine O'Clock. This
resolution was in accordance with an
act of the Last Legislature.
with the field books until July 10. The
resolution and demand were ignored by
the Board. which went through the for
mality of ordering the communication
filed. The Board adjourned until today.
WANTED A PlGKP0CKET.
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