The Monitor-register., 1896-12-04
New Jersey Tax Problems.

The equal taxation problem will rise
again to vex the huge majority in the
incoming Legislature. The problem is
one of perennial bother and it grew to
more than usual Importance at the last
session, when the small minority forced
it as an issue upon the Legislature and
led to the appointment of the commission
to investigate the question involved. The
matter will doubtless consume deal of
the time of the next Legislature and the
annual report of this commission and the
annual report of the State Board of Taxa
ton will rise to unusual interest aud i'm.
portance. The latter body has embodied
a series of recommendation in it's report,
which it summarizes as follows
q y Assess and tax bank stock in the
taxing district in which the bank is
located.
(2) Repeal the $500 exemption allowed
| firemen and militiamen. The Board be-
lieves that it is unwise and productive of
fraud to repay the militiamen and firemen
through the tag laws.
6 } Repeal the law Of March II, 1898
| by which parsopages are exempt from
taxation to the value OF $4,000. The
Board believes that Intelligent public
| sentiment will not sanction tue taxation
of that class of property, bat at the same
time the Board is of the opinion that the
exemption of that class of property
should be curtailed as much as possible,
and certainly not enlarged.
| "a Permit no deductions for debts,
except for the assessed value of personal
property, mortgages excepted.
Is Either abolish the poll tax or make
,lear legislative declaration on the
subject, providing for its more efficient
collection.
g. Recommending consideration of
the New England plan of compelling
\ local authorities to publish list of the
taxpayers, their taxable property, and
the AMOUNT of their tax. 1t is the belief
that this method would correct unequal
valuation and result in the discovery Of
much untaxed personal property.
| q Uniformity of NAL king assessments.
completing them, and their collection
Give ample time 80 that appeals against
assessments may be 20 sde in a thorough
manner, based upon the reports of asses
sors, and fled before the tag rate is
struck, and 10 fact 30 that they may be
he ard and disposed of before the rate is
fixed.
The last recommendation is regarded
! as OF the utmost Importance. The con
stitut.on requires that property shall be
assessed at true value, The Board claims
that assessors in many districts eomple,
tely disregard this provision. The Board
believes that great reform would result
if it had the power to remove derelict
assessors and thus compel them to obey
the Law. The Board adds as feeler that
it has been suggested that 1t be clothed
with power to appoint inspectors SO that
evidence of such evasion of the law may
be secured.
| In Newark, Jersey City and other large
cities in other sections of the State com
plants are mainly made owing to the
alleged evasion of wealthy business men
by swearing to large indebtedness. 1t has
been charged that the holders of bank
aud other stock remove their paper to
New York when the tima for the asses
sors' visit arrives. and return it to New
Jersey when New York assessments are
levied. The Board ia expected to straigter
| oct the. foregoing in some way during ths