The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-10
ClTY'S CASE CLOSED
Commissioners to Consider
Equal Taxation Resumes
lis Hearing.
PERSONAL TAX PROBLEM
Attorney General Stockton Wants
to Know Who Escapes-FeW
Rich Men Here.

Commissioners appointed by Governor
Griggs to investigate the taxation of rail-
roads and canals, met again in Chancery
Chambers in this city this morning TO
hear the close of the case of the city.
Mayor Wanser Corporation Counsel
Blair and Mr.. w. D. Edwards represent
ed Jersey City Messrs. Flavel MCGEE,
Charles B. Thurston, James B. Yreden-s
burgh represented the railroads, and
among others interested in the subject
of equal taxation were MIR. Henry V. Con-
dict, John w. Queen, City Comptroller
A. B. Carlton of Elizabeth, Edlow Harri-
son.
Mr. Edwards, special counsel for Jersey
City, said that there was little to add to
the plea already advanced. He produced
as Exhibit G a table showing the sugges-
'tion or compromise offered by the city
that the State should give up some OF Its
taxable property and the railroads should
pay more. He insisted that each taxing
district should be compelled to state IN
its budget the amount of money received
from the State, and then deduct that
amount, SO that the true state of its rev.
enue may be seen. This Is done in Jersey
City, but neglected in other parts Of the
State. The railroad companies would not
be taxed any more than per cent.
There is law insisting that the money
from railroads should be deducted from
the tax budget, so that the people would
know what they are getting from each
railroad. We are not asking for any new
law on this point, but simply an enforce
ment of the law" added Mr.. Edwards.
THE whole trouble is not with the law,
but it is the enforcement
1T must not be lost sight Of" inter
posed Commissioner Black, ''that in the
agricultural districts the property is
taxed to its value, and the personality of
the railroads Is taxed at five dollars per
thousand"
In Hudson County, Mr.. Edwards con-
tinued, so far as personal property was
concerned, the people are paying about
one and three-quarters. In Newark the
people are paying within four millions of
dollars of what they should. They pay
about one-third per cent.
Mr.. Edwards" " asked the Attorney
General, could you give us table show
capeS taxation?'
Counsel agreed to do so. He added that
perty in Hudson County escaped taxation
there was no deduction for debt.
'Do your assessors make any effort to
reach your wealthy people as TO their
New York; asked Commissioner Vre-
denburgh.
Eyes, sir replied Mr. Edwards; "our
former wealthy men have moved away.
our National Banks. There is only one
of our presidents who lives here. Com
pairing the assessment Of personal pro-
perty between the railroads and the peo-
pie, the people are assessed more than the
railroads seventy-five per cent =
Hudson and Camden are not assessed
up to the standard" said Commissioner
Black
while it is true said Mr.. Flavel Nc
Gee, that there are not many wealthy
residents in this city, there are plenty
of people who own from $4,000 to 100000.
and they escape"
Mr.. Edwards said In reply that the bulk
Of the wealth of the population of jersey
City was eitheE deposited in the savings
banks or else ahe building and loan asso-
Citations. Then as to the building and loan
associations, the money. so deposited
was invested on bond and mortgage on
real estate, and so came in the tax levy
that way.
The sAttorney-GeneraI said that it
seemed to him that the. Commission
should get at what Jersey City ought to
pay and then it would be easy to get at
the railroads. If it was found that the
city did not pay its full share, and it was
urged that the railroads should pay more
| tax, would that stand before the courts?
Let us know what Jersey City pro-
perty is listed as personal property and
| what ought to be-"
| Messrs Vredenburgh and McGee, repre-
senting. the railroads, contended that the
| railroads paid more than their share of
personal tax, and offered as a solution of
the difficulty that those who are shout
| ing now against the railroads should be
| put on the stand and be made to state
| how much they owned and how much
| they paid" (Laughter.)
| Both the Attorney General and Mr.
| William H. Vredenburgh agreed that
either the law must be enforced with re-
gard to the collection of the personal tax
or it should be dropped altogether. Either
one thing or the other.
Ex-Mayor Charles Sfedler made a
strong plea for equal taxation on real
| estate. He pictured the advantages of
| topography possessed by Hudson County
and showed that while cities like Brook
lyn and many others had spread and pros
pered Jersey City had suffered because
DfODeHty fp yad Pc
roads had come into the city, taking cut
| half their property from the taxing area
and leaving the burden on the shoulders
of the people. 1t is not fair that property
owners should pay the taxes of others
| while paying their own
Il own considerable property in this
| city, and will sell you gentlemen every
house. every lot at less than 1 am as
sessed for,'' Mr. Siedler said THE laws
which govern this question of exemption
OF property from taxation need very Sc
rious alteration to check this piece of
| PopuIism.''
Ex-Judge Blair said that at a future
hearing he would be glad to present 3.
| view as to the classification Of railroad
| property In Jersey City which in his opin-
| ion would perhaps meet the requirements
of the case. 1t was quite clear that the
/ use of property should be the proper
basis of taxation. There was property
| lying in this city, Hoboken and Weehayy
Ken which clearly should be separated
from other classes of railroad pronerfv
/ to present.
| A few MINUTES before the Commission
adjourned Agent Allen of the Erie Rail-
road, complained that Jersey CITY ought
| to clean up it's own doors before propos
/ ing to increase the tax on the railrna s3ss
/ and when 1t came to the turn of the rail-
| roads his company proposed to show how
many rich men in Jersey CITY escaped
| taxation on personal property He wor1d
| put certain wealthy men on the Stand
| and by examination demonstrate that
fact to the Board
/ I will not consent to that interu1sted
! Commissioner Black. THAT world he an
inquisitorial proceeding and / am cer-
| tainly opposed to anything like that .
| The remainder of the Commissioners
| sided with Mr.. Black. - =
We'll, would like to examine 4ha as-
SCISSORS and find out whether they are
doing their duty" said Allen
Il will produce these gentlemen II vnu
wish, returned Mr. Edwards: but ahe
agents request was not viewed win aTv
amount of favor ~ -
At last Mr. Allen went off into ser;as
OF gllttering generalities against fhe fify
and the injustice done to the long suffsr-
ing railroads and what his company pr,,-
posed 10 SHOW. when Ccmmis ssofer w. III
NTedenDurgh Interrupted him.
fhe city has made out q very p,ausi-
PIE case, ana there IS no doubt that Jer-
sey CITY has been wronged in this question
OF taxation. Now If YOU can meet their
case with argument all rsghtsI tell you
that the Commission Is moi disposed to be
lnnueneeq IN any other way 5s3 sss
f l,n1s admission was del{4ntfll{ sur