The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-12
s410.s71 s. S1s, 446 so sses, no o.
Amount given up by the State. 2t5, 6O1 0S
Total increase to be paid by
Railroad and Canal Com

II dilo ak CtI
Mr.. Black further remarks that the
State Board of Taxation should have
power to remove from office local asses
sors who will not comply with the law
by assessing all property at its true
value.
General Ruslfng's report, as will be
seen from the recommendations quoted
above, is prepared in the interest of the
railroads and is mainly designed to di-
vert attention from the true issue, viz.
the levy of a higher tax upon second
class railroad property. Dealing directly
with Jersey City, General Rushing in
dulges in the following remarkable spe-
cial Plea
without going too much into detail,
the following facts and figures are given
from data submitted to the Commission
at Jersey City, and either assumed or
not denied as q rule by the parties app
pearing before u.s.
'First-The real estate of our railroads
is assessed at its full and true value-all
of it much higher han adjoining or con-
tiguous real estate of individuals, and
four times higher. Even the represen-
tatives of Jersey City admitted ii to be
20 per cent. higher in that municipality,
and it was shown by others that rail-
road a there as a whole was assessed
at $1,000 per acre, while the land of in
dfviduals there as a whole was assessed
at only 80, ZOO per acre.
"Secondly-Their personal property and
franchises are also assessed at their full
and true value, to the smallest n low
est item-to the last tie n spike even
according to the reports of our State
Board of Assessors for the last twelve
years in succession, and not disputed be-
fore us.
s.Their franchises alone, a species of
property as invisible and intangible az
the soul in a mans body (as was well
said before us), but as potent and neces-
sary, are nevertheless valued and as
sessed at about $5S. 4S6. S25 Exhibit r, ap-
xAN1f~ 16OA 0N1As.@ E > So -
(real, personal and franehise} is valued
and assessed at $500, 705, 1922. or over one
fifth of the total tax ratables of the
State t1ss5). Their first assessment under
special corps of experts fcivii engineers,
etc.), taking six months to make it. and
costing the State over $780, 600: ard this
has been added TO from year to year by
sworn Schedules by responsible officers
and agents, of new or additional prop-
erty. 1t must, therefore, on the whole.
be at full and true value apparently"
tate in New Jersey Is assessed ait not ex-
coed ng So per cent. of IT'S full and true
value, and I'm many cases not exceeding
50 REPORT of State Board of Taxatson
1895, Pr. 5l-eo), though In some cases and
particular aocasities 1t may be assessed at
full value"-as many of our farms. But
it is assumed, If not conceded in scled-
ules r, s, ETC., herewith fappendix. PIP.
107-11D, that the average rate is only co
per cent. and that cannot be far wrong,
TAXA g the State as a whole.
Fourthly-AH other PERSONAL property
largely escapes taxation. and hsttle officiaa
effort seems made to assess It, appSreHsly.
The personal property In New Jersey Is
believed to equal the real estate; but an
average of emily about 20 per cent. as COM
pared with real estate IS reached by our
assesscrs-sn Hudson County about 5 per
cent. only.
So far as Jersey CITY being ruined by
the railroads is concerned. in my judg-
snlefat this charge was net sustained.
brief Of her counsel (neariy 10 paares out
of 70. and was othsrwise urged upon US.
But. on the contrary. the act appears to
be that Jersey City owes her deveaon-
neent and prosperity largely to them. Orig
irally, mainly a swamp and a saat marsh,
as In evidence before us. they have con-
tribtnted much TO make her q great and.
growing cityA-the second largest and
weaatllEest in New Jersey. They have