The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-12

the greater proportion of such property
~ located. is unjust to those taxing dis
tricts. II ts relieving the railroad csrpo-
ratiors from responsibility. for tnss eiii-
cleart and econclH c government OF those
municipalities; 1t Is to that extent 1eEiey-
ing fassn Of ,tnesr duty as citizens"
Mr.. Black points out tiias sands I'M tax
ing districts contiguous 70 tide water are
the most useful to railroads and the most
IN demand by them. He thinks the use
greater revenue 10 the municipal gcyern-
inents which give them protection than to
any other public purpose. b view
mendations quoted at the opening OF this
article. Passing on TO the subject OF
personal taxation Mr.: Black SAYS
1t does not seem to me that the claim
made by the railroad companies, viz
that all the taxable personal property Of
individuals Is not listed and taxed, Is a
sufficient answe to this recommendation,
because the personal property OF the
~raalroad and canal companies is taxed at
9 rate Of one-half Of one per cent, or
five dollars on the thousand dollars OF
valuation; While that of individuals 10
axe at an average tax rate of $A.36 or
Sia;2o en- The thousand dollars Of Yalna-
triet where the greater proportion Of
the land. other than the main stems of
ne Tallroa asas Is loeated the tax rate for
dollars of valuation.
Speculation or conjecture, CONCERNING
the amount of taxable personal property
-. ~ IA q t16AE ALL A4G~
trlcf, IS too much an unknown Quantity
on which to frame laws.
e,aaan ut e,xhaminstion Of the various briefs
spaetive attorneys for the railroad COM
panies Will show. that objections have
psen maze 10 this recommendation, the
grounds on which they are based and
The answer made thereto by EX-SENATOR
Edwards, in the brief filed by him., ana
met sueh objections are fairly met and
rate on such property to TWO per cent.
as sl1ggested@ in ex-senator Edwards
plan: or, second, give the State Board of
be paid by the railroad and canal COM
pantes on such property, with the tax
levied by the local assessors on the land
or real estate owned by individuals ami
etner corporations. in the taxing; dts-
tr'ets where sucn property Is located. the
under the Act of 1891. pages 1s9, 19l. by
which the taxes to be paid for State
S g soal and county purposes. by the local
taXIlg districts. are euualized.
rms ls simply requiring that the tax
exacted from each person or corporation
owning or possessing property ef the
class assessed, shall bear the same pro-
portion to the whole amount of taxes
exacted from all persons or corporations
having property of that class, as the
true value of each ones classified prop
erty pears 20 the true value of all prop
erty IN that taxing district, Central r.. r.
e., Y State Board of Assessors, Is Vr.
i4b, jill.
1T would be making the State Board
or Assessors a Board of Equalization fer
that purpose.
1t is providing that the railroad COM
panies snail have the equal protection of
the laws. 1t would, therefore, appear to
be constitutional and just.
Either one of these recommendations.
II enacted into law, would shield the
property used for railroad and canal pur-
poses, other than the main stems. from
the prejudices of the local communities
acting through the local assessors. The
latter would be valued and adjusted by
the State Assessors, and in effect. it
would tend to bring the assessment of
the property owned by individuals and
other corporations to a standard of true
value. And it would put in the hands
or the railroad companies the power by
which the local assessors in those taxing
districts could be compelled to list ali
taxable personal property and value ali
taxable property at the constitutional
standard of true value; thereby decreas-
ing the tax rate; or lose a large amount
of revenue derived from the property
used for railroad and canal purposes.
This recommendation with that CON
tanned in the report by the Commission,
If enacted into law, would distribute the
following additional amounts to the yari-
GUS counties, as shown by Schedule
Chased upon ex-senator Edwards
plan of limiting the tax rate to two per
/ rant