The Penn's Grove record., 1905-04-07

| population. Municipal taxation has for
years been a hobby with the executive;
who has frequently said that the tax
payers are being burdened with taxes.
There was considerable opposition to
this bill from the larger cities, whose
tax rates in most instances now ex-
coed $2.25 per $500, and a compromise
was effected by an. amendment so as
to provide that the maximum tax rate
might be exceeded in cases where the
common council or other governing
body decided that a higher tax rate
was necessary, provided, however, that
the question Of the high rate should be
submitted to the voters of the munich
patty and adopted by them. This puts
the whole question up to the taxpayers.
If they want public improvements and
the valuations kept under the true fig
ures they will accept the high rate. If
they are willing to curtail improve
ments and increase valuations to their
true value they will adopt the maxi
mum rate fixed by law.
Amendment lease the Governor
When Governor Stokes was asked if
the amendment was satisfactory to
him he replied: II think the measure is
much improved by the amendment. In
cases where an attempt is made to
make the rate higher than that fixed by
law the taxpayers will have ample
time and opportunity to investigate
and find what is the necessity for the
higher rate, and if they disapprove of
the objects for which the increase is
made they can defeat the increase at
the polls. In my judgment, this will
make the taxpayer take a very lively
interest in the financial affairs Of the
municipality and will serve as a check
on public extravaganza. The govern
ing bodies will feel that they have to
render al accounting to the taxpayers,
and they will go slow about any in
crease in the rate. When they are re-
quired to give reasons for projected in
crease they will hesitate about doing
reckless things with the public funds.
The amendment is a most excellent
one, and I think the law will become
very popular with taxpayers"
The session just closed was one of
unusual length and activity. 1t was
characterized by very little acrimony
in debate, but it was none the less a
strenuous session, and nc matter what
may be said to convey the idea that it
considered only trivial matters the fact
remains that the term was in most re-
spects one of the most important in re-
cent years.
The twelve weeks of the legislature
were filled with interest, and all Sec
tions of the state were concerned from
the beginning until the end of the ses-
sion. There were perhaps a hundred or
more bills that were passed by both
houses of the legislature that are still
subject to the approval of the governor
before they can become laws. 1t has
been made plain by Governor Stokes
that he intends to follow in the foot
steps of former Governor Murphy and
consider every bill carefully before ap-
proving it. This will no doubt mean
that two or even three months will
elapse before the bills that have been
passed by the legislature will be ap-
proved or disapproved by the execu-
tive.
Until all of these bills are finally
passed upon by the governor it is prob
able that each Tuesday will bring forth
a good attendance at the statehouse of
members of the legislature who will
come to Trenton primarily for the pur-
pose of importuning the governor to
approve of their several bills.
Teachers' Retirement Bill.
A large delegation of teachers from
the State Teachers association waited
upon the governor early in the week
to see what had become of the bill al
lowing an appropriation for the adj
ministering of the teachers retirement
fund. The original bill, allowing a
state appropriation of $1,000 for the
administration Of this fund by the
state, met with many objections, and
a compromise was effected through a
committee of the teachers by which
the state was to appropriate only
$1,000 for the purpose. Now it has
developed that the State Teachers as
ISOLATION gave no power to this con
mittee to sanction a compromise, and
in consequence there has been trouble
in the air ever since the substitute bill
was passed. When the teachers saw
Governor Stokes this week he inform
ed them that they could not have ever
the $1,000 provided for in the substi-
tute bill because no provision had been
made for the appropriation in the ap-
preparation bill. The teachers were
very indignant at this, but they o o
came to realize that the fault was with
the committee which had accepted the
substitute bill. This committee, it was
c%ontended, should have seen that the
necessary appropriation was included
in the usual appropriation bill. The
teachers fund will now have to wait
another year for its appropriation.