Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-02-16

of Second Class Hallway Property
at Local Rates and on aEaxinausn
Tax Rate In Municipalities to Ee
FIXED by Legislature.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton. Feb. 15.-The legislature met
in joint session yesterday at noon and
elected about 100 commissioners Of
deeds for the various counties of the
state. Senator Cross, president Of the
senate presided at the joint meeting,
A joint meeting Of the legislature is
an imposing spectacle Shortly before
noon both houses took a recess prepara-
tory to the meeting. Chairs were ar
ranged in semicircle around the
speakers desk in the house.
The great doors leading to the as
sembly were thrown open, and Sergeant
at Arms Lutts advanced down the aisle
halted and announced to the speaker
and the members of the assembly seat
ed at their desks:
'sThe senate of New Jersey
Then the dignified members of the
upper house filed into the chamber, the
assemblymen arising respectfully to re
ceive them. The senators took the chairs
arranged for them, and President Cross
with tap Of the gayel opened the meet
ing. The election of the commissioners
of deeds was promptly proceeded with
and was quickly over The first few
names On the list prepared We're read
and then the motion was adopted to
elect the entire list This was done
and the joint session adjourned.
The ceremony of swearing in Ran
dolph Perkins of Union county as
member Of the assembly elected at the
special election in Union to succeed the
late George H. Embree occurred Tues
day morning. Mr.. Perkins credentials
were presented to the house and ap-
proved and Assemblyman Pennington
of Essex as q master in chancery adj
ministered the oath.
Assemblyman Dalrymple offered
the teachers retirement fund Another
bill introduced provides for the creation
of excise boards in second class cities
by appointment of the mayor There
win be another joint session in two
weeks to elect additional commission
ers of deeds.
Taxation Commissions Report.
before the legislature is the report of
the equal taxation commissioners. This
report, which is in four parts. is of
great interest to the people of New
Jersey, as it is forecast of the action
likely to be taken by the present legis-
lature. The possibilities in dollars and
cents to the people, to the railroads
and to the various municipalities from
legislation is apparent in the submitted
report.
There are two material points upon
which all the commissioners agreed.
One of these provides for the taxation
of second class property at local rates.
and the other was that there should be
fixed by the legislature a maximum
tdA IdlC III municipalities. IL ScudIOI
Hillery's bill fixing the maximum tax
rate at S1.50 in municipalities becomes
a law the railroads viii pay no more
tax on their second class property than
they pay now. provided that the assess
ments on their property should not be
increased.
The railroads now pay on second
class property a tax rate of S1.50 Or
exactly the maximum rate provided for
in the Hillery bill. 1t is true that SEN
ator HiIlery in his bill exempts from
calculation in the maximum rate the
state school tax, which under present
conditions amounts to a rate of about
Ii cents. So that perhaps it would be
fair to say that Senator Hillery's bill
fixes maximum tax rate Of $16T.
This would mean that the tax rate
could be as high as S1G7, and where
the rate was that high the railroads
would pay more on second class prop-
erty tlssn tley do now pay. On tne
other hand. ileFe are many mnn'c.pal-
ities III this state IN which there Il sec.
ond class railroad property where the
rate is even now much less shan $1.5e.
and in tsse eases the r.i!.isaGs uaGer
the prgn 9siti9n Of the e9in'ais aaeGs
to inclaGe lie VARIATION 81 second e.slss
property Ia leea ratab,cs woald oas'
taxes less tlan tAey now pay.
Arguments on the Report.
1t is argued That such a max'mlna
rate as il proposed by Senator Hillery' $
bill would not only keep down the
amount of the taxes that the railroads
would have to pay upon second class
property in cities like Jersey City, where
there is a present tax rate as high as
S2.75, but it would also put the larger