Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-04-13

euectiYe by enactment OF laws on the
subject All the bills embodying his
Recommendations were passed Among
the governors recommendations were
tie following: The creation OF de-
partment OF charities and corrections
to have supervision over the state in
stitutions with d view Of abolishing
any extravaganza there might exist:
the establishment of state board of
equalization of taxes to settle and adj
just all disputed tax questions; the
taxation of second class railroad prop
erty at local rates: the fixing of a maxi
mum tax rate for all municipalities of
the state the creation Of commission
to revise the corporation laws and
recommend such changes as may be
necessary for the better safeguarding
of public and private interests, and the
creation of a forestry commission with
view OF having preserved the forest
lands of the state.
The governor eyinced the greatest in
terest iii the measure providing that
the maximum tax rate should not ex
coed $3.50 per 800 valuation in any
municipality of less population than
10000 and $170 per 500 valuation in
any municipality of more than 10000
population Municipal taxation has for
years been 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
!
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
pality 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 win 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 HAeu UN INV
Amendment PIeases the Governor.
4 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 disapproye 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 very lively
interest in the financial affairs of the
municipality and will serve as check
on public extravaganza. The govern
ing bodies will feel that they have to
render an accounting to the taxpayers,
ana they will go slow about any in
crease in the rate. When they are re-
quired to give reasons for projected in
crease they viii hesitate about doing
reckless things with the public funds.
The amendment is a most excellent
one. and | think the law will become
very popular with taxpayers.
The session FAST closed was one of
unusual length and activity. 1t was
characterized by very little acrimony
in debate. but it was none the less d
strenuous session, and no 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 We're concerned from
the beginning until the end of the ses-
sion. There were perhaps Il hundred or
more bills that We're 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 APP
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 APP
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
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 i'll the week
to see what had become Of the bill Al,
4 inf ion f{e al.