Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-12-14
For Equal Taxation and Limited Fran
chiSe.


chiSe.
In response to Investigations sent out by
Mayor Pagan, Of Jersey City, as president
Of she Mayors League of New Jersey, a
number Of the chief magistrates Of the
cities of the state, as we'll as members of
the Legislature, met last Friday IN the
mayors Office in jersey City for the pur-
pose of discussing equal taxation and
other remedial legislation. In order to de-
fine the position of the League, Mayor Ed
ward Kenny, of East Newark presented
these resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
RESOLVED, That this association faYors
the enactment of laws by the incoming
legislature, as follows:
Zone "A law providing for the taxation
of railroad main stem real estate at local
rates.
s'TwoA law prohibiting any munich
pality from granting any public utility
franchise for longer period than 25 years
in cities of the first class, with the privil-
ege to other municipalities to make such
grants for period OF not exceeding 35 years,
if approved by a vote of the people.
TAXATION OF FRANCHISES.
'sThree a law providing for the annual
assessment Of the franchises Of public
utility companies and the taxation thereof
at local rates.
"FourvA law repeating the Hillery tax
law
.sFiye-That the association urge the
members of the legislature to use their
influence toward the election Of speaker
pledged to favor the enactment of these
laws.
'tResol0ed, That the executive committee
be authorized to arrange for public meet
ings in aid of the cause of equal taxation at
such times and places as it may be de-
termined on
The committee all mayors or mayors
elect), appointed by Mayor Pagan, is as
follows Edward Kenny, Of East Newark;
A. ]. Lockwood, of Glen Ridge; George
Zimmerman, CarIstadt. G. A. Reed, Nor
ristown; Eugene Il. Goldberg, Kearney,
and Mayor Pagan, Jersey City, ex-cficio.
WHAT COLBY SAID
Everett Colby, when introduced, said
that he was more familiar with the legis-
Iative methods of passing such bills than
with their intricate details
81 know, and I suppose, he said,
"many Of you know the methods of both
sides to kill what this meeting was called
for. You know that the political leaders
are agents, aud you know that the power
full corporations depend on them to secure
legislation favorable to their interests In
my capacity as legislator / have often
tried in caucus to get reasonable opinions
from members of she legislature as to why
such laws should not be passed They
urged in the caueusses that. the party IS
representatives should be. conservative and
argued against monkeying with taxing
conditions
SIN the corridors ] would be told by
individuals that if we did SO the Pennsyl-
vauia Railroad Company would simply
aise ell if she party did pass such and
such law The regular state organization
$ trying to organize the house. It has the
governoa and president OF the senate from
South Jersey. It is only fair that we should
ask for speaker from North Jersey. They
will not give US a man who is in favor of
equal taxation. What bills they may
allow to pass will have string tied to
them asnere sop, as it were.D
The meeting adjourned subject to the
call Of the chair.