Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-08-15
SOME LIGHT ON
CRITICISM OF
WOODBRIDGE.
Assessor leisen Tells Why the
Assessments There Are Con-
demned Now and Not Before.
DO NOT WEAR COLLAR.
Never Has Been Criticised Be-
fore and. This Year Are rs Per
Cent, Higher Than Last.

When the State Board of Taxation
met in New Brunswick yesterday, as
told in the NEWS, an attack was
made on the way Woodbridge town
ship is assessed. This morning AS
SCISSOR J. III. Leisen, of that township,
sent the following communication to
the NEWS Office which throws some
light on this criticism. 1t seems ev-
erything is all right as long as Boss
Strong's collar is being worn, but
when it is taken off it is different. 1t
only goes to show to what extent
Boss Strong is bossing the county at
present.
Mr. Leisen says:
Editor EVENING NEWS:
Why does Carl Lentz think Wood
bridge township is assessed so poor
ly? Some time ago the assessor of
Woodbridge wrote the following to
members of the state board of as
SCISSORS:
Dear Senator find when taking
up the assessment of railroad, tele-
phone and other corporations that |
am always referred to the state
boards valuation. Upon reviewing
these valuation / find oil cans, wheel
barrows, and picks, assessed at true
valuation, but when we come to prop
erty that runs up into hundreds of
thousands, / find they are assessed at
one-fifth of their actual valuation.
n Ia
cular fact, because | am a reformer
or an informer, but from a political
view | see an opportunity for the
making of new commission to re-
view state board work, and herewith
hand you my name for appointment.
"Yours very truly,
JOHN II. LEISEN."
1t is needless to say that the above
was referred to Carl Lentz, as the
gentleman to whom it was addressed
could not answer it truthfully with
out showing himself up. In fact the
only answer | got in response to 1T
was the statement by Mr.. Lentz at
the meeting of the county board on
the 14th inst.
Now, let us drop one on the state
board of taxation while we are at it.
The township assessor levied an as
sessment on corporation located in
our township. They appealed to the
state board. The township employed
a competent engineer to figure out
actual valuation of the pipe and con-
struction, which was far in excess of
the valuation placed by the assessor,
and was not questioned by the parties
making the appeal. The hearing went
on, valuations were proven, and then
the assessor was placed on the stand.
This is it as near as | can recall 1t,
| not being the assessor at that time.
'Mr. Assessor, at what percentage
do you assessor the property in your
township"
''Oh, about seventy-five or eighty
per cent. of it's actual valuation"
my, oh, my, don't you know that's
against the law?"
The assessor, of course, knew it.,
but thought Woodbridge was assess
ed in proportion with the rest of the
county, which it is. Then after such
vile exhibition of the violation of
the tax laws by the local assessor, the
state board granted the appeal of the
corporation, and Mr. Rossi, Charlie
Hommann and Jimmy Freeman
walked home nonplussed.
Now, to be serious, the valuations
placed on property in Woodbridge
have not been changed since l have
been assessor until this year, and
have heretofore been acknowledged
by the rest of the county as fair and
equitable. In fact, the State Board of
Taxation has in the past commended
them only when certain corporations
kick.
Now, why this sudden uprising
against the valuations of Woodbridge
with its increase of over twenty-five
per cent. of its last years valuation?
1t is true that uneven assessments are
in evidence, but the same thing ap-
plies to every city and township.
speak especially of the borough of
Roosevelt and another section, which
were assessed very low, when | refer
to uneven assessments, for the rea-
son that that portion of the town was
manufacturing centre and every in
ducement was given them to encour-
age building, that we might thrive
faster Another section was a sum
mer resort. The party who built it
being counsel for large corporations,
followed valuations the state board
places on large construction work.
Although the above are facts, it is
not the reason that the flag has been
waved at Woodbridge. Nay, nay,
Pearline. Read between the lines.
The citizens of Woodbridge are not
working in the corporation collar this
year. That is, l mean, in the open.
Come again, Senator. If you will
only keep it up, you may bs parted
O % n n n