The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-16
Text Of the Three Equal Tax
Measures That Have
Aroused So Much Specula-
tion
THOUGHT TO Be COMPROMISES
THE BILLS ALL PROVIDE PEN
ALTIEs FOR ASSESSORS WHO
FAIL TO CARRY OUT PRovIs-
IONS. -
Special to "The Jersey city News.'')

TRENTON. Feh.s 40, 1906. The three
equal tax bills presented by Assembly
man Scovel and which have caused so
much comment among legislators and
others interested in the equal tax ques-
tion, are as follows
Bill No. 21S says
ssThe real estate and the tangible per-
sonal property, except rolling stock and
floating marine equipment of any railroad
or canal company, shall not hereafter be
returned to and assessed and taxed by
the State Board of Assessors, but shall
be listed, assessed and taxed in the same
manner and by the same assessors, and
at the same rate as the taxable property
of other owners of property in the same
taxing district; and the taxes so levied
shall be collected and paid to said taxing
district for its use in accordance with
the provisions of An act for the assess
April 8. 1908, and the supplements there
to; and the taxes SO assessed and levied
shall be in lieu of all other taxes upon
such property
The second bill, No. .219, provides that
the rolling stock and floating marine
equipment "shall be valued and assessed
by the State Board of Assessors" When
valued the State Board shall compute
tion," at the average rate of taxation,
the valuation and assessment to be GER
titled and reported to the Comptroller
of the Treasury" The bill proceeds
"The average rate of taxatiori' shall
be computed in the following manner:
On or before the first day Of October,
in each and every year, the assessor in
every taxing district in this State shall
prepare and forward to the State Board
of Assessors certificate, under his hand
and seal, certifying to the State Board
of Assessors the value of all property
real and personal, located in his taxing
district. and shall also certify and report
the rate of taxation in said taxing dis
trict for said year.
"The aggregate value of all the prop
erty, real and personal, so certified. shall
be deemed to be the aggregate value of
the general property in the State. In
each taxing district the amount obtain
ed by multiplying the value of all the
property in such. taxing district by the
rate of taxation therein. shall be deemed
to be the total taxes Of said taxing dis
triet, and the aggregate of said total tax
es 50 ascertaineH shall be deemed to be
the aggregate taxes of the State. The
average rate of taxation shall be COM
puted and determined by the said Board
by dividing the aggregate taxes by the
aggregate value of the general property
in the State which said rate so arrived
at and determined shall be entered upon
the records of the board. and shall com
stitute the average rate of taxation for
the year"
In case the local assessors shah fail to
~, ~ ra+,,,.,r IN aconrdonca xn;fh tha
provisions of the act, the bill directs the
State Board of Assessors to use the
most practicable means possible to secure
she assessment for the taxing district in
which the assessor may be negligent. For
neglecting his duty the local assessor
will be liable TO a fine Of $50. 1t is
rsqsired that the State Board of AS
SCISSORS shall report to the Attorney Gem
eral the names of the negligent assessors.
That oaactad sLaH thereupon proceed
against them.
Bill No. 220 provides that the local as
SCISSORS in every district in which there
is a railroad shall make report an
nually, before October |, to the State
Board Of 8ssessors regarding the prop
erty of the failfeadssin in tha district and
Its value. The State Board shall then
compile the value of the franchise of each
company FOR its line within the State and
impose the tax.
All three bills were sent to the esJudie-
iary Committee, of which Leader Perkins
is the chairman, and who introduced the
first bill relating TO the taxation of rail-
roads.