The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-01-30

( 000,0O0 The latter part was acknow
a edged to be correct. but they are rot a
sessed. The chairman said that, undo
the law, they should be assessed 1t wa
true they were variable, and about th
Goth of May they were drawn upon t
evade taxation, but they should be locke
up carefully. To the reply of the assesso
that the highest figure he put on persona
property was $4,000. the chairman re
marked that it seemed like very small
sum, especially as Chester is a very ricl
neighborhood He said automobiles should
be assessed at their purchase price.
Mr.. Heaton, the assessor, asked wha
should be done when deductions are
claimed for notes. He cited this instance
II man is in business and on the goth
day OF May has outstanding notes to pay
for his stock, has he right to claim de.
auctions on those notes2" The reply was
that he undoubtedly had such right.
Then Mr.. Heaton asked what he was to
do with property of man who claimed
that he lived in another township, al
though having home in Chester town.
ship nine months in the year. This is the
case OF those who live at Seaside Park
two or three months. The State Board
said that the place where man votes en-
tiers largely into the question of resi-
dence. If the claimant votes at Seaside
Park or elsewhere, and claims his resi-
dence at that place, he is entitled to be
clear of tax in Chester, but it is the duty
OF The assessor to see that the assessor of
the other township is notified of all be
longings of the claimant, that he may not
thus escape taxation.
A resident of Moorestown thought Mr.
Heaton's statement that he assessed at
75% nearer the truth than those of the Of
fcials who had fixed values at 1907.
This brought John A. Armstrong, of Bur-
lington city, to his feet, and he took excep-
tions to this remark He did not believe
that any one could show that property in
Burlington city was not up to its full
value. Mr.. Armstrong continued and said
ne thought it would be very beneficial
if the Commissioners of Appeals were to
meet before the County Board of Assessors
got together and made the county rate
He asked if the property of trolley com
pany running through city should be as
sessed more than the same property in the
country. He was told that it should not
as the property is not enhanced in value
merely because it is in the city.
William ]. Terrell, chairman of the
township committee of Burlington town
ship, was given permission to ask some
questions. He wanted to know if a
County Board of Equalization of Taxation
would not be beneficial. In reply he was
told that was matter of opinion, but that
there was law whereby such a board
might be organized. He also wanted to
know whether some measure could he
adopted to catch the tax dodger," and Sc
cure all the personal property. This is
subject that has many sides, and one propo-
sition was to put the person assessed upon
oath and require him to give all his hold
ings. If he refused to do this, or If he
committed perjury, there should be a pen
atty attached.
Mr. Terrell asked whether 1t would be
wise to offer rebate on taxes for prompt
payment. Judge Armstrong said this was
tried in Camden for long time, but was
finally abolished, and it was discovered
that taxes are paid as promptly now as
when the rebate was offered. On the
point of assessing personal property the
judge thought if notice were given that
party would be assessed $25, 600 for per-
sonal property the probability was there
would not be any objection. but rather
a pleasure that the amount was not
four times greater, taking for granted
that the assessment was within reason
The Mount Laurel assessor said the com.
missioners of appeals In his township told
him he had the real estate entirely too high
Martin II. Girven, of Northampton, said
he endeavored to get the true value of all
property, and that he did not have
much trouble to locate personal property.
Major Lentz asked what the Mount Holly
National Bank was assessed for, and was
told that the sum was 5000, the assessor
explaining that the improvements to the
building had all been made since the Goth
of May. ''Is that all the property is worth
in your judgment p asked Major Lentz.
Eyes, said the assessor, ''that is all it is
worth, as it is not worth much for any
thing but what it is used for Mr.. Cir
ven was asked as to the valuation of sew
eral other properties around the town,
which the chairman of the board had no.
ticed on his passing through our streets,
among them the properties of John
D. Johnson and the Masonic Temple.
The answers were very satisfactory, for at
the conclusion of the meeting Major Lentz
personally complimented assessor Girven
on the good showing he had made in his
work.
Frederick Blackburn, of Palmyra. gave a
long dissertation on the valuation of prop
erty in his township. and said 1t had in
creased greatly during his incumbency as
assessor. 1t is hard to get at real estate
values, and great diplomacy had to
be used in assessing personal property
In the course of his remarks he said he
did not believe Major Lentz had studied
the tax law as clearly as he (Blackburn)
had, but before he got through the audi
ence gained the idea that the major was
the better posted man of the two.
When Washington township was reach
ed, the assessor said there was plenty
of acreage In his bailiwick, but it was
not extra valuable. Joseph Wharton is
the owner of 81 900 acres of timber land,
some of which is worthless The assessor
puts all of the property in lump and
makes general valuation of 81 70 per acre.
He was told he ought to get some one to
go over the property and arrange it In lots
and make an assessment on the true value
of the acres, putting up the good land and
ignoring the valueless. He wanted to
know what good that would do, when the
commissioners of appeals had power to step
in and reduce the assessment. In answer
he was told that such contingency was
nothing to him. He should do his duty,
and if the commissioners did anything that
made him feel aggrieved he had q right
to take the case directly to the State Board,
q nd If would he Uivon I'm m od{oto conoid ar