The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-27
Assemblymen Perkins and
ArroWsmith Introduce
Measures DispOsing Of
the Expected Increase of
Revenue
TEXT OF THE MEASURES
BOTH WE'RE REFERRED TO THE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - AS
sEMBLYAIAN MARTIN DEFINES
MAIN STEM
Especial to "The Jersey city News.",

Special to "The Jersey City News.")
TRENTON. Feb. 27. 19o6.-True to
his word, Assemblyman Perkins, the ad-
ministration leader. last night introduced
bill in the House which provides how
the railroad tax to be derived by the
State under the Perkins railroad tax bill
shall be distributed. 1t provides that
the tax assessed on railroad and canal
property after deducting therefrom one
half of one per centum of the total valu-
alton of the property on which said tax
shall be assessed, shall be devoted to the
maintenance and support of the public
schools of the State. The balance shall
be apportioned annually on or before
February among the several counties
by the State Comptroller in proportion
to the amount of taxable real and per-
sOnal estate in each county as shown by
the last abstract of ratables from each
county, as made out by the several
Boards Of Assessors and filed with the
State Comptroller. The warrant for tse
payment of such moneys shall be drawn
on or before November /. The County
Superintendent shall apportion the
money among the several school districts
at the same time and in the same man
ner as he apportions other moneys.
In other words, the Perkins apportion-
ment bill provides that one-haf of one
per eentum Of the total railroad tax shall
go to the State for school purposes and
!. the balance to the various counties. ae-
cording to their ratables. It was refer
red TO the Judiciary Committee. of which
Mr.. Perkins is chairman.
Assemblylnan Arrowsmith, of Hobo
ken, also introduced bill which has for
its object the division of the railroad tax
moneys derived under the Perkins bill.
1t provides that the State Comptroller
shall annually pay over to the various
taxing districts in proportion to the value
of railroad main stem and canal water
way situate therein, all moneys received
from the taxing of railroads and canals,
excluding one million dollars, which shall
be retained by the State for State pur-
poses.
In other words, Mr.. Arrowsmith's bill
provides that the State shall retain ST.
100000 of the railroad tax derived under
the Perkins bill and that the balance
shall annually be paid over to the vari-
Gus taxing districts in proportion to the
value of the railroad main stem and ca
nal waterway in such taxing district.
The Arrowsmith bill was also referred
to the judiciary Committee. Whether
the Perkin sor the Arrowsmith bin viii
be reported is a question, but the inn
preston prevailed last night that the
members from the rural counties will not
accept either bill, but viii demand more
equitable measure which would give them
a larger share of the $3,OO0.000 Increase
of railroad taxes. The rural counties
hold the balance of power in the Senate
and no distribution measure can be pass
ed without their sanction. They claim
that the larger counties like Hudson, Es-
sex, Union, Morris and Passaic are ''hog-
ging" it against the entire State
Both Assemblyman Perkins and Mar
tin introduced bills last night defining the
main stem of the railroads Mr.. Perkins's
bill provides that the main stem" of
railroads shah hereafter be held to in
clude the roadbed, not exceeding 100 feet
in width, with the rails and sleepers, not
including depots or other buildings erect
ed thereon or used in connection there
with.
The Martin bill provides that in taxing
railroads and canal property the main
STEM shall mean the 100 feet wide of
roadbed with rails ana sleepers. included
and not to include depots; waterway
shall mean tho towing path; tangible
personal property shall include rolling
stock, cars, movable personal property,
ferryboats, etc.
There has always been diversity of
opinion regarding the main stem Of rail-
road property and it is for the purpose Of
defining such property that these two
bills are intended. The State Board Of
Assessors included railroad depots as