The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-27
AVis's Bill Abolishing tha
Present Method Of Ap
pointing Co unity Equaliaers
Passed By Vote of Is 10 ]
MlNTURN'S VAIN Appeal
HE TELLS THE SENATE THE
BILL WAS DRAWN IN THE IL.
TEREsT OF THE RAILROADS.
BUT ALL THEasAALl IT GOES
THROUGH
Especial 10 "The Jersey city New-.'',

special to "The Jersey city News''o
TRENTON. Mar 81. 1S06.-s 3nafor
James f. Min4urn. of Hobokea, fosszht
hard. but in vain. last night to induce
the Senate 10 defeat Senator Av.a's bill
which abol:shes all county. boards for the
equalization of tas<e now appointed by
Supreme Court justices. an5 C mfns-
sioners of Appeals elected by the people
in all municipalities. The bill than pro-
yides for the creation of new county
boards cf equalization Of taxes in every
county of the State, to be comps d Of
three members to be appoIAed BY the
Goyernor with the consent of the Son
ate. Not more than two members are to
be of the same political party; appont-
ments to be for three years and the eal-
aries are TO run as foliows:-In counties
of the frs. ca, 5. 81, SEQ; S cond c.asss
counties, $1,000; third class counte es,
$1,000; fc1rth class counties. $500. The
| board was empowered to increase and
decrease assessments.
Senator Minturn argued that the prin-
ciple of the bill was bad. Ii wiped out
or abolished a board in Hudcon county
which was eminently fair to all interests
and satisfactory to the people centralized
the power of creating such boards in
the hands of the Governor Tie o5ject
of the measure was apparent. he said. 1t
was wanted by the railroads since they
realized that an equal tax measure would
make them pay more taxes than they
have heretofore paid. With a county
board appointed by the Governor the
railroads hoped to have the assessments
of individual properly owners @jaeked up
to a top notch, While assess suents- on .raffi-
road property would be reduced.
Senators Avis, Hiliery. Hutchinson
and Lee defeated the BILL They claimed
that such boards were essentially neees-
sary to provide an equality of assess
ments. At present the cities We're COM
pelleG to bear the burden of the county
taxes, while the smaller municipalities.
such a stowns townships and b0ronghS
returned assessments less than fifty and
sixty per cent. of valuations
Senator Hillery stated that Commis-
stoners of Appeals were farcicaI boards
because in many communities represenr-
ative citizens would net serve on them.
I LIZ ttlSO HAdue lue pled that the QufStlOQ
| Of taxation was not local but a State
one. and therefore the Governor should
appci&t county boards VIII ch could equal
ize the assessments as they should be
! eqralized.
Senator Mintufn pleaded for the home
| rule policy which the present law pro-
| vided He said the Avs bill wls
vicious measure which would deprive the
| pcoDle IF their right to say how their
taxes should be equalized and placed
| such power in the hands OF the Governor.
The Avis bill was not the result of a
/ strong pubic demand or of newspaper
| agitation. When equal taxation was do
| crssed such a measure as the Avis bill
was not contemplated. The railroads
! srnght such a bill because they bel eyed
that Assessments on private property
! were not UP to the limit
Senator Wakelee said that although
| the Avis bill abolished the county board
| in Bergen County. which had given SAT
isfac -iep to the people he favored it and
would vote for it because he believed
/ that the equalization of taxes should Le
| placed with board that could not be
| influenced by local political pressure,
| FhA Avs bill we,s then adopted bx a
| vote of 16 to 1. Senator Minturn hc.ne
| the oniv member recorded in the mega
/ tive. The three other Democra tic Sena-
| tors did not vote