The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-21
MONEY STREAM
COMES FROM
TAXPAYERS
Rush to Get Cash
Into City Treasury and
Secure Rebate

Tax Receiver Robert L. Ross today
put on twenty-eight extra clerks 10
handle the first days rush of taxpayers
who desired 20 pay their bills for 1907.
The new quarters, which are twice as
large as they were in the old City Hall,
were filled to the limit, and the amount
of money received by the thirteen re-
c~eivers is far in excess of hat ever
handled before in the same time.
Checks to the amount of $52, 900 had
already been received through the mail.
So rushed are the men in the depart
ment that it is impossible to estimate
even approximately the amount of
money taken in during the last few
hours, but there is one certainty, which
is that the financial closeness in the
government of the city is at an end
for the remainder of the year; that the
necessity of issuing temporary loan
bonds to meet demands is a thing Of
the past.
The rush will continue for about ten
days, the taxpayers being anxious to
take advantage of the l per cent. dis
count. Then there will be a showdown,
as only one-half of 1 per cent. will be
allowed.
Under the general tax act the first
days taxes are received on October 20,
but this year that date fell on Sunday,
and the office was opened for business
only this morning.
There is a reduction of l per cent. on
all payments, real and personal from
today until the end of the month, and
from November l until November 20 of
one-half per cent, and from thence to
December 20 bills are payable FOR their
face, and after that date the amount
of unpaid bills will be charged interest
and also become a lien on the property.
The Office of the city tax board has
been kept busy today also, issuing du-
plicate bills to persons who have lost
the originals, n giving bills to those
who nave not received bills.
In contrast with the number of citi-
zens who wished to pay their bills was
one broken-down old man with his arm
in a sling who entered the Mayors Of
flee this morning and asked for an
audience. The Mayor was not in, but
his secretary questioned the man and
learned tina he came to protest against
receiving a bill tor poll axes.
81 served in the navy during the Civil
War and afterward," he said. and then
reaching into his pocket brought forth
a tax bill for one dollar and a number
of bread tickets from the overseer of
the Poor.
These do not go well together" he
said, with a weak smile, and Mr.. Vance
assured him that h tax would be re-
mitted when he showed that he had
been actually in the navy
AS fast as the money is received and
accounted for by the clerks in the re-
~ceiver's Office, it is transmitted to the
heads of the city financial departments,
and inside Of a few hours from being
received is available as funds to liqui-
date municipal debts.
From the size of the rowds in the re-
| ceiving department Mr.. Ross was afraid
that the clerks will be unable to receive
the accounts Of all those waiting In line,
despite the fact that the system now 10
vogue of separating the different variety
OF taxes Is simplifed by having different
colored b~ills-those OF real estate being red;
those for shade tree assessments, green;
automobile bills. salmon, and the regular
personal tax forms, white. This system
allows the receivers, or window men to
balance the money and the bills in the
right account quickly.
The rate this year is S1.69 for each 800,
and is on a basis OF valuations aggregat-
ing S295. 7S7. 1923. while the rate last year
was s1.74 on valuations of 1884, 9O3, 055. which
means that the city will nave to raise
more money this year than last. The
amount Of money the city can receive
from the total amount Of the ratables this
year is s4.99S. s15 on which the / per cent.
and one-half per cent. rebates for prompt
payment will be made by the city. but this
will be balanced by the extra money accru-
ing from the taxpayers in arrears.
The ratables this year have increased ap-
p%roxlmately $11,00O,0O0. and this, together
with the increased excise fec, helped ma
terially in keeping the rate low.
OF The money to be received by The
city this year 1885,, 681 will go to the
county, and the major portion Of this. in
turn, will go to Trenton to pay Essex
County's share Of the State school tax,
and out CT the $4,000 the county was
assessed for this purpose Newark VIII
pay close to $500, 900. =
It was thought that the tight money
market would make the big taxpayers
hold on to thei- money for the present,
az 4 City Treasurer Guenther, Comptroller
Bachelor and Auditor Forman have been
sitting up nights figuring how the city
was going to fare If the taxpayers held
lack ss long as possible, but their fears
have been happily dissipated.