Perth Amboy evening news., 1908-11-18
PROBLEM OF A
PERSONAL TAX
State Board of Equalization
of Taxes Makes Annual
Report to Governor.
SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

Spectdt 70 tHS Eb bENfNG NE WS.
Trenton, Nov. 18:-The advisable
ity of the adoption by the state of a
new method of taxing personal prop
erty is discussed by the State Board
for the Equalization of Taxation in
It's annual report, which has Just
been presented to Governor Fort.
After stating that personal property
does not bear its proper portion of
the burden of taxes, the report in
Inmates that the present taxing sys-
TEN may be responsible for this con-
dition. 1t is pointed out that the
condition prevails every where that
L the same system exists. Then the
document continues.
1T is so we'll recognized that few,
If any, tax experts attempt to defend
the imposition of full tax rate on
this class of property. There are
some who advocate not taxing it at
all, asserting with a considerable
show of reason that all intangible
personal property is based on some
tangible property somewhere which
pays tax, and that therefore, Just SO
far as you succeed In imposing this
tax, it doubles taxation. This is how
the taxpayer in many cases justifies
to his conscience the evasion of the
tax
For Low Fixed Rate.
Others advocate the imposition
by the state of tax on personal prop
erty at low fixed rate, say five mills,
upon all such property. removing all
exemptions and exceptions. They
claim that this small tax would not
be such burden that the property
owner would be unwilling to pay 1t,
or could Justify himself in trying to
avoid it, and therefore it would pro-
duce vastly more revenue
They have had experience in the
states which have tried 1t, which
seems to justify this claim II such
a tax were established, the state
could return 1t to the localities inter-
ested. 1t is certainly a matter
worthy the attention of the legisla-
ture.''
The report also calls attention to
the fact that by recent legislation
much of the bank stock now escapes
taxation, but says that as a commits
sion has this subject under consider
alton and will later report thereon
ont deem it etting to treat further
of that
Faults of Present Laws.
There are some other equally in
teresting questions taken up and dis
cussed by the report. 1t is shown
that the present laws governing ap-
peals in the matter of taxation do
not always work out satisfactorily.
The board shows that usually in
appeals when the appellants proper
ty is properly assessed at full value,
he wants his assessment reduced, in
stead of thinking the valuation of the
other property in his district should
be raised to full value also. 1t goes
on to point out that few, if any, tax
payers would take this course because
1t would necessitate a petition against
other individual taxpayers. And
yet" declares the report, "such a
course Is practically necessary in
view of the recent decision by the
state courts. The state board takes
the position that the power to make
an order for the reassessment OF
whole taxing district ought to exist.
1t continues by saying that the legis-
lature doubtless, could make it pos
sible to give notice by publication. or
otherwise in some general way of a
proposed reassessment. No recon-
mendation is made on this point, the
report dismissing the subject with
the statement that it is a mater for
legislative attention.
Work of County Boards.
In view of the opposition to the
County Boards of Taxation in Bur-
lington and some other counties.
what the report says about them is
of special interest. Says the report:
I'm the main the county boards have
done splendid work and have more
than justified the wisdom of their
creation. 1t must not be supposed
that If they do their duty they will
be universally popular. In addition
to human faults and frailties which
must attend humanity ever, it is pos
sible that in some cases, from their
temperament, lack of experience or
personality, some members of some
boards are not ideal; but that will
happen everywhere, and must not
be cited as an objection to the sys-
TEN. They have done more than any
other one agency to equalize the bur-
dens of taxation, and deserve pub
lie commentator.
The report declares that generally
New Jersey assessments are more
nearly uniform and representative of
true value than In any other state in
the Union.