The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-19

nara N schuyler, FREDERICK u. Aleu-
in 1906, the tax rate on this class Of rail
way property was raised, both because tn
State needed more money and because |
was Just, an act was passed having M
bearing whatever on the taxation system
itself, expressly providing that all the .ta'
assessed in each year on this SPECIFIC elias:
OF railway property, after deducting there
from a sum equal to one-half of l PEI
centum, should annually be paid over TO thu
collectors of the several counties, to pt
apportioned by the county superintendent
of. schools among the several school dis
tricts of the counties as other moneys arr
apportioned.
Wrong in First Place.
No cause seems to have existed for thu
passage of this act that is founded elthel
in reason or a sound public policy. II
fact, its provisions are in exact CONNER
with section l of chapter 40l of the laws
of 1895, and directly opposed to the STATE
policy declared in that act, and in ever!
appropriation act passed from 1898 to 1906
all of which declared that no funds shoule
be paid out Of the treasury of the STATE
except such as were annually approprialee
by law.
No act should ever be passed forestallinES
the action of a future Legislature. All
such legislation only embarrasses, tue
State financially and PROMOTES no good END;
A1Fti1 IhsI 1AAihi hRph
can safely rely upon a fair consideration
at the hands of the Legislature,
The act of 1906 has answered no useful
purpose. Nothing has been done under 1t
that would not have been done without 1T.
It's arbitrary dates for payment have only
embarrassed the financial officers OF the
State and made much confusion in its
financial affairs. If the limit of one-half
of l per centum in that act were removed
and the Legislature left to appropriate an
nually the surplus revenue in the State
treasury. after reserVing Il reasonable
working balance MS against emergencies,
there would he no difficulty of any kind,
and every interest having Il claim on the
treasury could be protected.
1t is 81 reflection upon the members OF
the Legislature to question this fact. In
any event, the financial situation of the
State and the methods to remedy the pres
ent embarrassment in operating under eX-
isting statutes is hereby fully and fairly
laid before YOU. 1t is Il legislative ques-
ton and for"you to solve III the light OF
your obligations to the State. There Is nc
lack of money coming into the treasury; in
TACT, there is a large surplus over all neces-
stiles, If the limitation OH its use by chap
ter l46 of the act of 1906 were removed. II
this act of 1906 were modified or repealed
the Legislature could provide for all tho
reasonable and necessary needs of the
state and have Il large surplus to annually
appropriate. to the. public schools. The
chapter l46, laws of 1906, that | have heard,
Is the claim that its repeal will leave "A
large surplus IN the State treasury. and
that the Legislature will be eXtraVagant
ana Wasteful In appropriations as a re-
suit.
For Twenty-Five years prior TO 1906 the
surplus revenues OF the State, which al
times during this period We're very large.
We're subject to legislative appropriation.
and there was no prodigality in State eX.
penditures because of that fact.
No Danger In Excess.
Under, our constitution, with the care
now taken by the Legislature in making
appropriations. coupled with the right of
the Governor to veto any item in the ap-
preparation bill, there Is no danger Of eX-
cesslve. appropriations.
In this connection 1t may be well to dis
abuse the possible impression that may be
abroad, or that some nave sought to con-
Ney, that the State treasury is on the verge
Of pankruptcy The contrary is the fact.
no state in the Union is more sound finall-
cIally, or more prosperous than New
Jersey. We have the enormous sum of
S!i,Sl3,UW 1894 of ratables subject to taxa
d diTn, we are without a single dollar OF
thefe mas been no direct tax upon the prop
erty of the people fot State purposes. Oui
state has had sufficient, and to spare, fol-
ltS purposes from revenue derived from
other sources.
The difficulty which is presented at the
present time arises from the fact that for
az these t~wenty-four years the constant
enort mas been to take away from this
poses. -
There was In the treasury of the State
On January. !, 1909, over four millions III
dQliars-derived from railway taxation
which was, at some time In the past. either
III Wnole or in part, assessed for State
purposes. The one,half of one per centun
on second-class railroad property, which,
9hder the act of 1884, went to the State fol
Stale purposes. was, In 1897, given up by
me me state to go into local taxation. Later
the State released from property assessed
as main stem all its One-half of one per
centum interest in the ten-acre terminals
t tha were INCLUDED in the main stem under
now now aeI OF 1854: No railway property is
strlp' one hundred feet in width. which
now constitutes the main stem and the
~ nglp personal properly and franchises
eonies from this source alone went to the
STATE we should now have in the treasnry
ofer " millions and a quarter of dollars
OF surplus fund. 1t is simply because III
ne tact that the State, by chapter 146 ~
me laws Of 1906, has appropriated ont Of
me state revenues more than 1t should
n 1os aistlibution to counties for school pur-
poses thai any difficulty arises. The re.
peal or modification of hat act would re-
heVe all the embarrassment.
Not Unjust to chooIs
what the State is doing for the publ,
schools can be stated here with advantage
Modification OF the act of 1906 is lust bofl
10 the schools and the State.
Inc total cost of the free public school,
IN round figures for the year hiding .Julv /
l9@S, shown by the various ppropri1ti9n
State and local. will be as follows:
FIRST Appropriated by the
state under the act approved
october 10. 1903. ......."...;."; slGO,O00 q
Seeond-lnterest on the school
tund and the riparian lease
rentals .Y...":."."":........ 100000 Z,
1liird-Receipts from main stem
Tax under chapter lag of the
avs Of 1906. .......".".:.. 1900 $50 OF
Fourth-Direct State tax of 2A
mills on each dollar of taxable
property in the State. .......... 1865 900 OF
fifth-District school tax raised
locally for current expenses. 2,730.MO u
SiHth-Distrlct school tax for
buildings and repairs to school
buildings OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1915, 600 o.
---------
Making a total cost for school
expenses in 1908 of .......... SIG, 673,O00 O
For the fiscal school year ending July /
100. the cost of the public schools Of the
state was as follows:
tifst-Appropriated by the State
under the act of 1903 ........... 81, 900. 900 OF