The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-07-10
CONGLETON GIVES
REASONS FOR TAX
BUDGET INCREASE
+--
Chairman of Finance Committee
Makes Lengthy Statement
TO Common Council.
ORDINANCE INTRODUCED,
BUT ACTION DEFERRED
Calls for Appropriations OF
S4,248,695.82, to Be Raised
by Taxation.

tax budget were given at great length
by Alderman Jerome T. Congleton
chairman of the nance committee Of
the Common Council, when the ordi-
: nance was introduced at the Council
meeting last night. The ordinance was
read for the first time last night and
final action deferred to the August
meeting. 1t calls for the %appropria.
ton of $4,24S, SIS so, to be raised by
taxation. A supplemental resolution
introduced Immediately after the ordi-
nance had been read, appropriates $3.50,
900 from the contingent fund Of the city
to supplement the appropriations made
in the ordinace. :
Alderman Congleton's statement
read in part as follows:
IN order to be thoroughly informed as to
the needs OF the various departments your
committee has visited many of the institu-
lions supported by city funds. that We
might receive at first hand the facts needed
to form q sound Judgment as to their re-
quirements. Z
The appropriations are be-
iieyed by the committee to be amply ade-
quate to meet all the needs of every branch
of the city government, IL economically
administered.
Many requestsyfor appropriations for ,spe-
cial purposes have been denied because
III COiliilltlee nave ISlI Indl the uufutu
20 be placed upon the taxpayer should be
made as light rs possible. :.
Two projects particularly appealed
strongly TO the committee; the bathhouse
Tor the Third Ward, where the city already
has, a Site. and the placing underground
OF the fire department signal service wires.
The committee felt that both these worthy
demands should be met. No appropriations,
however, were made for these purposes in
the tax ordnance, but the committee has
decided to take the subject up later, with
the object of providing. II possible, funds
by means of n bond Issue. !
Public. chooIs
( AT the Outset in making up the tax
ordinance, the committee was confronted
with the absolute necessity of providing
Tor an additional appropriation OF $500, 600
for the public schools. A brief explanation
or this great Increase may be of interest.
In 1906 several new acts for the taxation
of railroad and canal property were placed
upon the statute books. Chief among these
that the main stem of all railroads and
cadals should be taxed at the average tax
rate of the State; and after deducting u of
should be devoted to the maintenance and
support of the public schools. The schools
had never before received any funds de-
rived from this source.
In 1907 Newark should have received
$463, 600 as our share of the main stem tax
for the support of public schools, but the
railroads contested the laws in the courts,
anu III lCUf we ulu HUI TtcelVe one d0llur
of that tax. In 1908 Newark's share of this
tax was apportioned as S373,647. SO. In the
meantime the courts decided the tax acts
TO be constitutional: the result was that
Newark received in the year 1903 the rail-
road tax fol- both the years 1906 and 1907.
in all over $3.50, 900. This enabled the Com.
mon Council In 1903 to reduce the tax ordi-
nance appropriations for schools to $751;
600, a redrctlon of over SAT-, 900 below the
appropriation for 1907, n nearly $500, GOO
less than the appropriation for 1906 for
schools. :.
In 1909, however, no such condition oc-
ours The city will receive this year but
$396,G0 from railroad tax for school pur-
poses, about one-half of the amount re-
ceiyed last year. AS a result the tax levy
for 1903 will contain nearly one-half million
dollars more for the support Of the public
schools thin last year, an increase Of fully
sixteen points in the tax levy.
During the last two weeks In December,
1908, fifty new policemen were appointed.
This has made necessary an increase OF
nearly S50,0W in the tax levy for this wear.
The salaries alone in this department for
Il million.
street improvements.
|, This year, for the first time, the laws
OF 1877 become operative, providing Tor
pavings, openings and grading, curbing
and tagging, by a tax levy appropriation
to be made in the year after the assess
ments have been made, Prior to 1901 the
GNs - = Was
appropriated in advance of the work to be
done. Last year not one dollar was placed
IN the tax levy for that purpose, for none
OF the assessments for these improvements
were completed in 1907, as the work in
most cases was only finished at the end
of that year. This year it Is necessary
TO add $140,0O in order to meet this re-
quirement of the law. nearly five points.
n Fire Department, in order to equip
new houses and pay increased salaries,
has received an increased appropriation
this year of $4,000. The salaries alone OF
$500, 900. -.
The cost Of maintaining the Tuberculosis
Hospital at Verona will this year be nearly
$4,000, an increase OF at least SIS, 900 over
last year, as that institution WINS only in
operation about seven months.
In 1907 the city made contracts for paving
streets with asphalt, and agreed to pay the
contractors five cents per square yard per
year Tor keeping the pavements In repair
for five years after the expiration of the
nth year.
The tax levy contains an appropriation
or SlI,6CO for II public comfort station.
To these large items of increase must
be added snail additions to the, appropria-
tons for the City Home, City Hospital,
Playground Commission, Board Of Works
departments, Shade Tree Commission and
a few special accounts. The increases are
small IN each instance, and amount in all
to about SITS 900.
The increase of over 81, 0Oo,0 900 In the tax
levy this year is therefore made up chiefly
OF the following items:
Public schools. $500, 900
Assessments for street improve /,
WenlS ...,,......s........ .....-... l4u,UV0
Police department ...:........... $1,000
tlre department ......t............ 5U,Ou1
Repairs to asphalt streets.....s.... $1,000
tuberculosis Hospital ......:....... I5,c00
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