Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-09
A CITY.

N~'S ~
are not surprised at this. In the
first place, Perth Amboy had n OF
the lowest tax rates in the state.
Municipal affairs have been well
handled and other cities have looked
en~viously at us, knowing that i'm
provements have gone on from year
to year with comparatively little
burden on the taxpayers. Even with
the raise in the rate this year Perth
Amboy is nowhere near as high as
many of her sister cities, and still
this city has o great deal more to
show for the money than a majority
OF other places.
Perth Amboy has no cause to COM
plain that her tax rate has gone up
a few points. The people have
much to be proud of in many ways.
The miles of well paved streets, the
modern police call system, the re-
modelled city hall, the ten public
schools with an excellent and well
paid to the city oficials-all these
cost money. They are what the
people have to show for the taxes
they have paid and are paying. In
this they are far more fortunate
than the citizens of a great many
other places who are forced to pay
an even higher rate than here and
yet do not begin to have the inn
provements that Perth Amboy en-
joys.
The country has hardly got
through commenting on the wonder
full growth of New York City, as
shown by the recent census. No
other city of it's class has anywhere
near such a record. The press of
other cities have been busy explain
ing why this is. All agree that it is
because New York does things. The
city spends millions for subways. 1t
operates municipal ferries, it builds
great bridges, all at an enormous
cost. 1t builds libraries and public
buildings, maintains band concerts
and free lecture courses for the
people and in a thousand and one
different ways is spending money in
the most liberal manner To be
sure there Is a great deal of extrava-
gance in it all. There may be a
great deal of graft also. The fact
remains, however. that New York
does things and she gets the people.
Her development Is greatest. New
York is the marvel city of the world.
At the same time her tax rate is
going up and the valuations are be-
ing increased constantly SO as to
enable the city to extend the debt
limit. New York is a great city.
This is because the people believe in
1t and insist upon having things
when other cities hesitate because
of the expense.
We do not say that Perth Amboy
should follow New York's example
in the lavish expenditure of money.
We merely want to show what a
progressive policy will do for a city.
A city without a debt, a city where
improvements are denied so as to
keep the tax rate down Is a stagnant
city. Its development is slow. There
is little to attract and people do not
go there. Perth Amboy is a pro
gressive city and we think all will
agree that we have made rapid pro-
gress at as little or less cost to the
taxpayers than a great majority oil
municipalities.
This year, however. the Board Of
Aldermen has shown a disposition
to ease up somewhat on the work
done. For this the aldermen are tc
be commended We have been
making such rapid progress that we
can afford to let up a little. There
is no desire to push the taxpayers
too hard. We want improvements
and must have them and we do not
believe the people are dissatisfied
with what has already been done.
Perth Ambey has every reason to
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