New-York tribune., 1910-12-07
Big Increase m Essex.


In Essex County alone the inc-sasa =
ratabIes Is sso. .5E3. AZ. Of which the CIV :.
Newark contributes about 81 go $50 Hu5.
son County comes next with an inc-sasa -
nearly s14. 100000 over tha assessruentz a,
last year In Bergen and Union cou7,is.
the increase was between 100000 and q.
oOo. 900 and in Passaic County between K
600 coo and IS 10000
Commenting upon the statistical re-r--,
the report shows that local tax budga,.
have increased during the year by s1s2z
and county budgets BY s7o4 224 The aver.
age tax rate of 81 $50 per 800 Of vaIl.afso-
Is four cents and eight mills above Ia
average of 1903 The board points our tss.
the absolute necessity for economv. Ard
judiciOus administration of the various Tar
budgets is obvious. Admitting che ns.ss-
sity for q reasonable increase from --s-
TO year in expenditures. the report sa7y Z,
is continually necessary 70 keep IN -s-s
the proportion borne by these expenses ~
the value OF the property OF which th.v
are levied The tax rate. u is a-Eusd is
the barometer of both public expenditures
and private ability TO pay. and IS on. u
the most important factors in the economic
welfare Of the state
The board criticises Sharply the -.ori-.-
ueut IN most taxing districts that as.ss-
ors shall be elected Admitting that n,
theory OF the plan IS attractive. II Is con
tended that IL does not stand the test a
practical operation The system u-akss
il difficult 20 obtain assessors Who will ~
unbiased Judges OF property values, vho
viii De imDervious 20 local influences. vho
VIII not be affected BY political CONSIDERS
ti0ns and whose sole elm viii be 70 sscu-s
an assessment OF all property At its tr1s
value Upon this point the report says.
Free Hand for Assessors.
1.-The tenure OF the assessor IN many szs.z
is made 10 depend not upon a faithful dis
charge of his duty under the law but upon
the extent 70 which he is willing % dis-s-
gard the law. He is bound 10 feel that BIS
own interests and the interests 0f MS con-
stituencv are best served BY lox asses
meuts, rather than by assessments az trvs
value His Judgment as TO values is n
evitabIy Influenced BY local political per-
sonal and business considerations
The board considers II obvious that ths
fewer assessment districts there ars ths
greater should be the approximation 20 uni
foTnity in the assessments and n ira
81 tandards Of true value Accepting this IS
fundamental, the board believes that n
stead OF having the county 6f-ided into
various taxing districts Il should. 1or plr-
poses OF assessment. be regarded as a unir
Admitting that IT might Be wise not 70 dis
turb the assessment machinery III ths
larger cities. it is suggested that the VTo-
posed new system could be readily accom-
modated 70 that situation Under the eoln-
y plan the board would have assessments
made by small non-partiSan boards az
pointed by the Governor. and composed q
men fitted by training and experience %
appraise property OF all kinds
Although the assessments % Ds-souzi
property have increased by more than 81
OF. .00l during the year. and now sggregsrs
in the neighbOrhOOd OF S71. .Go0000 the -
port says the figures are suggestive rarnr
OF the amount of personal prcDer-v ths,
eluded the assessors than OF the auou-s
that they found The fact that much per-
sCual property IS Under-assessed and thai
much OF II escapes altogether Is more sp-
parent tnan any effective remedy The -
port says il is too much Of a strain Up1-
the public spirit Of the average taNpaysr
70 depend upon voluntary disclosures q
personal estate Suggesting q remedy. ins
board says: