Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-09

lll4iE lie Gil u AfitN'H
In submitting its report. the board
placed the startling figures disclosed
by its investigation in a supplemental
statement for the personal information
of Governor Fort. The members rec
commended that the figures should not
be made public vet, because its investi-
cation was so incomplete. The Gov
ernor. however, ignoring this sugges-
tion. made the statement part of the
report in sending the findings to the
Legislature.
In his message. the Governor urges
thar the work begun by the board be
continued. He says the X on the
Increases that would result would in a
single year more than pay the cost to
complete the revaluation. The Gov
ernor estimates the entire cost of re-
valuation at from $4,000 to $500 ,00O, and
saws that he is strongly of the opinion
that this work should be finished and
the needed appropriation made /
The annual report of the State Board
Of Assessors for 1909, which has not
vet been published, shows the total as
sessed value of railroad property Of all
classes in New Jersey to be S279,05s,6ll-
or this $7S, O25,l46 is second-elass
fdAdDfGEs ASST Ia
crease shown in the one tentative table
of comparison submitted today should
be sustained throughout the work OF
revaluing property, there would be an
increase of a billion dollars, or about
400 per cent, in the total of taxable
railroad property in New Jersey.
No optimist can believe that any such
colossal Increase would be possible.
Secretary irvine Mcguire, of the state
Board of Assessors, said today he
could not upon the figures OF
the reappraisers. but that the report
would be taken up by the board.
The figures given on re~valuation OF
PENNSYLVANIA railroads floating equip
ment show an increase of over 100 per
cent, even if the proportion taxed in
New Jersey remains as at present, but
Charles Hansel. in treating this subject
for the commission, says the ferry and
other boats are not taxed in New York,
and should be assessed at full value in
this State. which would mean that in
stead of a tax on $1,S31,1SS of floating
equipment, New Jersey would collect
for 81. 331, 245.
II the REIMBURSEMENT should result
in an average increase, as indicated by
the advanced figures, the State would
collect nearer $40. 900, 600 a year taxes
than $4,000. 900 or $5,000,000.
Second-class railroad property was
valued at S73, OPS, LAG in 1909 by the State
board.
The tax on this is collected at local
rates and transmitted to the taxing
districts where located, while the tax
on frst-class property, which includes
main-stem and tangible PERSONAL per-
s~onalty. is taxed at the average local
rate of the State.
To the Legislature:
Herewith 1 transmit the Progress
Report submitted by the Board of APP
praisers of the Railroads and Canals of
the State, appointed under joint reso-
luton No. 3, entitled Joint resolu-
ton concerning an inventory and APP
praisal of railroad and canal property,
including franchises. in the state OF
New Jersey approved April 5. 1909.
Some suggestion has been made dur
ing the past few months that the ap-
pointment OF these appraisers in this
way was a reflection upon the State
Board of Assessors. II is quite APP
parent that the Legislature did not
intend any such reflection. The eXecu-
tive may say this with consistency, be-
cause the creation of the board of ap-
praisers was a Legislative act; N IL
is quite evident that the Legislature
had no such purpose in mind, and such
a thought never entered into the mind
of the executive as to reflect upon the
state Board of Assessors,
To make an appraisement OF the char
acter required by the resolution of
april 5, 1909, involves the constant at
tention and all the time Of those en-
gagged in the work. This cannot be
expected of the State Board of AS
SCISSORS at their present salary, and 1t
is questionable If any of them would
consider themselves competent to make
the appraisal of railroad property in a
sufficiently Intelligent way, without the
assistance of expert engineers or other
appraisers.
While I have stated in this message
the Board of Appraisers, whose report
is herewith transmitted, have not given
any figures in their ''progre3s report"
I have nevertheless in my possession a
personal report made to me by h APP
n~raisers of the results which they have
secured. in so far as they have been
fully tabulated; and while the apprais-
ers have expressed to me, in trans
hitting this personal report the view
that. in their judgment. it should not
be made public, prior to the compile
ton Of their work. / am unable to
agree with that suggestion, and feel it
to be my duty to send this personal
report, together with the progress re-
port" herewith transmitted.
This special report, to which I am
now referring, relates TO the taxing dis