Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-05
MUST INCREASE
ASSESSMENTS IN
ESSEX TOWNSHIPS
County Board of Assessors Give
Warning to Several Local
Officials.

you raise the assessments in your
towns and boroughs or we will do 1t
for you"
That in substance was what Presi-
lent Laurence T. Fell, of the County
Board of Taxation, told the assessors
of the Caldwell section and of the South
Orange section of Essex county at the
board rooms today.
And President Fell was backed up by
Jerome T. Congleton and John b. Oelk-
ers, his fellow-members on the board.
Increased assessments in the townships
more nearly %equalizing them with those
of Newark, Orange. East Orange and
Montclair, will be insisted on by the
board, and MI. Fell made it very clear
that the orders of the board are to be
obeyed,
Assessors Before Board.
The assessors called before the board
this. morning We're Edward Baldwin,
of West Caldwell; Frank Francisco, OF
North Caldwell; Austin Hedden, O !.
Verona: Isaac Baldwin, of CaldHe ell
Borough; Theodore Vincent. of Cald-
well Township; John Vreeland, of
Cedar Grove; Thomas Brown, of Nut
ley; w. S. Miller, of South Orange
Township, and Joseph Arnold, of South
Orange Village.
The first six named were called be-
fore the board first, and to them Pres
ident Fell said that the assessments
in the Caldwell section must be made
uniform. why" said Mr.. Fell, there
are farms in that section that are as
sessed for 1856 to $40 an acre that could
not be bought for $500"
This was admitted to be partly true
by Edward Baldwin, of west Caldwell,
but he explained that the reason the
property was held so high was that the
owners did not want to sell.
Not True value.
1T is really a fancy value. not the
true value that should be used in as
sessing. This was admitted to be true
by Mr.. Fell, but he insisted that the
valuations should be materially in
creased from the low figures now used
by the assessors.
Assessor Austin Hedden, of Verona.
was asked if the values along Bloom
field avenue, in the township, could not
be increased. Mr.. Hedden said they
could and would be, for which he re-
ceived the thanks of the board.
Mr.. Baldwin. of West Caldwell. then
caused Il laugh by citing a case where
"a greenhorn from the city" came 70
his township and paid 1900 for a piece
of property assessed at 81, $50 and worth
not over 2 $500. Then the newcomer
kicked when | increased his assessment
to $780, said Mr.. Baldwin. What
would you do in a case like that?" he
asked Mr.. Fell.
Would Let Taxpayer Kick.
Make the assessment what you
thought right and let him KICK" quick
ly answered Mr.. Fell.
John Vreeland had a grievance be-
III the board last year had reduced
his assessment on two pieces of prop
erty in Cedar Grove which Vreeland
insisted were worth more than the fig
ure made by the tax board.
Mr.. Fell got rolled for a moment
and replied sharply: You assess as
you think right, and her we will go
over your cooks and see whether you
have done right or not" Mr.. Vree-
Land subsidized.
Assessor Miller. of South Orange
township, and Joseph Arnold, of the
village. both admitted that increases
were needed in some sections OF their
territory. especially on the improved
streets. They were told to get busy
at once in raising assessments.
on Monday morning the board will
hold another session, at which time the
assessors from the other municirali-
ties outside of Newark will be told
What is expected from them In levy
Jig assessments this year.