Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-26
TAXPAYERS FORM
ASSOCIATION AS
RESULT OF PROBE
East Newarkers in Mass.meet.
ing Hear Report on Alleged Dis.
elimination in Assessments.

AS a result of a report made last
night by the investigating committee
appointed by Mayor Cornelius A. Nc
Glennon, of, East Newark. to inquire
into the alleged excessive tax valu-
atoms a taxpayers association was
formed at a mass-meeting last night
in the East Newark Municipal build
ing. The committees report was re-
ceived n the committee discon-
tinued.
Mayor McG1ennon was chosen presi-
dent of the association, DR.. John
Pringle vice-president and forrlee Pc
corder Arthur Greenfield secretary.
Twenty-six names were enrolled. a
meeting of the executive committee
will be held soon.
Former Recorder Arthur Greenfield,
who acted as secretary of the investi-
eating committee, had a we'll COM
| piled report TO offer. 1t was in part as
follows: Our committee met upon
three occasions and delved deep into
the matter of taxation.
I'm scanning the field book we dis
covered that large taxable properties
were laid out in plots, not lots, as we
expected 1t would be.
I'VE secured the borough map and
figured up the area of certain propef-
ties. For instance, we found that the
Clark Thread Company's property,
bounded on the north by the Erie Rail-
road, the east by Grant avenue, south
by Central avenue, and west by Pas
sale avenue, was by no means as
sessed in proportion with surrounding
land.
Again we found that the strip of
land formerly known as Orchard street
and sold to the Clark people about
seven years ago had never been as
sessed. This property WIS sold for
1000 and runs from Passaic avenue to
Grant avenue. 1t seems remarkable
that there should be an oversight on
the part of two assessors to tax this
property when a committee OF citizens
could discover 1t in W nights.
"Regarding the dock property and
the manner in which 1t is assessed. The
O.. N. T. and Mile End thread COM
panies W ninety-three lots, the total
valuation of which Is $98, 500 or s1.037
per lot. Compare those figures with
the following which were levied on
property fronting on the Passaio River
the same as that OF the thread oom-
panies:
pure Oil Company. seventeen lots,
total valuation $50, 900, valuation per lot
81, 1855: Van Keuren & Sons, ten lots
s24, 900, per lot s2,40o; McCiave g. Co..
seven lots, total $4,000. per lot $s.57tr
Newark Lumber Company, ten lots.
s24, 900, per lot 2,4oo; New Jersey Ada
mant Company, thirteen lots $4,000.
per lot $4,000. You will notice, fellow
| citizens, that there Is a great discrep-
ancy between $1,037 per lot and $2,b71
on valuation of property that seems
similar in every respect.
1.-THE assessing of corner lots was
almost uniform, but the assessed val
uation of residences did not seem we'll
by comparison. We should form a
permanent organization and hire
counse to AXE up the matter Of pro-
curing a revision of the valuations"
concluded the report.
Mr.. Martin, who was present, had
nothing whatever to say. II was posi-
lively announced yesterday by a mem
Der of the committee that the reslg-
nation of the assessor would be sought.
1 This announcement did not materialize
at the meeting. and 1t was said later
that action would likely be taken along
these lines just as soon as counsel was
employed.