Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-20
THE FINANCES
OF METUCHEN
Annual Report Gives Some
Interesting Figures.
ueolal % IN, EvEvrNG NEwg.

Special 20 the EVENING NEWS
Metuchen. Feb. 20.-The annual
report of the finances OF the borough
lfor 1911 has been issued. 1t shows
that the Public Service Corporation
got $2,736.80 for lighting the bor-
ough. The Water Company got ST.
1880 for a lot OF idle fire plugs.
The taxpayers hate to part with
this sum each year and argue that
instead of the town paying a rental
of $25 yearly for each fire plug that
the hydrant rental should be free
inasmuch as the water company is
operating in Metuchen under a per-
petual franchise which they got for
nothing. Every time a new plug is
added $25 a year is added to the
annual expense and IL a taxpayer
wants an extension of water main he
must guarantee a yearly income
equal to ten cents a running foot
for every foot of main laid and the
said guarantee must be for q period
of five years. If there is no income
other than that for which the main
is laid then the burden of expense
Is borne by the taxpayer and water
comes pretty high.
Last year the expense for streets
was $4,647.16. About 81. 500 of
this was for resurfacing Main street
from Pennsylvania avenue to Mid
d1esex avenue The frost has
wrought such havoc with the new
pavement that much of 1t will have
to be done owe again and the tax
payers feel that hte street is no bet
ter than 1t vas before the money
was expended.
Lawyer Charles H. Mundy got
s3I8.44 from the borough for laying
q new sidewalk and otherwise Inn.
proving the Lehigh Park property in
front Of his residence. Mr.. Mnndy
also put some money out of his own
pocket for this improvement and
the town has another park >even
though there are no benches or
fountains iii 1t.
The expenditures for the poor OF
the town for the year only amounted
to $1SI.72. This was exclusive of
the salary paid the overseer.
The expenditures for the police
account last yea amounted to ST.
ia. There was also about $500 ex-
ira charged in other accounts which
was chargeabIe to police, making
lA r%al aUQuL PAtpOQ 4oi GOdiA0 iti lI5
year. This was two regular patrol
and a lot of extras. The pres
ent administration figures that for
$1,000 a year the town can have
three regular patrolnfen, which, of
course, means much better protec-l
ton.
Incidental expenditures amounted
to $2,711.96. January / there was
q balance in the treasury OF ST.
651.E. This Is partly attributable
the fact that the tax collector was
the job In November and Decem-l
Der collecting the current taxes.
The borough has part of this money
in the shape of certificates of deposit
drawing interest at the local bank.
The election on commission gov
ernment cost $104.28. Edward w.
Hicks, borough attorney got $50 of
this and one dollar of it went to the
local haa&pEare store for candles to
light the election booth.
December 81, 1911, the total
amount of the real estate delin-
quents amounted to $~6,764.02.
The borough is practically free
from debt save the outstanding
bonds for the new high school.
Mayor Clarke believes that 1--WE
should not hesitate to borrow money
on the bonds of the borough for per-
menent improvements any more
than an individual for the expansion
of his business" Mr.. Clarke says
that In order to make any noticeable
improvements nor money will be
required than can be raised by tax
levies. He says, 81 believe that by
using bonds at a moderate rate of
interest and establishing a sinking
fund. we could, without a percepti-
BILE increase in taxes, improve
our town and increase its attractive
mess SO as to bring residents to it
and thereby create a demand for
considerable ~unoccupied land the eff
feet of which would be a large addi-
tion to our assessed valuation. This
would either produce money for fur
Ither improvements Or result in a
lower tax rate"