Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-16
SUMMIT TAX RATE
IS DOWN TO S2.O8
Two Points Less Than Last
Year, Despite Prediction
of Increase.
Special to the Evening Star.

op0SAni ~ Aut GNeitHE SUR
SUMMIT. Sept. 16.-Despite predie-
tions that this city's tax rate would
be the highest in its history 1t will
go down to S2.OS per 500. Last years
rate was $40.
In a communication from the Union
County Board OF Equalization of
Taxes read at last nights meeting,
the tax rate for this year was given.
The total valuation in the city, in
GLIDING second-class railroad prop
erty. is s12115,046, and the county and
State is $12,0S7, 69455. The city budget
amounts to S1S107l19. This city's
share of the county budget is S4O,9s9.17
and State budget is $31. S44.9s or a
total of 1858 409.S4 The bank stock
tax amounts to 81 ,105.25
The decreased tax rate was secured
through material increase in local
valuations on new buildings and the
decreased State and county budgets.
The members of council were much
elated over their success in lowering
the tax rate, which is the first drop in
the rate in several years.
No Law Covering Referendum.
In a formal opinion addressed to
City Clerk Frederick C. Kentz, City
Solicitor Cora n. Williams advised
that there is no provision in the law
for the submission to the voters at the
November election of the question of
purchasing a new high school site in
Maple street. As he has advised be-
fore, the city solicitor holds that the
hN
site purchase having been regularly
passed upon bv the Board of School
Estimate as being necessary, the stat
utes make it mandatory on the part
of council to provide the money.
Councilman Walter S. Topping
stated that he believed the only ques-
tion in the minds of his colleagues is
whether the school site purchase
question may be legally placed or the
ballots to be voted at the November
election, and on this point Mr.. Top
ping said the city solicitor gave no
opinion. 1t was shown that Mr. Will
Jams had not been requested to adj
wise council on this phase of the
question, and on Councilman Top
pings motion the city clerk was di-
rected to get the city solicitors
opinion on this point.
Councils Action a Problem.
Just what the councilmen are at
tempting to do in the school site pur-
chase proposition is now puzzling
those who keep in touch with the af-
fairs of the city unless they will dis
regard the city solicitors opinion.
Since he has advised them that they
must provide the school site purchase
money and that there is no provision
in the law for the referendum on the
question the average citizen Is at u
loss to know how the question can
legally be placed on the ballos or
what can be accomplished If it is
since the city solicitor advises that
council under the law must provide
the appropriation. There are some
who accuse the council of endeavor-
ing to sidestep as long as possible
the duty of either providing the
money or rejecting the Board of
School Estimates requisition. 1t is
generally believed that could the mat
ter be legally voted on by the citi-
zens at the November election the
proposition to purchase the school
site would be defeated, as was indi-
Gated by the Board of Trades postal
card vote. which was against the
purchase scheme two to one.
To John j. McGrath, of this city,
was awarded the contract for the i'm
provement of Fairview avenue. The
successful bidders figures for the job
were: Regular stone bottom, $2,612;
rough field stone foundation, $2,322,
and X grade trap rock bottom, $500
The other bidders for the work and
their figures were: Michael Carafano,
of this city $2,S22, $2,677 and $2.S22;
John Schmidt, jr., AIillburn, $3,031. 80,
$2,SS6.90 and $2,930.40; w. L. Cakes &
Co, this city, SO, 400, $2,965 and $1,000
Shooting permits for hunting We're
asked for by Chief of Police George
w. Brown. j. Fred Elliot. Robert
Elliot, Henry Double, William and
ferred to the fire and police commit
tee. Councilman at-large Corbin
stated that already complaints of in
discriminate shooting within the city,
such as caused council to enact the
ordinance prohibiting the discharge
of firearms within the city without a
permit from the council had been re-
ceived. President Corbin stated that
few days ago a rifle ball whistled
past the head OF a pedestrian in Sum
init avenue. Investigation disclosed
that small boys had been shooting at
target with rifle in a yard at their
tchip ~ dNtDut. ITtSlueIL
Corbin declared that the complaints
of reckless and dangerous shooting
were due to the permission of the use
of firearms by small boys by their
parents, and he requested parents to
stop this practice.
Councilman John G. Knight, this
city's representative in the Joint
Trunk Sewer Commission, was
authorized to represent this munich
pality at the conference of repre-
sentatives of the municipalities
through which the joint trunk sewer
passes, to be held at Trenton. October
6, at which the question of preventing
the further pollution of State waters
Is to be discussed. A new flag was
ordered purchased for the City Hall.