Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-09-24
BOARD REFUSES
TO REDUCE TAX
ON SETON HALL
State Body Also Dismisses the
Application of ST. Mary's
Orphan Asylum.

The applications for a reduction in
the assessments levied against Seton
Hall College and st. Marys Orphan
Asylum were dismissed today by the
State Board for Revision and Eauali-
cation of Taxes. The board met in
the offices of the Essex County Board
of Taxation in the Kinney building.
Frank B. Jess presided at the meet
ing.
The applications were dismissed by
agreement of both sides after a de-
cision of the Court of Errors and APP
peals was read. The decision was just
handed down and decides q former
application of these two petitioners
for a reduction. The applications
dismissed today were made while the
former applications were pending adj
justment.
Riker & Riker. for the village of
South Orange; william j. kearns, for
the petitioners, and Frank e. Brad
ner, for the city of Newark, agreed on
the dismissal.
The property of the college was as
sessed $4,000 in 1912 for taxation
purposes. The college protested
against the assessment. on the
grounds that 1t Is an educational in
titution, and is not conducted Tor
profit. 1t asked to have the assess
ment Cancelled.
The county board dismissed the pc
tition and 1t was carried before the
State board. This board also dis
missed the case. 1t was carried to the
Supreme Court, which body upheld
the action of the county and State
boards. The matter was then taken
before the Court of Errors and Ap-
peals.
In the meantime the 1918 assessment
for $137. 900 was levied against the col
lege. Attornies for the college pro-
tested this assessment on the same
ground as the former protest. The
county board also threw out the 1918
application for a reduction
When the matter came before the
State board that body deferred action
on the second petition until the Court
of Errors and Appeals handed down a
decision on the first petition This
decision upheld the ruling of the Su-
preme Court, and the only action the
State board could legally take was to
dismiss the application of the coll
lege.
Mr.. Kearns declared he did not
know lust what action he would take
in the future.
The st. Mary's Orphan Asylum case
was just like the college case, except
that two municipalities are concerned.
The asylum lies partly in South Or
ange village and partly in Newark.
In 1919 Newark levied a total as
sessment of $4,000 against the asy-
lum. Mr.. Kearns petitioned for the
cancellation of the levy on the
grounds that the property was not tax
able. Both the county and State
boards dismissed the application. 1t
was then appealed.
While the case was pending adjust
ment the 1918 levy was protested.
After the county board dismissed
that application the State board re-
served the decision, pending the rul-
ing of the Court of Errors and Ap-
peals, which has just been announced.
In both these cases the assessment
was made on the property in excess of
! FIVE acres owned by the institution.
| The law provides that institutions of
this kind are not subject to assess
ment for property of five acres or
under.
A compromise was agreed upon In
the application of the Western Union
Telegraph Company for reduction
from $4,000 to $3.50 for it's wires and
poles in the town of Bloomfield. The
compromise figure Is S1,500.
The board allowed q reduction of
81 ,000 instead of the $500 allowed by
the county board to Bert l.. Feible-
man for property at 64-66 William
street. Tho total assessment was
$4,000. The county board reduced the
figures to $21, 400. The State board
granted a reduction of $1,000, after
setting aside the county boards fig
ures.
Samuel Katz applied for reduction
in an assessment OF $4,000 levied
against his property at 81-SS William
street. The county board reduced the
figure to $13,400. On objections by
Newark the original figure was re-
stored and 81 900 reduction from it
was allowed by the State board today.
The board reserved decision on the
city of Newarks objection to re-
duction from 1921 900 to ,$107,600 made
by the county board on property at
SO Market street, owned by the Ber-
nard Strauss estate.
Decision was also reserved by the
board on the citys objection to the
reduction made by the county board
from s46,600 to $4,000 on property at
135-137 Halsey street, owned by Flor
ence and Irving Strauss There was
quite an argument over this matter.
The question arose at to whether
OF not the canal which adjoins the
property injured or enhanced the
value of the land. Two witnesses
were called, Thomas J. Gray, for the
petitioner, and James A. Berry, for
the city.