Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-01
TAX RATE JUMPS
UNDER WALSH ACT
IN PASSA|C CITY
Commission Rule in Operation
for Three Years Becoming
an Expensive Luxury.
Especial to the Evening start

PASSAIC, June Persons inter-
ested in forms of municipal govern
ment throughout the country have
trained their eyes on this city. which
for the past three years has been
governed by commission rule as, pro-
vided for in the Walsh act. The re-
cent announcement that the tax rate
must be raised at least twenty points
has attracted particular attention.
The taxpayers are up in arms
against the proposed increase. They
charge the proposed jump to the COM
plete failure of the commission form
of government and there is talk in
some. ..auarters-ns-thts city Of setting
about to change back to the old
form of municipal government.
At present the tax rate is $1.59. Al
though the budget will not be made
up for three weeks, it is expected he
rate finally decided upon will be
$3.50. The Commissioners say a big
increase has to be made in appropria-
tions to practically every department
in the city government The manda-
tory appropriations. not including the
county tax, it is said, must be in
creased $31, 900 alone and big increases
are expected in other appropriations.
The city commissioners on the de-
fensive say the increase is one that
should have been made several years
ago when the old form of government
was in power. They declare it was
unwisely kept down in the belief that
sit would look better They deny
the present form Of government is re-
sponsible for the proposed increase
and declare commission rule to be
the best form of municipal govern
ment thus far tried.
But the proposed increase in the
tax rate is only one of the things
that has stirred the wrath of the
people of this city regardless of
party politics. The filling of offices
has brought about some caustic COM
ment. It being openly charged that
the commissioners desire solely to
pay political debts rather than to
look about for efficient, capable men
who can transact the citY's business
in a businesslike manner.
This point was emphasized recently
in the matter of filing the office Of
city clerk made vacant by the resle-
nation of Thomas r. Watson. 1t was
conceded by practically everyone that
the berth belonged to Gordon Seger,
who has been deputy city clerk for
the past six years, and has perhaps a
more thorough knowledge Of The az
fairs of the Office than any other one
man in the city. But he WASH ap-
pointed Instead, by a shift OF city
hIp nal filled in
such a way as to make room for a
man as city comptroller who never
had any experience such as is neces-
sary for an office of that kind.
Residents of this city who never
before have evinced any particular
interest in the running of the city
government are particularly active at
this time, because of the manner in
which things have been conducted
here Said one prominent resident,
who asked that his name not be
printed:
The city government is a disgrace.
No other word can be applied to it.
The majority of the voters of this
city thought they were bettering the
city when they changed from the old
form of government I venture to
say that the same majority who car
ried the question are sorry now, ard
are anXiously waiting for the time
when they can go back.
THE increase in the tax rate is due
to ignorance, the speaker continued.
1.-The men in charge of the city gov
ernment either don't know how TO
conduct municipal affairs, or if they
do, are managing things very loosely.
The day is not far off when the aU-
thorities will realize that the people
are on to their curves and arc going
to make some effective hits" he con-
cluded.