Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-08
OFFICIALS REPLY
To CRITICISM OF
MILLBURN LEAGUE
Eight-Page Circular Issued by
Township Committee to Refute
Prediction Charges.

The reply of the Millburn Town
ship Committee to the charges made
urevious to the last election by the
Taxpayers League of that township
was made public today in the form
Of an eisht-page circular. Copies
were sent through the mail to all the
citizens.
The circular furnished the topic at
a special meeting of the Township
Committee last night. The circular
was prepared by Committeeman
William Byrd. After the reply was
discussed at length the copies were
prepared for mailing.
The circular Of the Taxpayers
League, which was issued just be-
fore the last election in the interest
of Edv I'M D. Pannell. candidate for
Township Committee, tended to shew
enormous increases in several OF
The townships expenditures. Ire
Township Committee took exception
to the statement and requested the
publicity committee of the league 10
meet with them and have the figures
corrected. The Taxpayers League re-
fused to appear and stand by the
figures as published. The statement
pf the Township Committee was COM
piled as an answer.
The figures OF the Taxpayers
League pretended to show an increase
~ 255 ner cent. from 1908 to 1914, al
though their published figures, accord
ing TO the Township Committee.
showed only 155 per cent. This was
objected TO and the statement OF the
committee made this showing but 81
per cent.
This Increase, which was not due
TO The action of the Township Com
nittee. they claimed. but had been
voted on and approved by the tax
payers at the general elections. Inc
circular also shows that while the
valuations have increased 1856 per cent
from 1908 to 1914, the township taxes
have increased 81 per cent, while the
county rate has increased 1879 per cent.
and the State and local school rates
mas increased 147 per cent.
The town ship tax rate in 1908 was
.9s and in 1914 50, with a still further
reduction in sight for 1915.
while the members OF the Town
ship Committee feel that their official
actions, like those of other public SER
wants. are subject TO a fair comment
and criticism. they believe that this
false circular, distributed on the eve
of the election. when it was too late
to answer it, was grossly unfair The
circular reads: Trusting you TO do
Justice, we believe that the best way
Of meeting an attack Of this kind is
publicly to state the true facts.
in the circular mentioned the pub
iieftV committee of the Taxpayers
League stated to the voters that the
EXPENSES of the township under the
heads of township purposes, ponce,
support of poor and poor farm, GER
tain items of the fire department and
roads and cutters had increased Zoo
per cent. in six years. Even on the
mise figures quoted in their circular
the increase of expenses under these
heads was 155 per cent. and not 253
per cent. The other errors in the
figures are set forth in our letter to
Mr.. Pannell dated November 5.
We shall only say .here that the |
"errors'' consisted in deducting mis- |
cellaneous credits fSom the expenses
under the several heads in question,
In the years prior to 1913, and OF fail-
ing to do this in 1913; in changing
township purposes for 1913 with
s559 50. which was included in the |
item OF s2,1Ss. 80 for support of poor !
and poor farm; in charging township |
purposes with items of town hall |
expense ,aggregating s2,956.49. without !
explaining that this was a deficit |
in the town hall appropriation; in |
stating the receipts of the police de-
partment instead of the expenses, |
and in deducting over $4,000 from |
the expense for roads and cutters for |
1872 Properly stated the expenses |
under these heads from 1908 to 1913 |
only 100 per cent, instead |
of 255 per cent. and the increase for |
1913 over 1872 was only a little more |
than $4,000 instead of nearly $4,000 |
as stated in the circular"
A detailed table of the appropria- |
tions voted from 1908 to 1915 is sub |
mitted. This statement shows an in
crease from 1908 to 1915 of s23,250, or
per cent. Ii Is voted that |
all the appropriations named here
by the voters at the pre- |
ceding general election
After submitting other figures and !
facts to refute the statements of the |
league, the circular is concluded as
follows:
ITO summarize. your Township |
Committee is not responsible for the |
Increase in taxes ordered raised by |
the voters; the township taxes have |
not increased nearly as much as the |
school taxes or the county taxes, nor
proportionately with the ratables. |
and the township tax rate, in all |
probability will be further reduced |
ia 1915. What the Township Commit |
tee has done with your money speaks !
for itself No words of ours can add
10 or detract from it. Your town
hall is there: your fire department
IS there; your police department is
there; your roads, drains and sew
ers are there Compare them with
what you had in 1908. If we have
erred in any way, If We can spend
your money more wisely. come and
lell US. No one who has ever come
before the Township Committee has
failed of fair hearing.
In conclusion let us add a word of
warning. At the next general election
three members of the Township Com
nittee will be elected. Do not be de-
celved by men who seek TO control the
Township Committee for their own
selfish purposes. Sift their statements