Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1915-09-23
TAX RATE
TO Be S2.O5
Council Passes Ordinance
Over Mayors Veto.
NO REDUCTION.
City Council Jumps the Tax Rate
u Cents Over the Rate
of Last Year.

The tax rate of Bridgeton for 1915
will be fraction above $2.05.
Last year the tax rate was $1.78.
This is jump of 27 cents upon $10O
valuation.
The rate is the highest ever made
for Bridgeton, and that too upon the
highest valuation ever assessed upon
the property of Bridgeton.
The rate of $2.O5 will be based upon
an estimated balance IN the treasury
of $4,000 on the first day of January,
1916.
The actual balance in the treasury
on January 1st, will be $4,000.
The difference will be supplied by
taking the water collections of 1916
and adding it to the $4,000, making
a so-called available balance of
$63, 900.
In doing this the City Council will
wipe out the available resources Of
next year, SO that in making up the
city budget for the year 1917 there
will be no water money available for
the appropriations.
The legality of using next years
water money for the appropriations
now made has not been considered
! When City Council last night took
up the appropriation ordinance which
had been vetoed by Mayor Arthur G.
Whitaker because of it being excess
siye and by reason of the high tax
rate it had provided, Mr.. Hettinger
moved that the ordinance which had
been vetoed, be reconsidered.
The ordinance was read in full and
then Mr.. Hettinger moved that this
reading be the reconsideration and
the ordinance passed as read.
/ President Evans asked if any tax
payer in the room had any objection
to the ordinance being passed.
There were three citizens in the
room other than city officials, and
there was no response to the inquiry
of the President.
Mr.. Hettinger said he would like
to make few remarks, as Chairman
of the Finance Committee. The ordi-
nance as vetoed by the Mayor, he
said, should be given consideration
He said he had done so, and the 9TH
er members had done so.
Il don't think the Mayor has fully
understood the balances when he pre-
sented the veto message. He thought
there would be only $4,000 less the
Bank Tax. AS a matter of fact the
balances will be $4,000. but to make
it safe, the committee had fixed the
balance at $4,000.
Il think that the Mayor vetoed the
ordinance to get votes for his re-elec-
tion. I cannot help but think this,
and l do think he vetoed the message
to get votes for his reelection.
The finance committee worked
faithfully and Council has had the op-
portunity of changing it. 1 now think
the ordinance should be passed."
The vote for the ordinance was
President Evans, Fox, J. M. Laning,
w. T. Laning, Garwood.
! With the exception of Mr.. Esibill,
each member of City Council was
present when the roll was called.
The reading of the minutes of the
last stated and special meetings were
read and approved.
| A communication was presented
from the Board of Health, calling at
tention to stagnant water standing in
the gutter at North Pearl Street and
German Avenue. The notice said that
unless the city abolished the nuisance
the Board of Health would be obliged
to enforce the penalty.
| The communication was received
and filed.
The explanation was made that a
drain pipe had been laid across
the sidewalk, which formerly
drained the street water upon
the private property. Prineas
Bath has since built upon the lot
the lot being filed in and the drain
pipe filled in, leaving the water flood
Al skM . n