Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-08-30
All Oppose Increasing of
Assessed Valuations
20 Per Cent.
TRUE VALUE
CLAIMED NOW
Mi.lville, Vineland and Lands
Township flake Appeal Against
Proposed Order for 20 and Is
Per Cent. Raise.

The Cumberland County Tax Board,
sitting in the County Court room yes
terday heard vigorous protests from
various municipalities, against an
arb Try increasing of land and i'm
provement valuat ons of 20 and 25
per cent. over the valuations made by
the assessors.
All of the members of the Board,
President George Hampton, Edward
H. Corson and Wilbert H. Robbins
were present.
Present to convince the County Tax
Board that the proposed increase
should not be made were represen-
tatives of Fairfield, Lawrence, Lam
dis, Maurice River, Millville and Vine
land
Millville was represented by City
Solicitor Louis H Miller and Vine
land by Borough Solicitor Hurd.
Notices had previously been sent
out by the County Board to all the
taxing districts, indicating that the
following increases would be made
upon land and improvement valua-
tion5:
Bridgeton, $6,6SS,447 to $S,O26,136.4O
Commercial, $6O,547 to $727, ,S56.4O.
Deerfield, $1,371 1874 to $1,646,272.SO
Downe, $413,364 to $496.036.SO.
Fairfield, $4SS,212 to $5S5,S54.4O.
Greenwich, s464,747 to $557 7,6964O
Hopewell, $1,O95,45 to $1,314,54
Landis, $2,71S,SSS to $3,262, ,e65.6O.
Lawrence, $652,516 to S7S3,0192O
Maurice River, s613,519 to $736, ,222.-
S4.
Millville, $5,347,416 to $6.416,S992O
Stow Creek, s4S7,S50 to $5S5,420.
Vineland, $2,593,S4S to $3,242,31O
Total in county, 23,542,699 to $751;
$50, ,9312O.
President Hampton explained that
tentative order for 20 and 25 per
cent. increase, in accordance with
legislation of 1917, would not affect
the taxes of the present year, but
would be effective next year. The eff
feet of the order would not effect
any individual assessment, but the
intent of the legislation is to form a
basis to raise taxes in the county as
a whole. No greater collection would
result for the municipality, but there
would be increased collections for
state school and state road taxes. The
present order, explained Mr.. Hamp-
ton, was in the nature of an order
to show cause upon each if the NUM-
cipalities why the increase should
not be made.
City Solicitor Miller explained that
he represented Millville, Landis and
Maurice River, and Mr.. Hurd was
present for the Vineland borough. Mr..
Miller thereupon called several wit
nesses, assessors and tax collectors,
to show that present valuations were
based upon true and full valuations.
Alonzo R. Moore, of the Millville
Board of Assessors, stated positively
that the assessments returned this
year for Millville, were based wholly
upon full valuations. He denied that
there was any per cent. valuations
considered. The assessors board
carefully inquired into values, and
assessed upon the full values. Mr..
Moore submitted a list of properties
recently sold in Millville, the sale
price comparing almost identically
with the assessment. Mr.. Moore said
that to add 20 per cent to these val
uations would place a value upon
Millville property greatly in excess
of their actual worth.
Charles Reeves, Jr, of Millville,
an assessor since 1898, corroborated
the testimony of Mr.. Moore.
Ernest E. Howe, five years assess
or of Lands township, declared his
assessed valuations were based upon
100 per cent. value and his testimony