Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-01
Much Property to Be Sold
In Woodbridge for Unpaid
Taxes, Collector Reports

If one desired to ind out when a GER
tain assessment was levied and I'M
paid, he would have to wade through
the books till he found it-there was
no entry carried forward.
On many parcels of realty the as
sessment was charged up twice and
even three times In one year against
the same man-likewise I'm a in
the parcels were charged up
as being owned by as many as two
or three persons. These. Implications
and Implications continued, many Of
them, for several years. And very
often bills for back taxes would be
sent to citizens who could produce
receipts for their payments, simply
through lack of any suitable record
that showed that the taxes had been
paid.
This may not have been the fault
of any individual or individuals. The
system was one that had been hand
ed down and was nonchalantly car
ried along by each succeeding collec-
tor. In past years the collector was
a poorly paid official who devoted
part time to the work. With the
thousands of assessments levied an
nually in the township 1t was impos-
sible for a man to keep up with the
business of the office.
When Mr.. Berry succeeded L. NJ.
Campbell two years ago, however, he
found the true state OF affairs and
besought the township committee
hat they should employ a man at
full time to work on the books. But
even this was found to be insuffici-
ent IL The township affairs were IA
be cleaned up and it was found q ts
it would take all the time of two
men at least to get the business of
the office into shape.
Then Mr.. Berry and Mr.. Drake
started on their task. They nave been
at it for two years. They have work
ed night and day, hour after hour,
Strengthening II the tangle.
At the present time they ave ten
Iedeers filled with entries of deiin-
Quent taxes on real property. They
have one fat ledger containing the
unpaid assessments on personal prop
erty, each page containing from six
to eight names of delinquents. II is
the completion of these books that is
holding up the sale of lands and
propreties for unpaid taxes. The two
men are beginning to get near the
top Of the heap that has buried
township affairs for two years. They
are near the completion of their task.
SO near are they to the end of their
work on the d~elinqucncies that they
expect within a month or two they
will be able to hold the much expected
sale of lands for back taxes.
But on some OF the properties there
is 80 much due there may be difficulty
in disposing OF The lands as the actual
money due far exceeds the value OF
the property. And much of the and
Is in such condition that 1t Is prac-
tically worthless. There are some
clay lands hat have been exhausted
as far as their mining value is con-
cerned which would bring so little that
the total would not begin TO pay for
the taxes.
The last sale OF lands for unpaid
taxes was held in 1915. That sale dis
posed OF but n few OF the properties.
There are thousands OF parcels to be
sold II the owners do not pay the as
sessments prior to the sale. Some OF
these bills threaten to be eHormou as
the tavr~ hPve rot been paid for TWEEN
" ~ thirty years.
The assessments range from fifty
three cents to 5000.