Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-04-14
PILLNG ON THE BURDEN

With a tax rate of 1896 on 800 which the taxpayers of this city
win have to pay for the coming year those entrusted with the ex-
penditure of the peoples money should consider well Their factions be-
fore adding anything to the burden. We all know that the expenses
have increased. Just as it costs more to conduct ones household and
private business, so must it cost more to conduct the government.
1t is expected that in the readjustment of business from a war to
a peace footing, the government must take the lead in starting bust
ness going and in furnishing work for the men as they are discharged
from the army. When private capital hesitates to go into the market
as long as the present high prices n retained, the government must
do it in order to keep the wheels turning.
But in awarding contracts and getting construction under way
there is M excuse for extravaganza. There is no reason for buying
something that is not needed; the peoples money Qua ug.ptts @s11
reeble~'r ss ~ n s sTsa1y4
= nit is all well enough to pay as We go. but there is a limit to what
the present generation IAN stand. The tendency today when any ex-
.tensive Improvement is to be made is to levy a direct tax and pay for
the work at once. Bond issues are frowned upon, especially in state
affairs. This may be because the state constitution limits the bonded
Indebtedness of the state to $10OO 900 unless passed upon by the people.
Those having pet schemes to put across and fearing that the people
would not vote in favor of the bond issue want the direct tax thereby
piling o the burden that the present generation has to carry even
ii ugh the Improvement is to last for many generations.
This pay as you go method is highly eommendable up to a certain
point and the EVENING NEWS favOrs it on general principles. Debt
is a bad thing for a state or municipality as well as for an individual
The plan to pay is You go is well enough for work that will last
but a lifetime. but for such improvements as the proposed Hudson
river tunnel and the Delaware river bridge, developments that will
be used for many years after the present generation as dead, there is
no reason why the entire cost should be placed upon those who are lv-
ing today, A bond issue for such work would be preferable.
Senator Edwards, of Hudson county, tried to get through a bill in
the legislature that has just adjourned creating a bond issue for these
enterprises, but fearing that he would gain some prestige on account
of the measures and thereby aid his candidacy for the goyernorship,
the Republicans in the senate killed the bill.
If Governor Edge and the Republican have their way, the cost
for the tunnel and bridge win be put on the tax bill in addition to the
state road tax which is already being levied.
There is one ray of hope for the people of Middesex, however.
That is, the cost of maintaining the two big bridges over the Raritan
river viii be taken over by the state after this year. These bridges
have been, perhaps, the greatest drain ON the taxpayers of this county.
Middlesex has been maintaining these structures largely for the bene-
fit of on-residents. AT the same time, the county has been called up
tensvely used by nonresidents. These roads have received hard
side New Jersey. Middlesex, lying in the center of the state, has
horne the brunt of this wear and tear without deriving the least
benefit.
With bond issues instead of direct tax by the state and with the
county giving the taxpayers the benefit of the saving to be derived
by the state taking over the two bridges and the main highways, it
remains for the city authorities to cut out some of the extravaganees
in municipal affairs; avoid buying that is not absolutely essential cut
out waste and otherwise manage public business in a businessike way.
IL certainly is time TO call a halt and take a reckoning when the
There is no one set of officials to be blamed, perhaps, but all together
the burden has been piled on until the limit has been reached.
What contracts are let and what money is spent from now on
should be done only after the most careful consideration. With the
right kind of business management Perth Amboy can be brought
through the present crisis with honor to the city and credit to the off,
cals in charge of affairs