The Penn's Grove record., 1919-01-24
County Taxes increased
More Needed For Road Building
And Repairs

The hearing on the budget of 1919
for Salem county was held by the
County Board of Chosen Freeholders
in their room in the court house on
Wednesday morning. There was not
a taxpayer present outside of the
members of the board, the county
officials and the members of the press
and the budget as advertised was
adopted.
The amount appropriated this year
is 43,342.46, as compared with
1921 ,e82.46 in 1918. The increase is
principally appropriated for road re-
pairs that item being S115,000.00 as
compared with S54 10000 last year.
There is also an increase of $2S,000.00
in the appropriation for bridges.
There is a surplus in the surplus 1ev-
enue account of S44, 256.57, and the
county will receive $52, 100000 from the
State motor-vehicle fund. The
amount to be raised by taxes is
$217, 760.S9, as against $204,967.51
last year.
On account Of conditions brought
about by the wal road repairs and
road building was greatly curtailed in
1918, the Government having restrict
ed the delivery of material. Now that
this restriction has been taken off it
is proposed to go ahead with the re-
pair and building of the roads which
will mean that within a reasonable
time Salem county will have better
traffic ways than it ever had before.
In furtherance of this program
there will be a bond issue up to
$1,000 900, the proceeds from which or
such part as will be necessary, are TO
be used in the rebuilding of the Penns
Grove-Malaga road, sections 3, 4, 5,
and 7. The State will give $4,000
and the Federal Government $4,000
toward this work so that it is expected
that the bond issue will be only about
$125,000.
County Solicitor Hilliard was pres
ent with a resolution providing for
this bond issue. He advised, however,
that the banks of the county be given
a chance to make an offer as to the
amount of interest they would ask if
they took the entire issue or such part
of it as would not be taken by private
parties. 1t was stated that a num-
Der of individuals were willing to take
certain amounts at the rate that
would be satisfactory to the banks.
Upon the advice of the Solicitor the
Director, the County Collector and the
Clerk will meet with representatives
of the banks and report at the next
regular meeting of the Board so chat
the resolution may be presented and
acted upon as soon as possible. The
idea is to have everything in readiness
to advertise for bids for this big job
and get it started as soon as the
weather is favorable.
In taking up the budget for final
passage, Mr.. Sparks was called upon
to explain the large increase in GER
tain items. He stated that in some
- cases the increase was made IN order
to distribute the total amount TO tit
the changes that had been made in the
departments. In some cases there was
an increase necessary on account OF
the increased cost to the county.
This was so in the maintenance OF
orphans, the board per week having
been raised from $500 to $3.50. The
tubercular patients is an entirely new
department. He also explained that
this year one-half of the taxes of the
county would be received in July. In
order to comply with the new law reg
ulating the accounts of municipalities
and counties the number of depart
mentS or committees mas oeel III
creased to 81 as compared with IL
standing committees and six State
road committees under the old rule.
There being no objection to the
budget as originally presented, Mr..
Borton offered a preamble and reso-
lutions that embodied the budget.
These resolutions, which were adopt
ed. also made the budget the tax reso-
luton for 1919, and takes effect i'm
mediately upon publication in each
paper in the county.
A committee of the Salem City
Council appeared before the Board and
asked for an appropriation of $4,000
from the motor-vehicle fund for the
r of street improvements in the
CITY. 1t was stated by Mayor Gr1er
that it was the intention of the city to
expend between $4,000 and $4,000,
that is available without taxation, IN
general repairs to the principal
streets of the city.
This matter will be taken up at
the regular meeting in February.