The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-04-02

Assemblyman Hansen Of Jersey City
The former seeks to exempt from
taxation for two years new dwellings,
so that building would be encouraged,
houses be more plentiful and rents
reasonable. The latter would require
landlord to give three months notice
before eviction and prohibit the dis
possession Of tenants between the
months of October and May.
Question constitutionaIity.
The constitutionality of the meas
ures was questioned by Assembly,
man Tozer, of Bergen, and Assembly
man William George, of Hudson. But
a no lesser legal light than George l..
| Record was present to allay their APP
prehensions on that score. He de-
| clared that if the exemption of bank
stock from taxation, as upheld by the
Supreme Court, was constitutional,
then the exemption of buildings from
taxation would also be valid.
Commissioner Cannon asserted that
| the housing condition was acute as
the result of scarcity of houses. I'VE
think the Legislature can help u.s."
he said. He stated that eviction was
sad under any circumstances but
that it was especially so when families
whose sons We're in the service were
made the victims.
Increase Population.
George L. Record admitted that the
passage of House 1919 would SAVIOR of
the single tax idea, but declared that
it was necessary to relieve the pres
ent housing situation. He said that
to exempt buildings from taxation for
a few years would mean a wonderful
development in building houses and
that the additional homes would in
crease the population of the state be-
| tween 10000 and 100000
viii not the exemption of new
| buildings from taxation be an injus-
| tice to the owners of houses already
erected?" asked Assemblyman Young.
1T might be an injustice in a few
cases." Mr.. Cannon replied, but as
whole the great majority of people
would benefit therefrom. If the pro-
| gram were carried out there would be
| such activity in building that within
| three or four years there would be
| added TO the assessed value of prop
| erty in the state between S25,000,000
and S30,000,000."
Mr.. Cannon explained that those
owners who built before the war had
a big advantage over those who seek
to build now, and the exemption of new
buildings from taxation would equal
iZe conditions to an extent.
John t. Gregory, rent investigator
of West New York, told of housing
conditions in that town. He said that
rents had been lacked up from 90 to
| % per cent in many cases. He pre-
scented 1000 signature of alleged VIC
tins of rent profteering from that
town. He said that the apartment
houses We're owned by foreigners in
many cases and that these landlords
cared nothing for the boys who went
overseas for service and were as will
ing to gouge their families of exor-
bitant rents as any other.
Robert Wallace of the Jersey City
Chamber of Commerce urged the pas
sage of both bills sponsored by Com
missioner Cannon.
Mrs. Augusta Gerke of Newark, the
mother of a service man. told of her
landlord, who is not even citizen of
the United States, increasing the rent
of her fiat by 100 per cent in two
months.
Unless the legislature takes immedi-
ate and effective steps to remedy ex-
listing deplorable conditions created by
heartless rent gougerS, there will ensue
serious and far-reaching uprising.
That was the opinion expressed by
Mayor Charles P. Gillen of Newark.
Mayor Gillen called attention to the
situation in Newark, where he had en-
deavored to find some form of relief,
but discovered the laws such an obsta-
Gle as to practically block all efforts
in that direction. He declared that
rentals were jumped by as much as
125 per cent without cause or reason
and that people were driven into frenzy
by their quest for homes; that rents
have been advanced TO such unreason-
able heights that in many instances
poor families are unable to procure
! decent clothes or shoes for their chill
dren who must attend school.
State Expense s12,ooo,ooo.
Expenditures aggregating $4,000
900, it is understood, will be provided
for in the annual appropriations bill
to be introduced in the legislature this
year Fifty per cent of these expendi-
lures will be devoted in maintaining
state institutions. An increase of be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 will be made
in the annual appropriation for salaries
for members of the judiciary. One of
the big items of the increase will be
an appropriation of 100000 for bo-
muses. for state employees.
1t is the intention of the committee
| to have the bill ready for submission
to the legislature at least one or two
weeks before final adjournment is
| taken. This is contrary to the prac-