The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1920-02-14
CITY TAXPAYERS
OBJECT TO HIGH RATE
Several Voice Sentiments At Special
Session on Monday Night When
Hearing on 1920 Budget Mas Held.
ANOTHER HEARING FEBRUARY 2a

A special. meeting of City Council
was held Monday night for the pur-
pose of giving the taxpayers an oppor-
tunity to be heard upon the tax bud
get. President Chattle presided and
all the Councilmen were present.
About seventy-five interested tax
payers occupied the auditorium of
Council Chambers and appeared eager
to learn the reason for nearly a hun
dred percent raise in the tax rate.
The Clerk read the amended budget,
which showed a reduction by the City
of about $1,000, making it only about
$4,000 above last year. Upon the an
nouncement by the President that the
budget was open for discussion, j. Al.
McAnney arose and said he wished to
make a few remarks from the stand
point of a taxpayer. He said he be-
lieyed in making complaint to Council
instead of on the street corners. He
did not wish to be classed as a kicker
or an obstructionist, but he could not
help feeling that some unwarranted
extravaganza had made necessary
such a rate. He said he had the high
est regard for the public schools and
believed they should be adequately
provided for, but that a spirit of eX-
travagance seems to rule in all de-
partments. He concluded by saying
that he did not see how ~Pleasantville
could stand a tax rate of $4,36, and ad-
monished Council and the School
Board to consider well the interests
of the taxpayers before they made I'M
called for expenditures.
Samuel c. Lippincott cited several
instances where property sales had
been affected by the increased rate,
and said that unimproved property
was getting to be a burden.
Several other citizens spoke along
the same lines and registered a vigor-
our protest against the tax rate. Coun-
Gilman Blackman said if there was
any way the rate could be reduced he
wished someone would show him.
Solicitor Champion was called upon
for some information, and stated that
one cause for the increase was that
the net ratables this year would be
about $500, 900 less than last year, and
that the nearest he could figure the
rate 1t would be about $4.48. There
seemed to be a difference of opinion,
and City Clerk Andrews stated that
upon a basis of last years ratab1es
the rate would be about 81. First
Ward Assessor Reuben E. Adams stat
ed that outside of the exemption of
$125, 900 on the waterworks, he could
MT see where there should be any de-
crease in ratables.
The School Board came in for a
great deal of censure, so Vice-Presi-
dent Weaver e~ndeayored to explain
the increased demand by that body.
He said that with the rapid advance in
school equipment and materials the
appropriation of $40, 900 last year fell
short of being enough by $4,000, and
that this year with the prospect of
the Legislature fixing a minimum
teachers salary at 81, 900, they had
to greatly increase their budget to
meet it. He also called to their at
tention the fact that all school dis
tricts were Hncreasing teachers sala-
ries and that it is impossible to get
teachers for another year unless they
can meet the competition elsewhere.
Then another item of expense is the
constantly increasing number of chill
dren coming = into the schools for
whom provisions must be made and
additional quarters secured. Last year
the number increased 252 and several
additional schoolrooms and additional
teachers had to be secured. The num-
Der of pupils this year enrolled is
1547. When he finished those assem-
bled had a better idea of what it costs
to run the school system of the city
than they yer had before.
When all who wished to speak had
been heard, Council passed the reso-
luton to hold a further hearing on the
budget ordinance On Feb. %.