The Penn's Grove record., 1920-01-23
County Budget
Is Explained
Reports of Committees on Coun-
ty Road Building

The committee on finance made the
following explanation of the budget
for 1920, recommended to the BOARD
of Freeholders and taxpayers:
This budget provides for $219,845.03
to be raised by taxes. This is but
$2,085.14 more than last veal but the
reduction in the ratables of about
$7,500,000, has made it necessary to
increase the rate from fifty-six cents
on the 500 in 1919, to seventy cents
on the 500 to raise the amount in
question. This budget provides for
$4,000 for the payment of temporary
bonds issued to build the road from
Penns Grove to Woodstown Federal
Aid Project No. y. As these bonds
together with those issued for the road
from Lower Canal Bridge to Plant No.
2 (Second Section of the Penns Grove
Pennsville ROAD amount to $167, 900,
and all become due in 1922, your Com
mittee feel that sound finance requires
at least one-third of this amount or
$4,000 to be raised in 1920. With the
decrease in ratables above mentioned,
it would be impossible to raise this
sum in 1920 without further increasing
the tax rate or cu1tailing the con-
struction work you have contemplated.
Your Committee have therefore
placed the amount to be raised for the
payment OF these bonds at $4,000,
hoping that next year will show such
an increase in ratables as will make
it possible to raise the sum necessary
for these bonds without further in
c~reasing the tax rate or ~curtailing the
construction work.
If such an increase does not occur,
your Committee feel it their duty to
bring to your attention the fact that
in 1921 and 1922 you will have to take
one OF the following courses of action:
/. Curtail construction work.
2. Increase the tax rate materially.
3. Replace the present temporary
bonds with permanent bonds when
they become due. Interest and l
plus 20 of principal each year will re-
quire about 1900 the first year, re-
ducing annually for twenty years to
$1,000, which will mean a tax rate of
about four cents on the 500 of valu-
alton at the beginning of the period,
reducing to two cents on the 500 at
the end thereby.
This budget provides appropriations
for the various departments which
your Committee feel will be sufficient
1t will be necessary, however, to use
the usual rigid economy in order to
keep the expense within the appropri-
alton without neglecting or sighting
the work.
An examination of the 4th annual
report of the State Board of Taxes
and Assessments shows that the tax
rate per 500 of valuation for the
several counties for the year 1919, was
as follows:
Warren 1888; Union, .389; Passaic.
.391; Camden, 1896; Atlantic, 1899;
Mercer. ATS; Cumberland, .498; Salem
$50; Essex, .566; Hudson, .605; Som
erset, .644; Bergen, .654; Monmouth,
500; Gloucester, TIP; Middlesex, .719;
Sussex. .734; Burlington, 1852; Cape
MAY, 1853; Hunterdon, .803; Ocean
.816; Morris, 1858.
The County Roads
The Committee on Roads made the
following report:
Malaga-Penns Grove Road-3rd
Section-From Pilesgrove Township
Line to Woodstown-Your contractor
has done very little work since the
last report. He has been graveline
near Woodstown, but he has been
stopped by the freezing weather. An
estimate has been allowed him amount
ing to S1191.68. This estimate has
been signed by neither the Engineer
nor the Supervisor for the reason that
the contractor has neglected to do the
work necessary to make the road
which leads from this road to Har-
risonville, passable. Your contractor
has been repeatedly warned that nc
further estimates would be approved
until this work was done. AT youl
December meeting you extended time
for the completion of this road h
January 1st, 1920. Your Committee
recommended that further extension OF
time to April 1st, 1920, be given te
the contractor. -,
Malaga-Penns Grove Road-4tf
and 9TH Sections-From Lawnside
Cemetery at Woodstown through
Sharptown to Pointers-Auburn Road
Your contractor has been keeping
this road in condition as required by
his contract. A bill amounting tt
sS7S.63 has been approved for pipes
and work on entrances not included II
his contract.
Your Committee met with Ir
Henry Weber in regard to the drain
age of his fields at Sharptown ano
agreed to put in for him, a pipe acros:
the road leading to the Auburn road
nd to place a ditch on the north side
Of the new road, so as to take the
water from the pipe to the ditch al
the west side of the Sharptown'
Swedesboro road. A member of the
Township Committee was present anc
agreed to clean out the ditch on the
west side of the Sharptown-Swedes
boro road, from your rood to the pipe
which crosses the Sharptown-Swedes
ooro road just north of the Creamery
Malaga-Penns Grove Road-7tf
Scction-From Layton's Lake te
Penns Grove.-Your contractor has
completed this road and it was q
cepted by your Committee last month
An estimate amounting to $1,O74.SI
III -xz... o1r%-oo%or A