The Penn's Grove record., 1920-01-16
Council Again
Fails to Organize
Mercantile Tax Serious Problem
Solicitor Insists Ordinance
Is Sound and Taxes
Must Be Paid

night. Mayor Hunt presided and the
following were present: Messrs.
Pyne, Borden, Keen, Fahy, Council
men; Borough Clerk Hunt, Treasurer
Featherer, Building Inspector Pom
there, Solicitor Leap
Treasurer Featherer reported a
balance on hand of S3,382.38.
When the matter of organization
was suggested MI. Keen moved that
it again be postponed until the next
regular meeting and there was no op-
position
The sum Of $500 was appropriated
FOR the use of the Liberty Fire Com
pany.
1t was questioned whether that sum
could be appropriated under the law,
which stipulates $3.50 as the limit for
such a purpose.
Solicitor Leap was under the i'm
preston, however, that a later law
permitted a greater sum than $3.50 to
be used for the fire department. I'm
fortunately a new condition has arisen
through still later legislation provid-
ing that from January 1, 1920, NUM-
cipal governing bodies must eliminate
appropriations to volunteer fire COM
panies, libraries and boards of health,
and that these organizations, to get
any financial help from the municipal
tiles, must present bills of actual and
certified expenses to the governing
bodies, which will be paid up to a GER
tain limit if the bills are according to
the new law. If an appropriation is
made it must be for up-keep of equip
ment and actual expenses. If the
companies earn any mony from fairs
or other entertainment it belongs to
them, to do with as they please.
The only solution is for the fire de-
partment to come under Borough con-
troll.
The Board of Health asked that they
be given an appropriation of $500 for
the current year. This will be con-
sidered when the budget is made up.
The bonds of Constables-elect Joseph
B. Harbeson, Horace Brewer and
Walter Curriden, in the sum of 5000,
were presented and accepted.
AS the Salem and Penns Grove
Trolley Company has applied to the
State Board of Public Utility Commits
sioners for permission to increase
their rate of fare to seven cents for
each fare limit or division, a notice
was ordered published authorizing the
Borough Solicitor to represent the
citizens of Penns Grove at the hearing
to be held in Trenton or January 9th
if a sufficient number offered objec-
ton to warrant such procedure.
The matter of the recent audit of
the Borough's financial affairs by the
Municipal Accountants of the State
was again discussed. The voluminous
report of this audit was due to the
I fact that during the war and the
boom in Penns Grove incident thereto
hundreds of names were added to the
list of residents of the Borough as
taxpayers I'M one form OF another.
Thousands of dollars were assessed
that was never collected and v
can be as most of these people we're
"birds of passage" here and gone.
Hence the Borough is carrying as an
asset a large amount of unpaid taxes
as dead wood, merely a theoretical
mount due. 1t took a lot of work. to
get this Strengthened out so that en-
suing budgets will not be encountered
with this "stage money"
The Importance of the work was
demonstrated by Solicitor Leap, who
stated that Penns Grove and Atlantic
City were the only municipalities IN
the State that hesitated over paying
the cost of the work. He thought,
however, that the Borough was justl-
fed in asking for a reduction from the
sum charged, S1100, and it was more
than likely the State would accept a
much less sum-. The expense OF the
audit in the future will not exceed
$3.50.
Treasurer Featherer said the assess
ment of about $500, 900 for last year
would be exceeded this year, but ne
did not think it would go over the
So, 900, 900 mark.
The budget is not completed, but 1t
is hoped to give it final consideration
at the next meeting.
Some surprise was created by bor-
ough Clerk Hunt when he stated that
while the budget for the past year only
nrovided for about $45,000 to be ex-