Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-01-24

present State Highway Commission,
and in place thereof a board of three
commissioners, who should receive
adequate compensation. l am opposed
also to the employment of engineers
impc rted from other States when there
are experts within the borders of
New Jersey who are equally COM
petent
Bills will be submitted to you along
the lines of these recommendations,
and l firmly believe that in every
portion of the State change in the
highway organization will be welcOm-
ed from boards or bodies now having
concurrent powers
Economy and Efficiency.
The general recommendations with
reference to the State Highway De-
partment will also apply to numerous
state departments which have been
recognized in recent years under
large boards, misstyled Economy and
Efficiency Boards"
An examination of conditions in
these Departments reveals the fact
that such boards take little or no in
terest in the management of their De-
partments, and that it devolves either
upon some appointee or upon one or
possibly two enthusiasts in the various
commissions who are willing to sacri-
fee their time to the State. Such
condition results generally in ineffi-
cheney and in very questionable econ
omy.
A State Department Is, generally
speaking, administrative, and l
strongly recommend the placing of
responsibility for department manage
ment in the hands of smaller commits
sibns, whose duty 1t will be to be in
active session at all times. l shall
deal in a special message with this
subject in detail
Interstate Bridge and Tunnel.
l am opposed to the imposition of
direct taxation for the building of
the Interstate Bridge between Cam
den and Philadelphia, and the Inter-
state Tunnel between Jersey City and
New York. That these improvements
should be speedily undertaken, we are
all agreed. New Jersey, however
cannot finance these important prl
ects by direct taxation. Already lot~.
taxes, both municipal and county,
have largely increased, and the So
called Edge Tax Act for the build
ing of roads forms an added burden.
In principle, it is wrong to pay the
cost of long term Improvement by
direct taxation. The benefits of long
term Improvement should be so as
sessed that they will be paid for dur
ing the life of such Improvement by
the people who receive the benefit.
believe that bond issue should be
undertaken for the building of the
bridge and tunnel. l have no doubt
that the constitutional requirement of
n referendum would result in an ell
thusiastic endorsement by the people.
The bond issue need not be a cifarte
against the taxable real property OF
the State. Both interest and serial
retirements can be met from por-
ton of the moneys now collected from
motor vehicle registration, and when
the tunnel and bridge are operated
this charge can be met from the tolls
collected. This is an application of
the principle that the user pays the
cost. Bills to carry out this program
will be submitted to you early In the
session.
Taxation.
The question of State and local tax
alton will have particular attention In
special messages. Before commune
eating with you on the subject, l de-
sire to make more thorough study of
the financial condition of the State
and the municipalities. AT this time
recommend for your very earnest con-
sideration the steps necessary to be
taken to complete the road program.
l am informed that the moneys raised
under the so-called edge Act will not
pay for more than half of the work
outlined, and that, therefore, at the
end of the five-year period only fifty
per cent of the State highways will
have been properly constructed. The
State, therefore, must consider very
shortly whether it will raise the ball
ance of the money necessary to COM
plete this work by a direct State tax
or through bond issue. am opposed
to further direct State taxes. 1t is a
matter for regret that the highway
program could not have been carried
out with the moneys provided under
the Edge Act. / do believe. however,
If the roads now built are of any value
whatsoever, they are in the nature
of long-term Improvement, and / be-
lieve that the cost of completing these
roads should be met by bond issue.
Upon this subject shall send special
message later to the Legislature, con-
tanning estimates which l will ask the
present State Highway Engineering
Department to prepare, indicating ex-
actly the position in which we find the
highway construction of the State.
Housing.
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