Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-30
NO MORE STATE TAX.

veto any bridge-tunnel bill that comes
before him carrying with 1t a state
tax. Now that assembly has on
Cured in the senate action adding a
Estate tax to this measure the governor
may be expected to carry out bis an
nounced intentions. The bill as it nov
stands provides for a bond issue of
s2S, 00O,0 900 to build a tunnel under
the Delaware and would impose a
state tax to nance these projects for
the first Eve years after which they
are supposed to be self-supporting
through tolls.
Judging from the way several of the
leading partisan bills passed by the
Legislature have been re-enacted over
the governors veto during the past
few days, there is every reason to be-
lieve hat even should the governor
veto the bridge-tunnel measure as 1t
now stands 1t will become q law
despite the governors objections.
1t is the people. however, who have
the final say in this matter. No bond
Issue of over 100000 can be saddled
on this state without first referring
the matter to the voters through a
referendum at a general election. If
judge the temper OF the people
Alright they are in no mood to endorse
any proposition that adds more to the
state tax they are already paying. To
saddle a bonded debt of S2S. 900, 900
with the prospect of II amounting to
a great deal more than that before the
work is finished. is bad enough in IT
self, but to ask the people to volun-
tarily increase their tax burden In
order that this tunnel between Jersey
City and New York and bridge be-
tween Camden and Philadelphia may
built is decidedly too much to ex-
pect of human nature.
The taxpayers are already paying a
tax of ten cents on every 500 of
valuation to pay for the state highway
This state tax was to have
continued but five years. Now we
that it Is going to continue in
definitely. A few years G the mere
Of a state tax would have
a storm Of protest. The need
Of good highways was 50 apparent.
however, and the idea of paying for
such roads as we went along seemed
so wise hat the highway a. was !
accepted. Now that the
precedent has been established it
seems SO easy to repeat the process.
Now is time to kill his tendency
before it gets any further. Enough is
We want no more state tax
10 matter what it may be for.
Let the people kill this bridge-tun-
lei bill with its state tax provision
is dead as a door nail If the governor
to veto it, or IL the legislature
iares to pass 1t over his veto.
But 1t will require a heavy vote
throughout the state to kill this pro-
ect. The Hudson tunnel and the
Delaware bridge have been linked to-
,ether so as TO make the double pro-
ect attractive to both ends of the
Hudson county ian be depended
upon to favor the bond issue. swallow
the state tax and all, because Hud
son is mainly to benefit from the pro-
posed tunnel. So also will Camden
vote by a big majority for the project. |
including the state tax, because CAM
den is extremely anxious for a bridge |
across the Delaware river to Phila-
delphia. 1t will be necessary for the
rest of the state, therefore, to turn
out in large numbers and swat the |
a fatal blow to overcome the
vote in the large centers
of population such as Jersey City and
But killed 1t must be. With taxes
lowering around 81 on every 800
valuation all over the state. Perth AM
boy paying a rate of $3.50 on the 500,
Is time to let the public officials who
go on adding to the burden
know where they get off. Impress
upon them hat curtailment in public
expenditures Is what is wanted not a
continual piling UP Of debt and ex-
pensea.
If this $2S. 900. 900 scheme to build
q tunnel under the Hudson and a
bridge over the Delaware gets by the
legislature and the governor 1t is up
to the people to kill It at the election
in the fall. Every taxpayer who
wants to see public expenses reduced
will make it a point to vote no" on
the proposition of this s2S,000. 900
bond issue.
II