Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-05-01
Citizens Club Talks
On Tax Issue and
Other Local Topics

The most enthusiastic meeting of
the Citizens Club of Cliffside was held
last week before one of the largest
gatherings in the history of the organ
ization. Members of the borough
council We're present and were piled
with questions on various public top
les.
The principal talk of the evening
was on the subject of the present high
tax rate Councilman Post said that
he was glad the matter had come up
because he felt that it was proper that
everybody should interest themselves
in this subject. Later in the evening
President c. B. Hearn, referring to the
borough's tax rate, felt that it could
be reduced by increasing the number
of taxpayers. He thought this was the
best move that could be made because
it would prevent the necessity of try
ing to block public improvements
Seymour n. Sears felt that Cliffside
Park needed publicity to bring invest
ors and was in favor of any move in
the direction that would give wider
fame to the borough. He felt that an
appeal of this sort should be made to
the people and strong effort made
to bring about some form of adyertis-
ing that would bring in men of money
and boost the borough's great assets as
a residential suburb and business cen
ter. He did not feel that the taxes
were overly high compared to property
values. He was roundly applauded for
his ringing speech.
Mr.. Erich Lehsten said that the feel
ing in the borough towards local i'm
provements was still strong, but he
felt that all assessments for public i'm
provements should be on the borough
at large rather than in sectional in
stances, such as Gorge Road, for in
stance. To this Mr.. Vosburgh, a mem
Der of the Assessment Commission, ex-
planned matters in this connection Mr..
Fridlington gave talk of protest on
the Lawton avenue improvement, say
ing that it was private enterprise.
George N. Venebles again brought
up the matter of taxing the Palisades
Amusement Park at a higher rate and
felt that it would decrease the public
burden. He also felt that this should
apply to all large holdings
A number of other speeches on the
fax issue were heard during the even
ing, one by f. X. Pearson of West
Brentwood. Chairman Lehsten of the
Zoning Committee said that the final
passage at Trenton of the coming bill
had been announced as advocated by
this club He said that Mayor Cadien
had made him chairman of commit
tee looking after the coming matter.
Postmaster MattisOn spoke of prog
ress that had been made in the cam
paign for establishing a free delivery
postal system. Only one candidate for
the position of mail carrier had been
sent in. Chairman Siegrist said that
he had about $50 signatures for the
free delivery system.
Councilman Flood reported that he
had been trying to get council board
to keep up interest in the local home
guard, as he felt that they were need
ed today more than at any other time
during the war because of the bOr
ough's proximity of a great factory
section in Edgewater on account of the
social unrest that existed in that sec
ton. Mr.. Sears replied that the Dor
ough had very potential home guard
of its own marshals, which were ready
at all times to preserve order.