Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-02
HIGH CITY TAX
RATE EXPLAINED
Increase of Ninety-Four Cents
Result of Popular Demand
for Improvements Here.
COULD HAVE BEEN S3.16
County Rates Are Completed,
Showing Jamesburg With
$4.52 to be High.

III the Board OF Aldermen had not
hearkened to the popular demand
for improvements which increased
the city tax rate 106 points, Perth
Amboy would this year have had a
tax rate of 1916, which is lower by
twenty cents than last years, instead
or the present rate of $3.50, an in
crease OF ninety-four cents over last
years. according to a statement
made this morning by City Comp
troller Olaf j. Morgenson to Alder
man William c. Wilson, one of the
members of the aldermanic finance
committee.
Comptroller Morgenson's state
ment to Alderman Wilson explained
the increased tax rate is as follows:
The increase In the amount to be
raised by taxes for the year 1920
over 1919 consists of the following:
Losses in revenues coming from ex-
else licenses. about $4,000: water
surplus. the water department having
put this surplus into reduced water
rates, $39, 900; this total of s109, 900
less increase in other revenues
amounts to about 100000. The in
crease in the school appropriation is
$135, 1000. The increase in the city's
general appropriation consists of the
following: Salaries and wages in
crease for police (by popular vote),
street department men (petltioned
for), fire janitors (also petitioned
for) and city's clerical and admins
trative force, about $50, 900; increase
in garbage contract, $4,000; appro-
priations for the retirement of bonds,
outside of sinking fund requirements,
over that of last year. SIT 7,000 vari-
Gus smaller increases covering the
requirements of the poor, police
pensions. harbor. fire alarm. lamps
and lights, public library. printing.
contingent, city planning, etc, about
$4,000.
'"The 100000 loss from revenues
would increase the tax rate 80 points,
the increase in school appropriation
means ar additional increase of Al
points, the increase in salary repre-
sents an increase of Is points. the
garbage contract an increase of 5
points, the appropriation for the re-
tirement of bonds another point in
crease and finally the miscellaneous
increases represent a ten point rise.
These figures show total increase of
106 points or $1.06 per $100 valuation
Consequently if it had been pos
sible to have avoided the losses of the
revenues and had there been no in
creases in 'she school and other appro-
priations the tax rate instead of be-
ing $4.30 would have been 1924 and
deducting the increase in the county
safe school and road taxes of eight
cents. this would have further re-
duced the city tax to $3.16-which
is twenty cents lower than that of
last year
1T is also obvious that of the
amounts which go to make up the tax
rate of $3.50, seventy-nine points are
caused by conditions over which those
responsible for passing the local tax
ordinance and budget had no con-
troll, namely county state school and
road tax, eight cents loss of revenues
thirty cents and schools forty one
cents"
the complete table of tax rates for
each municipality in Middlesex coun-
ty shows Jamesburg with a rate or
S452 per 800 valuation to have the
highest. Perth Amboy and Dunel-
len both with $4.30 are second and
Plainsboro, a newly formed munich
pality, has not had it's tax rate an
nounced at yet. 1t being held up until
the local tax list Is furnished to the
County Board of Taxation.
New Brunswick's tax rate this year
Is ninety-six cents more than that of
last year. the figures being $4.l0 as
compared to $314 In 1919. Perth
Amboy's increase is ninety-four
cents, last years rate being 1886,
and that this year s4.30.
South Amboy Is the only municipal
ity in the county with q 1920 tax
rate lower than that of last year,
that city having a drop of thirty-five
cents
Following is a comparison of the
1919 and 1920 tax rates Of the vari-
Gus municipalities in Middlesex
county.