Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-25

tor tne QeDL Oh DOtn the county ant
the municipality.
"As it relates to your county, 1 fee
sure hat you have at the present time
all the bonds that you can safely
carry in your county. The road de-
partment last year took over the Perth
Amboy and the New Brunswick
bridges and the Lincoln Highway, and
1 understand is planning to take over
the shore road this summer. To give
Your county the capital to go on by
a bill which L drafted and introduced
the two hundred and seventy-five
thousand paid by the state for con
| struction on this account was excIud-
ed from the operation of the debt
limit.
at that time the members of your
Board of ~Freeho1ders. on whose be-
half these things were done, stated to
that they could see their way clear
to get along without any increase in
their debt limit. l now find them
joining with other counties in request
this additional borrowing power,
the burden and effect of which 1 fear
is not appreciated by either free
holders or the taxpayers, and neither
will appreciate the real costs of adj
ministering county affairs so long as
bonds can be issued.
ut seems rather severe, but I be-
lieye hat Mlddlesex county would be
for better served IL the costs of such
improvements as are needed were
placed In the budget and raised by
taxation for the next few years or
until the %county's debt is In a better
position.
AS I recall 1t, the last debt state
ment for Middlesex county showed
that 28 per cent. of the county budget
dedicated to the debt service. that
is, payment OF interest, sinking fund
and bond retirement, whereas 1t Is
very generally conceded that 20 per
cent. Is a fairly good proportion of
the budget to be used for this purpose;
25 per cent. Is the top and 80 per
places the county in q position
of having 81 very excessive rate, or
else not being able to give proper
service In other directions, which gen.
orally means that the improvements
already existing are allowed to go
without proper repair and upkeep
1 think is recognized as a very
short sighted policy"
The EVENING NEWS has already
referred to the increased county tax
for this year in spite of the fact that
the burden of maintaining the Amboy
bridge has been assumed by the state
thereby giving the freeholders nearly
$100,O 900 more money to be expended
elsewhere. Also as Assemblyman
Pierson points out, several of the main
county highways have been taken over
by the state thereby giving the free
holders the money that heretofore has
been spent on those highways to be
spent elsewhere.
Under the circumstances and In
view of the urgent necessity of the
strictest economy In all government
a affairs, we believe IT would be unwIse
to attempt to extend the debt limit at
this time.
The fact that both Senator Brown
and Assemblyman DeVoe have an
nounced their Intention of opposing
the measure is nor encouraging to
the advocating of the bills.
While improvements are greatly to
be desired. the great nee at the
present time is economy and the cur
tailment Of credit in every way pos
sible. The investing public is already
flooded with more bonds than it can
absorb. 1t is q dangerous policy to
go on crowding the market I'M
necessarily until world finances have
had q chance to straighten out.