Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1921-04-16
TAX ISSUE THE MOST IMPORTANT
BEFORE STATE AT PRESENT Time:
REVIEW BY WILLARD BURDETT

Alluded to as the most important
question before the state today, the
County Committee of the Bergen Re
publicans held an interesting taxation
session on Wednesday night last
Speeches were made by a number of
prominent men Of the party, but the
most important utterance was by Will
lard j. Burdett, who gave his best
thought to taxes. Among other things
he said:
"The law creating county boards of
taxation in this state was enacted in
1906, and until that year no records
were in existence in this county per-
tanning to taxation. From 1906 to
the current year, these records are
complete and open for public inspec-
ton at all times.
I'm 1906 there We're assessed in
this county 100000 lots and 124.1O7
acres of land.
THE assessed valuation of land and
buildings in. the county in that year
was S35,0SO,637, and the personal prop
erty assessment was So. $40. 1853. The
net valuation taxable being $50, $50, 1913.
The county budget was $27S.917.S8.
The state and county tax rates in
1906 were: State schools Is cents;
county, 46 cents.
The highest local rate in the county
was in the Borough of Fort Lee, S3.45.
and the lowest in Riverdale Township,
$O.94. The average rate in the county
was $2.1S. The County Tax Board in
that year heard and disposed of 4S3
tax appeals.
in 1921 there are assessed in the
county 1859 acres and 263, OS6 lots
of land a difference in number of lots
of 122,6S6. Still, the decrease in the
acreage assessment was only 1858
acres, which proves that under county
supervision land that had not been
paying its just share toward the cost
of government was placed where it
rightfulIy belonged, on the tax lists.
The table of ratables for 1921 will
show the assessed valuation of land
and buildings to be S1SS,944. 4SO. an
increase of $133 1863. S43, and the per-
sonal property assessment this year is
S36, $50, 632, or $31, 1O1 ,146 more than
in 1906
"The net valuation taxable in 1921
is S226, 79S, 492, nearly four times great
er than it was fifteen years ago, and as
the valuation of taxable property in
creased, so has the expenditure of
money, for in 1921 we find the state
school budget to be $573 442.25, and
that of the county 50, 1O4, OS1 SO, an in
crease in the latter over 1906 of
S1,S25, 1870. The state school rate for
the present year is % cents, and the
county rate $.9196.
THE highest local rate in the county
this year is 500 in the Township of
Lodi and the lowest is $1.59 in the
Borough of Teterboro. Strange to say,
III point Of population these are the
smallest municipalities in the county.
Appeals to the County Board must
be filed by June 10, the original with
the board and copy to the clerk of
the municipality. Decision must be
made by September, but they are
not rendered before a personal inspec-
ton is made of the premises under
dispute.
There are several types of asses
SOrS, some of them are conscientious
and endeavor to fulfil their duties;
then there are others who sit at their
desks and make up their figures, and
seem to think they should try to put
something over ON the board. These
are the men we are trying to get rid
Of
THE motto of the board is to equal
ize property and practice common
sense"
County Clerk w. p. Eager sounded
a note of warning in his remarks
when you get taxation so high that
it keeps people from coming here
your development is going to stop.
We should make the private dollar
equal in purchasing value with the
tax dollar. There is a limit to taxa
ton. We can accommodate at least
one half million of people more If
our undevel0ped land is put into build
| ing lots"