Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-12-28

pany. city auditors, caused not a
little controversy at the meeting OF
the common council last night when
read. Dwelling principally on rec
concentrations made at the begin
ming and the work done by the va
rious offices of the city n taking
exception to the clause dealing with
the collection of unpaid water rents.
Councilman Shuey denounced the
action taken by Water Commission
err John j. Braney for his attitude
in the collection of the money u
the city for water. Mr.. Shuey said:
"The water commissioner not
alone disregarded an ordinance re-
Gently passed by this body. but re-
fused absolutely to live up to his
duty in the collection of h moneys
due to the city. Is not that an out
rage? II l or any other paid en-
ploye refused, as did the commits
sioner of water, to d0 the work as
signed to him. we would be imme-
diately asked to resign from the a
duties. Yet this man in a bold front
tells us that it would require a spe-
cial ordinance to shut of the water
from the premises where water rent
was due. / would suggest charges
being preferred against a man like
this"
Continuing Mr.. Shuey stated that
IL 1t were at the beginning of his
term he would see to it that Braney
sent in his resignation.
81 know and every man in this
audience, as well as the members
of the common council, kntws the
reason for it," he declared. II do
not need to tell it. 1t is Partially
pure and simple. If l or anyone be-
longing to me were in arrears the
water would be shut off and it would
only be a case of him doing his
duty"
Councilman Shuey said that in no
other city would a thing of like ma
ture be tolerated. s.
Answering the councilman from
the first ward, Councilman Stanton
said:
las chairman OF the water de-
partment for the past year 1 should
think that you would see to 1t that
all departments were f~unctioning
properly. Why at this eleventh hour
you bring this matter to the surface
is beyond me-"
Stanton added that he thought 1t
was only a case of leniency to those
who were not in a position to pay
at this time and pointed to the cas-
of a family suffering without water,
claiming that a suit to the city
might happen.
Councilman Lovely in speaking
about the section of the report COW
ering the Board of Health. of which
department he is president, stated
that on advice from the city solicit
tor. he had complied with every
thing pertaining to the law of the
question.
The report of the auditor follows:
Acting Mayor and Council.
"City of South Amboy, N. J..
"Honorablo Gentlemen:
1--WE beg to present the following
tentative report showing in part h
condition of the city for the year
ending December 81, 1921. These
figures are based On a careful esti-
mate and they forecast what may
be expected To be shown on the final
report we will render to you after
the first of January, 1922.
"On the books OF the city there is
thousand. of dollars in poll taxes.
Either little effort has been made to
collect these taxes or they are
worthless; If this is the case and
largely we believe it Is, we ask you to
pass a resolution at this meeting to-
night, empowering the collector to
write these uncoiiectables off his
books. In his department. down.
stairs you will find the very same list
of poll taxes compiled by us in con-
junction with the 1920 audit, still
showing the same parties have not
yet paid their taxes and We believe
it would be absolutely useless for
you to carry them any longer n an
unnecessarily hardship on us, to have
to list them again.
time and time again, we have re-
commended that you look up the
value and have the title cleared on
property in the city on which prop
erty the city is the tax title holder.
We now wish to bring the matter TO
your attention.
sIIoping you will take immediate
action in the matter, so that we will
not be obliged to report it in our fir
al report and thereby having II
reach tn. state department of mu-
nicipal accounts.
at has been the practice in the
pas. to include in the budget an APP
preparation for certain bonds coming
due on the first day of January OF
the year following that in which the
APPROPRIATION vas made. we beg 10
call attention to the fact thai the
budget of a particular year should
take care of appropriations for *
penditures for that year only and
not be made to stand for a lap over
Of the next year.. as La been the
practice in the case of the bonos
here sighted.
.Tf the beard of health method OF
financing is not changed now, II VIII
be our duty to report the matter very
plainly to the commissioner or ac-
counts, advising them that contrary
to our many Recommendations the
Board of Health still continues TO
operate financially in an
manner.
"At our suggestion made about a
month ago. an effort was made to
collect delinquent water rents due
on or before October /. 1921. Whiie
the attempt to collect was to a large
amount successful. still there IS
about $2,5C0 that should have been
collected had the proper parties IN
charge compiled with the ordinance
of h city and with the instructions
which we think was given them by
the chairman of the water commit
tee-namely to shut off h water
from those who had not paid their
water taxes to October 1. 1921. we
can assure you tina. the ordinance or
the instructions to turn of the water
was not obeyed. il you will accept
an attached list of unpaid water
rents as of October 1, 1921.
Great credit is due the chairman
OF the water department n chair-
man of the finance committee anu
together with them, the collector and
his assistants for their labors in col