Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-04-30
GAN NOW ACT ON
VALUATIONS
State Tax Board Given Power
to Remedy Under Assess
ments in Any Taxing Dist.
[By Evening News Correspondent

TRENTON, April S0.-For the
first time in the history of New Jer-
sey,. the State Board of Taxes and
Assessment now has the definite au-
thority to remedy inequalities or In
der assessments in any county or
taxing district. This has been made
possible by the enactment OF the re-
cent legislature and 1t has mater
tally strengthened the taxing ma
chinery of the state. The bill giv1
ing this power was the most import
ant of a number of measures enacted
by the law-making body. increasing
the duties and the authority of the
state board.
The law to relieve conditions OF
under assessment and inequalities is
now known as Chapter $50, and 1t
provides that where the board be-
lieves the assessment to be inequi-
table or not in strict compliance
with the statute. it shall order or
make a complete reassessment. The
board may do this with it's own en-
ployees and under its own direction,
or it may direct the assessor to do
it under the boards direction and
according to any rules that the
boof PkNoS4 y IL oSL plofldCS
that this reassessment shall be COM
plete and the valuation certified to
the county board on or before the
fifteenth day of March, so that it
would be necessary for the board to
get in touch with the original assess
ment when 1t is turned over by the
assessor or board of assessors to the
county board, and have the reas-
sessment begun Immediately.
Chapted 271 gives the state board
power after investigation to file in
the Office of the supreme court a
complaint setting forth charges
against an assessor who has wilfully
or intentionally failed, neglected or
refused to comply with the tax laws.
"A copy Of the complaint must be
served personally upon the assessor
at least ten days before the hearing.
The power Of the removal is in the
supreme court. The proceedings on
behalf Of the board are to be con-
Quoted by the attorney general. Any
assessor removed shall not be eligible
to hold the Office again for five years.
Chapter 138 requires the applica-
ton of the tax rates of the current
year to the valuation of the first and
second class railroad property. The
law previously provided that the val
uatipn and the assessment Of the
tax or second class railroad prop
erty be completed by the first day OF
November of each year. Under this
law it was necessary for the state
board to use the only rates that it
had, which would be the rates of
the year previous to that for which
the taxes were intended. This also
requires the use of the average of
4hnSo Inv rofoa nyhtc1 HvvNyy1A also 10
the rate Of the year previous to that
for which the taxes were intended.
Under Chapter 1873 this board Is re-
quired to complete its valuation by
the first day of November. and to
give the railroads an opportunity to
review the valuation and not the
completed tax assessment. The tax
rates to be applied to this valuation
are the rates of the year for which
the taxes r intended.
One section of this act calls upon
the board to revise the assessment
of railroad taxes for this year, and
already certified to the comptroller
and the bills submitted to the rail-
road companies. This revision calls
for the substitution of the new rates
now being received for the rates of
last year, and the application OF the
laws w lltN NdiddllOl, WiLlCIl Will
result in a substantial increase in
the taxes on second class property
and also in the average tax rate to
be applied to the first class. Under
this section of the act this assess
ment must be completed and filed
with the comptroller and the COM
panies by June first.
Chapter 40 will obviate the ne
cessity OF c%ertiorari proceedings to
review the assessment OF misoellan-
eous corporation taxes on those
companies that have failed to file
the reports as required by the law.
and have been assessed on the full
authorized capital stock in default.
Under the original law, a corporation
had four months in which to appeal
to the board and to show that.
through negligence, it had failed to
file its report and was entitled to a
reduction because the amount Of the
issued capital stock was less than the
full authorized capital stock. After
the four months had elapsed it was
necessary for the corporations to
have the proceedings reviewed by
certlorari If the facts were as repre-
sented. Chapter ITO simply abol-
ishes the four months limit and al
lows the board to review a miscel-
laneous corporation assessment at
any time. completely doing away
with the necessity OF certiorari pro-
ceedings.
In addition to the acts definitely
dealing with the powers of the State
Board, the legislature enacted an
assembly concurrent resolution
which brings to life the tax commits
sion Of 1919, composed of Frank B.
Jess. Of Camden; Senator Clarence c.
Case. of Somerset; Assemblyman Ar
thur N. Pierson. of Union; George
T. Smith and George l.. Record, of
Jersey City. The resolution calls
upon this commission to prepare for
presentation to the 1922 legislature
a bill or bills which will provide for
the following:
First, the elimination of all per-
sonal property, including machinery
raw materials, stock on hand, in
vestments and accounts from taxa
ton.
Second. the levying OF a state in
come tax on a sliding scale on all
incomes in access Of $1,000.
Third, a referendum for the adop-
ton or rejection OF these bills to
the voters of New Jersey at the gen.
eral election to be- held November,
1922.
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