Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-22
JUDGE SILzER SPEAKS
At H0LMDEL MEETING
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Judge Silzer's speech follows:

~ bV&tU09 lib VUAA INV
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Judge Silzer's speech follows:
Your letter OF invitation CON-
tanned these words which arrested
my attention:
Can you come and talk to US on
taxation. The backs of farmers are
being broken with the burdensome
taxes and something must be done.
II know his is true, snd since
you are trying to help yourselves,
l am anxious to lend whatever aid
| may.
The most encouraging aspect of
the whole matter. is the fac that
you n others in the State of New
Jersey + becoming aroused to a
condition that must have attention.
So long as the people themselves
are quiesccnt, and do nothing, there
will be no relief.
The farmer probably works
harder and gets less for his labor.
than any one of our citizens, SO
1t is but natural that he should
be the first TO complain of eX-
listing conditions.
THE conditions complained of in
Holmdel are quite prevalent
throughout the State.
I'm 1914 the highest tax rate
was 3.12; in 1918, 4.39. n in
1922, 1874. In 1914 the average
tax rate was 2.02; in 1918. 2.37. and
in 1922, 3.56.
"Assuredly there has been a de-
cided advance toward very high
axes. Taking othe2 agricultural
counties, let us see what has hap
pened:
Burlington, highest rate. 2.S4.
Cape May highest rate. 1853.
Cumberland highest rate, $50.
Gloucester, highest rate, 2.34.
Hunterdon, highest rate, 2.3S.
Monmouth, highest rate, S.12.
Ocean, highest rate, 2.S7.
Salem, highest rate, 2.32.
Somerset. highest rate, 236.
Warren, highest rate, 2.44.
In 1921
Burlington, highest rate 1884.
Cape May highest rate, 80.
Cumberland, highest rate SIS.
Gloucester highest rate, 4.44.
Hunterdcn, highest rate, SIS.
Monmouth. highest rate, ASS.
Ocean, highest rate, 5.35.
Salem, highest rate. 4.16.
Somerset, highest rate, 4.O2.
Warren, highest rate, 4.72.
The rates for 1922 are still high
err, the highest being 9.S7.
There is not use listening to sin
~gle-taxers. inc other political
doctors offering all kinds of nos
trums, for in the last analysis. it
| gets down to what your income is,
and what you are spending. Our
income probably is much the same.
excepting for license fees which
ceased with the advent of prohibit
ton.
"Our expenditures, however, are
very much larger.
II have before me a typical New
Jersey city. In 1914 it's total expen-
ditures were $4,000 In 1922 they
were $1,257,000 more than three
| times as much in seven years. This
| cannot all be accounted for in in
|! creased price or labor and materials.
, The same condition. reflected in the
expenditures of this city, VIII ne
q. found in the expenditures of town.
| ships and boroughs. l am informed
| thai in this very township, in four
years, your budget has gone from
$4,000 to $4,000.
II have no doubt that a some
what similar condition will be found
in the expenditures of the Boards OF
Freeholders of the various counties.
How can our taxes go down, If
our expenditures go up? Truly n
back of farmers are being broken,
and something must be done
1.-THE first thing to be done is to
stop any further increase in our
taxes, and since municipal officers
have not done it voluntarily, we
must make them do it.
IT believe that we should enact
a law that would prevent any tax
rate from being increased over
what it is this year. This at least
would keep taxes from going high
| err. and we should also provide for
a reduction from year to year. so
that we may eventually approach
normal. Making necessary provi-
| sions for emergencies, 1t might
also be well to consider applying
| the same rule to county expendi-
lures.
1--WE already protect ourselves
against the excessive OF
bonds by putting on a limit to whlch
| officials may go, so there is no rea-
son for not protecting ourselves
against excessive taxes. And / DO
not believe that Improvements VIII
| suffer. for we can save the necessary
funds elsewhere.
Ever prudent individual is cut
ting down expenses and living with
in his means. Our public bodies
must do likewise. ,,
TT may be suggested that this
law can be defeated by raising as
sessments. Excepting where assess"
| ments should be raised, IT the pubnc
boards try to defeat this law, the
taxpayers will soon throw them out
of office. .
ut may be that in your township
YOU have an unusual burden of road
expense which should really be upon
| the state. This is true of many OF
| our counties on account of our loca-
tion between two large cities and
| states. which throws an unusual IN
~terstate traffic on our roads, whlch
local municipalities suffer from and
must pay for. Our road problem
| has not been solved by any means.
fortunately the item OF state TAX
ia comparatively small, but 1t Will
grow if not checked, for there IS
even talk of a state ncom tax.
state expenditures must be watched
by the taxpayers and officials. as care
fully as local taxes. if we are to be
| relieved of excessive taxes n high
| costs of living.
II want to see the liveliest interest
in this subject throughout the state,
| for if the people are once aroused
49,, will ann1v the remedy. The dill