Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-01-18
T0F|N|SH
ON VALUATIONS
City and County Unite to 0p-
pose Efforts to Boost
Valuations
COUNTY SESSION HERE
Big Open Tax Meeting Will be
Held Here on Friday
Night

NEW BRUNSWICK, Jan. 1S.-
Further action III the fight being
waged by :he newly organized coun-
ty taxpayers association against in
creased vCiuations in MiddleseX, as
desired by the state board of tax
alton, was taken last night at a
meeting OF the executive committee.
The conference eook place in the
board of trade building here.
An important step in the proceed
ing was the addition to the member
ship of the executive committee OF
three men well versed in property
values in this county and elsewhere.
They were Charles A. Mccormick
and James A. O'Counell, of this city,
and Clancy Boynton, of Perth Am
boy. A. G. Clark, of Perth Amboy,
has accepted the vice presidency OF
the organization ana was present at
last nights meeting. as was Oliver
r. Hatfield, of the Perth Amboy
Industrial A ssociation.
Russell J. WATSON, OF Highland
PARK, was retained as counsel for the
taxpayers association and it is un-
ders.ood nG will aid Thomas Hag-
erty, who Is attorney for the county
tax board in showing the state board
that Midd,esex is taxed as are the
Otner cOuElleS III tllC Stdte.
The report of c. $. Atkinson, sec
retary of the association, showed the
response from the citizens of the
county to be very gratifying. Peti-
tions containin applications for
membership have been sent to every
mayor an! everY industrial and
business organization in the coun-
ty, the secretary said. and in all cases
they have peen freely signed. This
fac. leads the committee to believe
that the motive which led to the or
ganization cf the association has the
active support of the county.
Midtown and Highland Park at
present have the largest representa-
ton among the mel bers. it was de-
clarcd, but indica ions point to active
support by Pertt Amboy. Metuch-
en-, too, will be well represented.
Interest manifested itself last
night concerning the action taken at
Trenton yesterday when the coun-
ty board of taxatiop appeared before
the state board N answer to sum-
mons. Report has il that the county
hoard was informed by the state
hoard thai records of sale prices in
Middlesex has been obtained show
ing concluSively that assessments
here are far below true values.
While formed primarily to pro-
tect the taxpayers of the county
against the increase in ratableS pro-
posed by the State Board of Taxa
ton following the protest filed by
Union county. tho trend of last
nights session seems to indicate
that the organization may be made
a permanent body that will endeaV-
or to keep an eye on all matters ap-
nprfaininp pnI1ntV and
nicipal affairs insofar as they affect
the taxpayers of this county. The
general feeling is that taxes are far
too high and that much may be
accomplished by supervision under
the direction of representative
body such as this.
With reference to the progress
made by the county board in re-
viewing tax duplicates recently file2
by municipal assessors. it was men,
toned last night that the only sec
tions complete are Sayrevillc and
Perth Amboy. A field agent of the
state tax board will be here on
Thursday and accompany the coun-
ty board to Sayreville for the pur-
pose of instituting an investigation
into the alleged low valuation per-
centage there. State board officials
declare that Sayreville's assessment
is but 1875 per cent. of the true
value and that this rating is the
lowest in the county.
The question of the inequality of
Middlesex county ratables as COM
pared to those of other counties in
the state was brought up yesterday
in the course of the conference be-
tween the state board and the Mid
dlesex county board at Trenton. 1t
was said by the state board mem
bers that Middlesex was not assess
ed in just proportion, and Sayre-
vile and Raritan township were
pointed out as showing fragrant vio-
lations of the tax law in that the
rate was far too low.
Continued on page ~
p. A. Hdwe. White Sale Now Going On.