Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-06-20
PROTEST MADE
ON ASSESSMENT
Large Delegation of Taxpay-
ers Invade City Hall to
Make Complaints
NEW PUBLIC HEARING
Citizens Will be Given Anoth-
er Chance to Present
Their Claims

A large delegation of residents
along Keene, Alpine, Lawrence and
Grove streets appeared at city hall
last night and protested to the al
dermen against the final assess
ments which have just been made
by the assessors for the work OF
curbing and grading these streets.
The property owners maintained
that the charge now being asked of
them is considerable more than they
were told would be assessed and
many declared that they were not
given an opportunity to be heard on
the matter as they did not receive
notice of the public hearing on the
final assessments until the day after
the hearing was held.
The aldermen gave all of the
residents who desired to do so an
opportunity TO address the board.
Practically all of them spoke along
similar lines, declaring that they
were told before the work was done
that the cost would be about S25
and not over $50 for twenty-five
foot lot. Now that the assessments
have been made, they claimed. most
of the bills were in the neighbor-
hood of $50 and few more than
this.
The residents not only protested
against what they declared were
excessive assessments, but argued
that the curbing had already begun
to crack and fall, the rains washing
these pieces away. By the time the
city is ready TO pave the street, the
residents maintained the curbs will
be in such poor condition that new
ones will again have to be laid and
the present expense will be for prac-
tically nothing.
1t is customary Alderman-at-
Large Richard ]. Calvin explained
to the delegation for the Board OF
Assessors 10 notify property owners
along the line of a proposed i'm
provement of a public hearing at
which they can be heard prior 10
the boards decision on final assess
ments. The aldermen he told the
delegation are not responsible for as
sessments made, but can refer back
final assessments to the Board OF
Assessors for investigation.
Chairman Calvin asked the pro-
testing residents if they had re-
ceived notice of the public hearing
on these assessments and immedi-
ately a dozen or more rose and de-
clared that the notices were late in
reaching them, not being received
by them until the day after the
hearing was scheduled to be held.
The residents also pointed out
that if the time for the hearing
was set for the afternoon
il was impossible for them 10 at
tend as all o. them worked days.
They requested a night hearing be-
fore the assessors.
Alderman BENJAMIN A. Riedy in
formed the delegation that the work
was one of the cheapest jobs ever
done in the city. He then added
that the residents in the northern
section of the city want a street
sprinkler to go over their streets
occasionally and garbage removed
as well. Alderman Thomas Patten'
chairman of the street committee.
said he thought the garbage was
collected all over the city but sew
eral of the visiting delegation de-
clared that garbage was reVer col
lected in that section.
The matter of the dump also
came up. The visiting delegation
asked abandonment of the present
dump owing TO smell and nuisance
caused by it. When the garbage IS
burned in hot weather, the resi-
dents declared. it was impossible to
open the windows of homes in that
section.
The aldermen settled the assess
ment matter by passing a motion by
Alderman Albert G. Waters author
izing the clerk to return the f1nal
assessments to the Board of Asses
sors with the request that they In
yestigate the assessments and hold
a public meeting at night for the
purpose of hearing the protests OF
the residents in that section. The
city attorneys opinion was secured
on the legality of this action and ne
said the aldermen were within their
l.