Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-01-25
ITO URGE LOWER
TAXATION PLAN
County Solicitor Prepares
Bill for Consideration of
State Board of Freeh0lderS
WOULD REDUCE TAXES
If Other Boards Favor Bill, it
Will be introduced
Monday

NEW BRUNSWICK, Jan. 25.--
County Solicitor Frederick +. Rich
ardson has drawn up a bill to be
considered by the State Board of
F'reeholders at their conference in
Newark tomorrow which is Intended
to afford relief from the present high
rate of taxes and the steady increase
of taxes. The Middlesex county
Board of Freeholders favor the bill
and the mem bers will endeavor to
have other boards throughout the
state approve of it at the confer
ence tomorrow so that the bill might
be introduced in the legislature.
If approved by the State Board
of Freeholders, it Is the plan of the
Middlesex body to have the bill in
troduced simultaneously in the SEN
ate and assembly. 1t is not known
what legislators would introduce the
bill, although Assemb1yman Harold
G. Hoffman, of Middlesex, has been
mentioned as the one to introduce
the measure in the assembly owing
to his particular interest in financial
matters.
Mr.. Richardson's bill has the
same purpose in view as that sug-
gested by Ex-Governor Stokes, the
reduction of taxes throughout the
state. The bill which the Middlesex
county solicitor has worked up has
three important parts.
The first provision of the bill gives
the freeholders in each county the
right to disapprove Of any bill offer
ent system the bills sent to the couu-
ty board by the heads of certain de-
partments, such as the courts, prose-
cutor's office, sheriff. ETC., must be
paid If these bills have the certif1-
cation of the heads of the respec-
tive departments. This provision Of
giving the freeho1ders power to re-
fuse payment of certain bills, the
Middlesex county freeholders point
out, Will mean considerable reduc-
tion in running expenses.
The second provision of the bill is
that the mandatory requirements,
which now force the freeholders to
appropriate certain amounts for the
determination of mosquitoes, voca-
tional schools, hospitals, mainte-
nance of lunatics, tuberculosis pa
tients. etc, be entirely eliminated.
Under the present system, these
amounts must be appropriated,
whether the county deems it advis-
able or not, the Mtddlesex freehold
ers declare.
The third provision of the bill ap-
pears to be the most important of
any clause. 1t forbids any Board of
Freeholders to certify to the County
Tax Board an amount to be raised
by taxation in any year in excess of
the amount raised by taxation in
1920.
The Middlesex County Freehold
ers feel that the last provision OF
the Richardson bill will give the
relief which cannot be secured un-
der the Stokes plan OF keeping down
the tax rate. Under the Stokes plan
the tax rate cannot exceed that of
the previous year. it is pointed out,
whereas under this suggested plan
the amount to be raised by taxation
! cannot exceed that of 1920, a year
in the postwar period when eX-
penses were considered at their
highest.
County Treasurer F. William Hill
ker in commenting upon the the
Richardson bill maintained that
many of the attacks upon the free
holders for making increased az
preparations are unfair in view cf
the fact that many of the bills pre-
sented to the board must be paid
irregardless of whether the free
holders favor their payment.
For the third time within a few
weeks the freeholiers will today re-
ceive bids for the paving of Borden
town avenue between the tracks of
the trolley line, leading from Stevens
| avenue to Broadway in South Am
boy. The Public Service were the
| lowest bidders for that work, but on
the first occasion no certified check
accompanied the bid, and the second
time no surety bond was furnished
by the Public Service.