The Penn's Grove record., 1923-01-12
County FreehOlders
Increase Budget
More Hard Roads Wanted. Spec
ials Appropriations In
constitutional

monthly meeting for this year, the
Board of Chosen Freeholders for
Salem County, on Wednesday, passed
the budget for a hearing which will
be held in the Court House, on
Thursday, January 25th. This bud
get will be found in full in the adj
vertising columns of the Record.
There was but one modification made
in the budget as submitted by the
Finance Committee, which had held
several meetings in its preparation.
Rather, we should say, that two
changes were made
The Board has been asked to APP
pirate $4,000 towards the final
purchase of the home bought by
Harry p Morrison Post, American
Legion, of Salem. This building,
which is an old and well preserved
mansion, on Broadway, was taken
yer by the Post, and they want to
have it clear. At the same time they
felt that as it was to be a home for
veterans, a social hall for the commu-
nifty, the taxpayers of the county
could afford to assume some of the
Indebtedness. The Finance Commit
tee, after hearing the parties, decided
that s. 5000 would be too much and
recommended $1,000. The consensus
of opinion of the Board, however, was
not changed from the first they had
first been approached, which was, that
as Salem was so far away from all
the other big communities of the
county, it would not really be a
county memorial, and so, on Wednes-
day, they struck out the appropria-
ton of 81 900 for this project.
At the meeting last week, citizens
of Salem asked the Board to appro-
pirate $4,000 to ward a Legion club
house in Salem. When the budget
was read, Messrs. S. M. Layman, the
Civil War veteran, and George Ga
venta, noticed $1,000 had been placed
in the budget by the Finance Commit
tee.
Unconstitutional
Mr.. Gaventa had the Clerk to read
from a Legislative Manual the fol-
lowing part of the Constitution of the
State of New Jersey, Article l, par
paragraphs 10 and 20.
10. No county, city borough, town,
township or village shall hereafter
give any money or property, or loan
its money or credit to or in aid of
any individual, association or corpor-
alton, or become security for or be
directly or indirectly the wner of
any stock or bonds of any associa-
ton or corporation.
20. No donation of land or appro-
priation of money shall be made by
the State or any municipal corpora
ton to or for the use of any saciety,
association o. corporation whatever.
The Legion Posts are only individ-
ual associations for social meetings
and personal enjoyment.
Mr.. Layman made a motion to
strike the 81 900 appropriation from
the budget, which was carried. A
motion to reconsider the vote was lost.
At the same time they were con-
WINGED that the department of Chart
ties and Corrections was not ade-
quately provided for by an %appropria-
ton of only $4,000 and voted to add
another thousand, which makes the
total $1,000 less than last year.
1t is significant that the budget of
Salem County for the ensuing year
will be 1892, 542.46, as compared with
$470,542.46 in 1922. Of course many
taxpayers will wonder at this and
even question the necessity for such
a difference, but it must be remem-
bered that Salem County of today is
not like that of a decade or two ago.
The times have changed. Even the
taxpayers who grumble most at the
increase of taxes or public expense
demand things that their f~orebearers
never thought of.
In this connection it might be well
to state that the men who conduct
the business of the county do not
contemplate doing any public work
that will bring about an increase in
the tax rate. In fact, at the meeting
on Wednesday, they refused to meet
the wishes of a delegation from the
Board of Freeholders of Cumberland
County and bind the county to CON
struct the two miles of the CarlPs
Corner road that will complete the
link of a modern hard surface high
way between Penns Grove and Attain
tic City by way of Salem, Bridgeton,
Vineland and in that direction.
Director Chambers, of the Cumber-
land Freeholders, and Solicitor Ros-
coe Ward, together with members of
the Board, put up a strong plea at a
hearing that was held IN Wednesday
afternoon, but they could notchange
the attitude of the local Board be-
cause they could not see their way
clear to finance such a project in 1923
no matter how much it may be de-
sired. At the same time, they will,
through the Road Committee, make
an inspection of the road, and if the
State Highway Commission will dc
its share, this link, in a very impor-
tant highway, may be completed, 1t
will not be done at the expense OF
the taxpayers Of Salem County this
year.
Bids for the construction of the two
remaining sections of the P~ennsyille-
Salem road will be received on Mon
dav, February 18th, at 2 P. NJ. This
portion of the road is to be built OF
the same material as that used on
thesection leading from the PennS
Neck bridge out of Salem. That Is, IL
will be broken stone base with a btu
minous macadam surface. There has