Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-21
LEAGUE PLANNED
BY TAXPAYERS
At So. ANBOY
Citizens Are Disguised With
Recent Developments in
Local Situation
NEW WAR LAST NIGHT
Both Sides in Fight Make At
tackS and Defense of Their
Actions

SOUTH AMBOY. March 21---
Soutl4 Anlboy Will within a short
time. if present rumors are at all
founded, established a taxpayers
league. Things in the city govern
n1ent have come 20 such a state.
that both friends and foes of both
parties concerned are viewing
the local situation with COM
plet disgust The officers of the
city, with but few exceptions. arc
at odds with the city executive,
while the council members are
dickering much of their time with
wh4 is branded as cheap politics.
Those that were ardent supporters
both political denominations are
bitter in their denunciatioh of what
has come to pass "a do nothing al
inlnistration."
Mayor Chase fired the first gun
in the local battle that is still rag
ing and if possible more fiercely es
each day dawns, when he attacked
certain city office holders salaries,
by ., hitting TO them as q place TO
begil cutting down expenses of the
taxpayers. Since then, his oppon-
ents have raised other questions.
Citv Engineer \. T. McMichaels, eV-
identity piqued at the attitude the
mayor took on the ordinances con-
firm:ng his position as well as
others, in an open letter assalled the
head of the city.
The mayor comes to the fore
saving that his action on the matter
OF vetoing the ordinances was a just
one and waves a letter pIrportlnS
10 be from a lawyer friend Of his
advising him that he was Justified
In the course he had pursued.
From what could be CLEANED Of the
purpose of the Taxpayers League its
membership will be comprised OF un-
biased citizens with the sole purpose
Of seeing that the council and others
will do all in their power to bring
matters of importance to them to a
head with a final settlement either
one way or the other. The doinSs OF
ehe council, it is believed, will be
watched by committees who will re-
port their findings to the league. The
league in turn TO view the whole
matter in a sane and unbiased way.
No slipshod methods and no niger
in the woodpile" mysteries are prom
ised.
Mayor Chase at the outset was
business administration and for the
purpose Of reducing the ridiculously
nigh -ff4tiig4f1 tax rate of The city. 1t cannot
be denied that the mayor started off
well and viii continue to live up to
his promises as far as IS possible. 1t
is natural to expect that he will be
criticized for some Of his actions.
The truth of the matter. while he
has been commended highly by
many he has come in for his share
of criticism by no few. If Mr.. Chase
has good reasons for vetoing certain |
things the council pass and he out
lines his reasons in good lear Ian
guage, the acton of the mayor
should be sustained, is the way clear
thinking people are talking
On the other hand, the same peo-
pie argue that unless the mayor has
the interest of he taxpayers at he. I !
and that he eXpels all personal griev- |
ances from his mind, if he may have
any, nothing OF benefit to the people
of the city will result in his admin
istration.
A very serious matter in the form
of a tax assessment map for this city
was vetoed by Mayor Chase recently.
Last night the action of the mayor
was received. The council at the
request Of one of the Democratic
members moved TO reconsider the
matter. The vote failed to override
the mayors veto because 1t was nee
essary to muster four Of the five
members votes to get a two-third
majority.
Whether or not $1,000 was too
much to pay the city engineer for
making the map is a question that
only those thoroughly familiar with
this sort OF work can vouch for.
That this city needs an assessment
map cannot be denied" said a prom
iEent property owner last night. land
until we get one no one can hope for
an equalization in taxation within
the confines Of the City of South Am
boy while three men take three diff
ferent parts of the city, ana are ex-
pected TO equallze the assessments"
The mayor is being criticized for this
action, IS is the Republican members
of the council, whQ have been quoted
as saying that they were in favor Of
such a map.
The attack on the city executive
by City Engineer McMichaels, grow
ing out of the refusal Of the mayor
to confirm the appointments, was the
bitterest denunciation that has as yet
been made of Mr. Chase.
City Solicitor Francis F. Coan.
who is also one Of the ones effected
oy the vetoed ordinances, fayed the
mayor for statements regarding the
ordinances.
Just what the outcome Of the APP
pointnents made by the council i'm
January will be. no one pretends to
tnow, and while Mr.. Chase is kept
in the limelight, particularly by
those opposed to the tactics he is us
ing. there are rumber who still
adhere to Mr.. Chase, and they sum