Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-10-23
TAX APPRAISAL
IS REQUESTED
Want County Board to Ap-
praise All Manufacturing
Plants in County
JOHNSON & JOHNSON MOVE
Druggists Asking FreeholderS
for Funds in Which to Car
ry on this Work
JOHNSON & JOHNSON MOVE

NEW BRUNSWICK, Oct. 23.-
When the County Board of Taxa
tion met in this city yesterday, n
communication from Russell +.
Watson, representing the firm of
Johnson & Johnson was read, in
which Johnson Sc Johnson, petition
ed the board and Mr.. Watson urged
that the board cause appraisals to be
made of all manufacturing plants
throughout the county in the same
manner that the City of New Bruins
wick did, and to base assessments
against buildings thereon. The COM
munication further suggested that IL
the board found it did not have the
funds to carry out the work that
application be made to the Board of
Freeholders for the necessary
money.
Mr.. Watson personally appeared
before the board and urged that the
suggestions made in the communica-
tion be carried out. No action was
taken by the board at this meeting,
it being decided to take the matter
up for further consideration at a
later date. Announcement was made
that the board will meet with the
assessors in the various municipal
tiles beginning Monday, to arrange
for the 1924 tax assessment. On
Monday the board will be in Perth
Am boy, Woodbridge and Carteret.
"Middlesex County Board of Taxa
tion,
New Brunswick, N. J.
Gentlemen:
This is to present to you formal
ly the matter which ! presented to
you orally at a recent meeting, rep
resenting Johnson & Johnson of this
city, one of the largest taxpayers
of the county.
I'm 1920 the Board of Commits
sioners of the city of New Bruins
wick caused an actual appraisal to
be made of all the manufacturing
and industrial buildings in the city.
The appraisals were based upon re-
productional costs, less proper al
lowance for deterioration, and were
very much detailed. The tax assess
ments levied against industrial build
ings were based upon these apprais-
ais. The manufacturers of the city
opposed the procedure. They agreed
that the theory of it was sound but
protested that it should be applied
to all classes of taxpayers, and was
discriminatory because it applied
only to manufacturers. 1t resulted in
equality of assessments so rar as
buildings are concerned as among
the manufacturers of the city.
johnson &s Johnson, as tax
payer of the county. now petitions
your board to cause appraisals to be
made of all manufacturing plants
throughout the county in the same
manner that the city of New Bruns-
wick did, and to base assessments
against building thereon. We urge
that this be the beginning of pro-
gram which shall be applied in like
to all classes of taxpayers
as soon as it can be done.
ut seems to us that there can be
no valid objection to this course.
1t does not aim at an increase of
assessment. or at a decrease of
but at an equalization
of assessments, which at present are
arrived at in a more or
less hit or miss fashion.
IF your board looks with ap-
proval upon this suggestion and
funds with which to carry out the
work are needed, we suggest that
be made to the Board of
for the necessary funds.
Our clients will be glad to cooperate
with your board in any possible way
in this connection, by appeal to the
Board of Freeholders or otherwise.
AS the time for the making of
assessments for the current year in
approaching, we respectfully request
that your board give this matter as
prompt attention as possible.
Yours very truly,
RUSSELL T.. WATSON"