Palisadian., 1925-07-17
HEARING ON LINWOOD
AVE. ASSESSMENT ON
WEDNESDAY EVENING
Representative of Allison Land
Company States Property Can
Only Be Assessed for Actual
Benefit Received.

The Linwood avenue assessment
hearing before the Mayor and Coun-
ell of Fort Lee on last Wednesday
evening proved to be very lively
and interesting affair. After much
discussion the hearing was continued
for one month until the meeting of
August 10.
Mr.. Delmar, from Judge Siefert's
Office, represented the Allison Land
Company, who own about 200 front
feet along the improvement. The
hearing was on the assessment for
curbs, cutters and grading, and it
was the contention of the Allison
Land Company that their assessment
was not proportionate, just or equi-
table and that their land had not
been benefited to the extent of the
assessment, about $4,000.
wi. DclLidl CduSeu SolHe SUI prise
when he stated that legally property
could only be assessed to the amount
that it was actually benefited-in
other words, the test should be it's
value before the improvement and
its value after the improvement.
Mayor White said he was not a
lawyer, but he didn't think that was
so.
1t was an important point in that
actual benefits derived from improve
ments are largely matter of per
sonal opinion and purely speculative.
Mr.. Sachs. representing the Wyo-
ming Valley Trust Company. another
large property owner, said he agreed
with what Mr.. Delmar had said and
added that never during the course
of the improvement nor during the
assessment proceedings had either
he or the Allison company been mott.
fed of hearings. He said this was
the reason they had not appeared be-
fore the Assessment Commission at
their hearings.
Councilman Kerwein explained the
improvement from start to finish and
stated that none of the property own
ers made any attempt to do the work
themselves, although they had plenty
of opportunity to do so.
The contractor of the job, Richard
Pagluighi, explained in detail the
| nf a i,11n a n
that shed some light on the amount
of work actually done in front of the
Allison property. He said that much
interest had accumulated, and that
would naturally add to the cost of
the assessment. Mr.. Delmar stated
that only six months interest could
be added.
A Mr.. Hay asked if the assessment
was made on the basis of work actu-
ally done in front of a particular
piece of property and assessed pro-
portionately. He was told yes to a
certain extent He then asked why
he was assessed $106 for fifty foot
lot with practically no rocks or grad
ing, while Anthony Pagluighi paid
only $79.S7 and had much rock re-
moved.
Mr.. TONES stated the contractor
had torn up his curb and gutter and
put in new ones and that he had the
same assessment for a twenty-five
foot lot as his neighbor did for fifty
feet.
Chas. L. Norman claimed that he
was entitled to damages to his. prop
erty resulting from drain water run
ming on his property after the side
walk grade had been raised.
After further discussion, in which
the members of the Council, the May
or and the attorney entered, it
was decided to continue the hearing
on Wednesday evening. August 1s,
when the engineer and assessment
Commissioners will be present.
Eypper & Beckmann, realtors, in a
communication asked for a price on
the Crystal Lake property, which the
borough owns. The Council was ad-
vised by the attorney that it was not
legal to quote price on the property
and if sold it must be done at pub
lie sale. The proper committee Will
consider the advisability of holding a
public sale.