Modern Battles of Trenton Volume 1; History of New Jersey's Politics and Legislation from the Year 1868 to the Year 1894- (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1895 Excerpt: ... APPENDIX B. This letter from Charles C. Black, President of the State Tax Board, as to the extent to which the Railroad Tax act equalizes the tax burdens between the railroads and the individuals, may be of interest: "The points involved in your inquiry are not new ones to me. From my observation, I would say that the average tax rate throughout the various taxing districts of New Jersey would be about $1.50 on the hundred, or $15 per thousand of ratables. I made a calculation in the year 1893, with all the various tax rates before me, and it amounted to about that sum. You understand, of course, that the tax rate varies in the different taxing districts from year to year, but the total average does not vary much from the above-indicated, according to my observation and calculation. Second. It is a fact that a large proportion of the personal property of individuals escapes taxes--more so in some districts than in others--and this is particularly so in the large cities, where personal property is so easily concealed from the Assessors. Thus: For the year 1894 the relative value of personal property to real estate in Hudson county was 8A per cent of the realty; county it was 37-fa per cent, of the realty, and in Mercer county it was 25T% per cent, of the realty; in Salem county it was 33 per cent, of the realty; in Somerset county it was 29 flt per cent, of the realty; in Sussex county it was 30y per cent, of the realty, while in Essex county it was l?- per cent, of the realty. It is also true that in the assessment of real estate there are but few taxing districts and counties in which the realty is assessed at its true or cash value. It ranges from SO per cent, to its true or cash value on up. "The application to be made of this fact to the inquiry you mak...