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TAXATION AND REVENUE SYSTEMS—NEW JERSEY.
C. THE INHERITANCE TAX.
The inheritance tax does not accrue to the towns and
cities.
D. CORPORATION TAXES.
See state revenues.
E. BUSINESS TAXES, LICENSES, AND FEES.
City councils or the selectmen of towns may license: Pawnbrokers;
public shows, and exhibitions, $1 to $300 per day (if in a hall, $1 to
$50); billiard tables and bowling alleys, $10 per year; same in
summer hotels, $4 (when licensed they are exempt from taxation);
dogs, male, $2; dogs, female, $5; breeders of dogs, $12 to $25; ped
dlers, per year, $5 to $10; itinerant vendors, 2 per cent of value
of goods in stock; plumbers, 50 cents annually.
School Revenues.
Each town constitutes a school district. The
selectmen may assess taxes on the property subject
to town taxes, but may make a new invoice.
The statutes provide that the selectmen in each
town are to assess annually “upon the polls and
ratable estate therein a sum to be computed at the
rate of $750 for every dollar of the public taxes
apportioned to such town.” Towns may, however,
raise more.
In order to equalize the school facilities and to
assist in providing adequate supervision the state
makes an annual appropriation which is apportioned
NEW t
New Jersey has practically achieved a separation of
state from local taxation as to sources of revenue. The
one exception is the state school tax. The state derives
its revenues mainly from: (1) Taxes levied on railroad
and canal property; (2) taxes levied on the capital
stock of miscellaneous corporations, including a large
number which, although incorporated in New Jersey,
do not carry on business there; (3) a collateral inheri
tance tax; (4) taxes on banking and insurance com
panies; and (5) miscellaneous fees and income from
state property. The revenue from these five sources
has for several years been so ample that the state has
been able not only to meet its own expenses therefrom,
but also to make liberal appropriations in aid of local
school districts. (6) There is levied by general law
on ratable property as assessed in the local taxing dis
tricts a so-called state school tax. Ninety per cent of
the proceeds of this tax is returned to the school dis
tricts as soon as received; the remainder, constituting
the reserve fund, is apportioned to the counties,
together with additional moneys from the state treas
ury derived from other sources.
3 This compilation is derived mainly from the following sources:
Tax Law of New Jersey, revision of 1903, with annotations,
amendments, and supplements to 1905; prepared by the board of
equalization of taxes.
Session Laws, 1903 to 1913.
to the towns according to the average assessed valua
tion per pupil of average attendance. For the school
year 1912 the amount appropriated was $115,000.
The proceeds of all taxes collected by the state
upon the deposits and stocks, in savings banks and in
similar corporations, of persons who do not reside in
the state are known as the “literary fund,” and the
“fund” so constituted is distributed among the towns
in proportion to the number of scholars, and all money
arising from dog license fees, which is not paid out
for damages to domestic animals by dogs, is applied to
the schools.
LEGISLATION AFFECTING REVENUE LAWS: 1913.
The exemption age of horses, asses, and mules, and of oxen, cows,
and other neat stock was raised from 18 to 24 months.
A poll tax of $2 was imposed on every male inhabitant of the
state from 21 to 70 years of age, whether a citizen of the United
States or alien, except paupers, insane persons, and others exempt
by special provision of law.
Money loaned for school purposes in school districts at a rate not
exceeding 5 per cent; property of educational, charitable, religious
institutions, and temperance societies; bonds or notes of the state
and of any of the counties, municipalities, school districts, and vil
lage precincts of the state, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding
5 per cent was exempted from taxation.
Changes in motor vehicle annual registration.—Nonpassenger
carrying commercial motor vehicle or truck, not more than 1 ton
capacity, $10; 1 to 2 tons, $12.50; 2 to 5 tons, $15; more than 5
tons, $20; automobiles, used exclusively in carrying passengers
for hire, $10; motor vehicles owned or controlled by a manufacturer
or dealer, $25; when let for hire, $10 additional.
1RSEY. 1
While, as above explained, the general property tax
is used primarily for local purposes, it is assessed,
levied, and collected under general and uniform laws
and under the strict control and supervision of the
state board of equalization and its agents, and the
county boards of taxation.
The “main stem,” the franchise, and the rolling stock of railroad
and canal property are withdrawn from local taxation. All other
corporations are taxed in the same manner as private individuals,
and public service corporations using the public streets or highways
pay a tax to the municipalities on their gross earnings, in addition to
the taxes levied on their property.
The general tax law was extensively revised in 1903 and again in
1905, and in 1906 the general system was fundamentally changed
by the introduction of the county boards of taxation. The laws
concerning the state tax on railroads and the local gross earnings
tax on public service corporations have been amended many times
since the census digest of 1902 was compiled.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
ARTICLE IV.
Sec. 7, par. 12. Property shall be assessed for taxes under general
laws and by uniform rules, according to its true value.
OFFICERS.
The officers most directly concerned with taxation are:
(1) Assessors under various titles, but the general tax law pro
vides that the term “assessor” shall apply to all officers charged
with the assessment of taxes.