Cwffi Blasts State Tax System for City's Plight
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The Daily Register 'OL 98 NO.107 SHREWSBURY, N. J. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1975 15CENTS Cwffi blasts state tax system for city's plight ByJASEFODERARO county, are to be challenged before the stale only to the county and state tax division, not must be relumed to the appellants (if all ap- Division of Taxation. city officials. peal are uncontested or are upheld by the LONG BRANCH - In a blistering attack "The potential impact is overwhelming." In addition, Mr. Schuman hauled the may- state) as well as a like amount that the city on the New Jersey lax system. Mayor Henry Mayor Cioffi stated. "Yet the mayor and the or (and the city) into court, alleging he was would lose in 1976 tax revenues R. Cloffi charged last night that elected offi- City Council have nothing to say We just take harassed in the performance of his duties and "That means I'd have to raise $600,000 in cials are powerless when it comes to challeng- the abuse . ." the mayor was slapped with a 91.500 fine. one tax year," he said bitterly ing tax appeals granted by the county - even The meeting last night was unusual in sev- Relations between the two men were "And what's really bothering me is all the though the outcome could be "devasting" to eral respects. strained last night. people who didn't appeal If they come next the economic health of a municipality First of all, it was the first time Mayor Perhaps just as noteworthy was the fact year, the impact on my revenues is multi- Mayor Cioffi called a conference of the Cioffi and the tax assessor, Harry Schuman. that Mr. Schuman, for the most part, agreed plied, " he declared. press and top city officials, including the tax appeared in public together since a struggle with the mayor's position on the successful ap- Meanwhile, Mr Schuman agreed with the assessor, to air his concerns about a $9.5 mil- between the two men developed two years ago peals — although, as the mayor stated, "for mayor that the county tax board should not lion reduction in property values here result- over the accuracy of a revaluation produced different reasons." have reduced property values to the tune' of ing from tax appeals OK'd by the Monmouth by the J. M. Cleminshaw Co. Mayor Cioffi contends that, by granting (5,678,000. (The assessor himself already had County Board of Taxation. The assessor defended the Cleminshaw the appeals of city property owners, the count) downgraded values here by $3,963,400 in ear- The mayor lamented that the reduced as- mass appraisal of the city; the mayor opposed tax board, in effect, justified his opposition to lier stipulated decisions.) sessments may lead to more appeals next it, contending that many assessments varied the Cleminshaw assessments in the first place. The assessor also acknowledged that, year - by property owners who see the values from true value and the tax burden, therefore, "All I asked for (from the county tax wherever a property value was reduced, as- drop in their neighborhoods - and play havoc would be unevenly distributed among property board) was a year to re-do the revaluation sessments on neighboring properties similarly with tax rate projections. owners. We would have had a lower base and wouldn't could be reduced in the coming year Moreover, the mayor blasted the state sys- The upshot was that the mayor attempted have to overcome this revenue situation," the The assessor's main criticism of the coun- tem which permits only the tax assessor to de- to fire the assessor, but was soon to leam that mayor stated. ty tax board was that he was not given enough cide how many of the appeals, granted by the an assessor is autonomous and must answer He referred to an estimated $300,000 that See Cioffi. page 2 Mavor Hfnr\ R. ( ioffi action By JOHN T. McGOWAN try again to talk the Senate threatened state programs get the one cent a gallon reappropriated from items al- into passing a state surcharge made him apprehensive about gasoline tax increase to raise ready in the state budget TRENTON (AP) - The on the federal income tax — their chances of putting $15 million over the next six The fiscal package would legislature will not hurry to this one at seven per cent — across, even next year, a tax months if he would agree to have restored $13 3 million the rescue of rail and bus and a one cent increase in the program big enough to take reappropriating 7 million cut from the Medicaid pro- commuters. five per cent state sales tax care of the schools from business personal prop- gram and $6.3 million in com- muter subsidies. It would also An all-day effort to roll to handle the schools prob- The compromisi reached erty taxes and $4.9 million provide $5 million for capital back commuter fare hikes lem. by the governor and the lead- from other state revenues to improvements at state in- failed yesterday in the legis- But there was no en- ers would have provided complete the package. stitutions, $6 million to meet lature amid indications that thusiasm evident in the Sen- $336 9 million for commuter inflationary increases in state some if not all of the new ate for any new taxes. subsidies, Medicaid. state in- Byrne's spokesman said the operating costs, $4 million for fares will remain in effect. Byrne told legislative lead- stitutions repairs, employe governor agreed to the com- state employe salaries and Commuters who travel by ers early in the day that their salaries and general state op- promise though he preferred $2.3 million for additional rail started paying higher in- failure to get the $30 million erations. all the money be raised by state urban aid. trastate fares yesterday — as to $60 million needed for com- Legislative leaders told the new taxes The legislators much as 70 per cent higher on muter subsidies and other governor they would try to wanted all of the monev See Legislators, page 2 some weekly tickets — and bus fares are scheduled to rise later in the month. State Transportation Com- COMPUTER REPORT — Russell E. Archer Jr., right, of Colts Neck, chair- missioner Alan Sagner said Woman accused of hiring man of the data processing committee of the Monmouth County Task Force the increases are needed be- on Efficiency and Economy, discusses his committee's findings with re- cause the legislature will not porters at a press conference yesterday as Gordon N. Litwin, Little Sliver, provide the additional mil- chairman of the task force, looks on. lions needed for increased state subsidies. others to murder husband After appearing, before the ly 7:30 a.m. July 5 outside Senate's Democratic majority By SHERRY CONOHAN Cholmondeley, 32, of New sey where she was arraigned The Fountains Motel on caucus, Sagner said he was York City. Friday night before Superior Ocean Ave. in Long Branch Computer service confident the legislature FREEHOLD - A Bronx. Davis was arrested at his Court Judge Louis R. Atkins, where he had been staying would "do something" imme- NY., woman was arrested on home Aug. 12 and has been sitting in West Long Branch with his wife and son, Dr. Pe- diate to roll back some of the charges she hired others to held in the Monmouth County Municipal Court. ter Lowitt. increased fares and accom- murder her husband, the jail since then in lieu of The proceeding was held in panying service cuts. wealthy owner of a string of Mr. Lowitt was the owner $50,000 bail. Williams and West Long Branch because it for towns is urged race track clothing stores of Petri's Clothes at Mon- Mukmuk were arrested Nov. was the most convenient But his confidence proved misplaced as a compromise who was slain July 5 as he mouth Park, a shop catering 5 in Minneapolis, Minn., and place, according to officials. By JIM McCORMICK ai various places in the coun- county data processing de- worked out legislative leaders left a Long Branch motel to to track workers and jockeys, are scheduled to appear at an Mrs. Lowitt then was taken ty that would be tied into the partment to provide long go to work at his Monmouth and similar stores at Garden extradition hearing in that to the Monmouth County jail FREEHOLD - The Mon- computer. range planning because of the and Gov. Brendan T. Byrne yesterday morning collapsed Park shop, officials an- State race track in Cherry city on Dec. 12. All three where she was held over the mouth County Task Force on This would mean the elimi- "tremendous amount of daily nounced yesterday. Hill, Aqueduct race track in were indicted by a Monmouth weekend in lieu of $50,000 bail nation of the computers here during the long day of closed- Efficiency and Economy has requirements made on the Mrs. Evelyn Lowitt, 58, of Queens, NY., and Hialeah County grand jury on Oct. 16 as set by Judge Aikins She and at the county Welfare door discussions. recommended that the county staff." 5550 Fieldston Road in the and Gulfstream race tracks on charges of murder and was freed yesterday after the Board in Tinton Falls. Senate Democrats were provide computer services to He said the county staff Riverdale section of The in Miami, Fla. Besides his conspiracy to commit mur- bail was posted by her son coool to the one tax increase municipalities. The committee also cited spends a lot of time revising Bronx, was arrested in her business interests, he was re- der.