COMMITTEE ON TAXATION AND FINANCE
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

STATE OF NEW JERSEY CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1947
COMMITTEE ON TAXATION AND FINANCE
Tuesday, July 1, 1947
(Morning session)
CITY OF NEW BRUNSWICKTax Exempt PropertyBreakdown of Rutgers’ Exempt Property for 1945:

MR. RAFFERTY: If there are no further questions to ask of Mr. Ewing, I would like to state that on the morning of July 10, in the Gymnasium here where the Convention meets, this Committee will hold a public hearing. At that time any person wishing to present any matters regarding taxation and finance is invited to appear before us. The meeting is scheduled for July 10, 1947.

Mr. Chairman, may I ask if there is a representative of the League of Women Voters here this morning? They have requested time to appear before us, but perhaps they did not get my reply to their letter.

(Silence)

MR. RAFFERTY: At this time I would like to call Mr. W. H. Connell, director of the Motor Carriers’ Service Bureau.

MR. W. H. CONNELL: I represent the Motor Carriers’ Service Bureau. I founded the Motor Carriers’ Service Bureau about ten years ago for the purpose of trying to remove a discrimination in tolls that exists on the Staten Island bridges of the Port Authority as compared with the Hudson River crossings.

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, I conferred with ex-Governor Smith of New York with respect to the matter, and he suggested that I discontinue the efforts of the Bureau for the duration. I haven’t done anything about the matter since. I was greatly impressed with Governor Driscoll’s statement and with President Clothier’s statement in opening this Convention, and felt that I might have some information which might be helpful to the Committee in its deliberations. I should like, if possible, to be helpful, and that is my reason for being here today.

I think one of the things this Convention should do is to give us a provision in the Constitution that prohibits the passing of special legislation. I am referring to Article IV, Section VII, paragraph 11.

CHAIRMAN: That just misses us by one. We have paragraphs 6 and 12.

MR. MILTON: I think, Mr. Connell, on that particular Section you should report to the Legislative Committee.

MR. CONNELL: Perhaps that is so.

MR. MILTON: I am sure Senator O’Mara will be glad to hear your report before his Legislative Committee.

MR. CONNELL: Thank you. I should also like to call the attention of this Committee to the provisions in paragraph 12: “Property shall be assessed for taxes under general laws and by uniform rules according to its true value.”

This Constitution was written over 100 years ago and the State of New Jersey was eager at that time to get railroads and they were

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