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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002
The general property tax -- that is, the tax on real estate and personal
property both tangible and intangible, including the tax on railroads -- is
the backbone of the New Jersey tax system. In 1935, according to the
Princeton survey, "the property tax provided 76 percent of the total State
and local tax revenue and 89 percent of all local tax revenues." As a result
of the incompleteness of the assessment of personal property, about nine-
tenths of the general property tax revenue is derived from real estate.
The United States Census Bureau reported that in 1932 only four States
-- Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Arizona-obtained as large a proportion of their State and local taxes from real and personal property as New
Jersey. This is especially remarkable in view of the fact that New Jersey
is one of the most highly industrialized States; and the assumption would
be that financial and commercial enterprise would yield a higher proportion of revenue.
About 96 percent of the taxes on property goes to the counties, municipalities and school districts. The State derives the bulk of its revenue from
other taxes; notably more than $18,500,000 from the gasoline tax, almost
as much from motor vehicle registration and license fees, and varying
but substantial amounts from transfer inheritance taxes. Corporation taxes,
including taxes on foreign insurance companies, annually yield several
million dollars, as do beverage licenses and taxes. For four months in 1935
a consumers' sales tax produced good revenues, but the tax proved so un-
popular that it was repealed at a special session of the legislature.
Aside from property taxes, the principal local tax revenue is derived
from public utilities. Local units also collect the poll tax, dog taxes and
miscellaneous license taxes, while the State government collects small sums
from a variety of minor taxes and licenses. The fish and game commission
collects about one-third of a million dollars from sportsmen's licenses. All
told, State and local units in New Jersey collect about 30 different kinds
of taxes. Nevertheless, New Jersey is one of 18 States with no income tax.
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