This Day in History: 1934-05-05

When Robert B. Murphy, the Secretary of the Bergen County Board of Taxation, released the list of local tax rates for the County the news was not good for most North Bergen localities. With the exception of Waldwick, Glen Rock, and Ridgewood, tax rates went down. The rate went down 46 points in Ramsey, 56 points in Franklin Lakes, 32 points in Allendale, 31 in Wyckoff, and 7 points in Saddle River. Both Upper Saddle River and Hohokus Township cut their rates by 16 points. In contrast, Garfield raised theirs by 265 points and Lodi raised theirs 229 to the highest level in the county $10.14. All of this fiscal restraint was occasioned by the Depression and the belief that the Federal Government was going to take up more of the burden of relief expenses. (Bristow)