Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-31
CITY CHARTER REFORM.

\ call is made for citizens feeling an III
terest in the matter, to discuss the pro-
posed new charter before legislative COM
mittees, Monday evening While Assem-
bly, Bill No. 2ll is an amendment to the
general Act for the government OF
municipal corporations, il is very well
understood to be applicable to Sacramento
only, since there is no other city OF the
class sought to be treated by the bill 1t
is to be considered, therefore, as Sacra-
| mento charter intended to displace the one
we now have There are objections to the
bill, which has many good features, how
ever If the objections can be overcome,
and the commendable clauses of our pres
ent charter and the new one combined, it
is probable this people will accept the re-
attained, and the Supreme Court should
| hold, as is contended, that our system of
levying and collecting taxes is fatally de-
fectiye, we will be driven 10 accept the Act
! of 1888, which is more Objectionable in
some respects than the Davis bill. 1t is
therefore matter of prudence to secure
the passage of the Davis bill in such a
form that if We are forced to abandon
the present charter, or shall choose to do
so, we will have equally as good or a
better one to fall back upon, since we can
not be compelled by the Legislature TO ac-
cept a new charter. We believe the prin-
ciple under which we now operate, OF
making our local governing board consist
of the heads of departments elected by the
vote of all the people, and duly saFaried,
to be the very best system. The Davis
bill proposes to abolish it and
substitute an unpaid Board of Aldermen,
elected from eight wards by the separate
votes of the wards. This Board is to be
given power to elect several specified city
officers and fix their salaries, and TO elect
any other officers it may deem necessary,
and to fix their salaries. These are the
main objections to the bill. Il Is back
ward step to set up eight little political
dynasties in thi, small city, with municipal
sovereign powers 1t is an attempt to
dilute the representative system. 1t erects
body that Is to do great deal for moth
ing, and which viii be the hot-bed for ring
contentious and all sorts of politics" not
to say of dishonesty and schemes for lining
private pockets. The power given to
create offices, FL them, and fix the salaries
Of the incumbent>, is too great and danger
Gus TO he considered for moment. Nor is
there any need for it, The interests Of the
people Of Sacramento are common SO far as
municipal government is concerned. IF we
must have Board of Aldermen, let them
be nominated from wards, but voted for by
the voters of all ,he city. Ward politics
are the lowest and most Objectionable OF
all. \ better plan would be, we believe,
to make up the legislative body as it Is
now constituted, with a possible enlarge
ment on the same plane if nothing short
of larger Council viii do. Whatever
economy stands the test of examination
may well be adopted, and some provisions
in the new bill in that direction are full Of
suggestion. The matter is in such shape
now that citizens having honest and eco
nomic municipal government at heart, can
not afford to neglect il.