San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-30
AS 1T WAS PASSED.

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the hands of the board of trade com
mittee of this city. The entire charter
would need to be quoted in order tC
show just what the present condition
of that instrument is and under what
charter regulations San Antonio will
be governed in the future. The prin-
cipal changes made are these:
First-A change in the appointive
and elective offices of the city. The
present elective officers are mayor,
recorder, collector, street commits
sioner and twelve aldermen. Under
the amendment just passed the cleo
tive officers are mayor, recorder, col
lector, assessor, treasurer, city en-
gineer, city attorney, city marshal,
auditor, and one alderman for each
ward in the city and four aldermen
for the city at large.
Second-Under the existing charter
| the appointive offices are to be filled
by election of the council upon nomi-
nomination by the mayor,
while under the amended char
ter the right of nomination
by the mayor is withheld. The re-
mOval of officials requires two-third
vote of the entire council under the
amended charter.
Third-In case of the death or re-
moval of the mayor the proclamation
for new election must come from the
council over the signature of three
members, and not from the judge of
police court as at present.
FOurth-The election of an acting
mayor is provided for in the amend
ment who has all the powers of the
mayor in case of his absence. refusal
or inability to act.
Fifth-The section referring to the
annual expenditures for improve
ments in the amended charter en-
powers the council to borrow money
on the credit of the city, and is
sue bonds thereof to an amount not
to exceed fifty thousand dollars
$50, 000) for street improvements, and
ten thousand dollars (Sl0,000) for side
walk purposes during one year; pro-
vided, that the sum of ten thousand
dollars per year for sidewalk purposes
may be borrowed for and during five
years from the passage of this act and
not thereafter.
SiXth-A very important change is
made in section 80, which, under the
amendment does not include the
mayor as member of the city coun-
Gil. The present charter reads: The
mayor and the city councilmen shall
constitute the council" The amend
ment says: THE twelve aldermen
shaTI constitute the city council"
Seventh-SectiOn 81 is changed to
prevent the increase of any official
salary during his term of office.
Eighth-In the con tructiOn of side
walks the curbing is made a part of
the sidewalk and the expense thereof
is to be borne by the parties required
to lay sidewalks; and not by the city,
as at present.
Ninth.-That part Of the duties of
the city clerk which refer to him as
city accountant is transferred to a
new officer, the auditor, under the
amendad charter and his duties are
set forth as follows:
"The auditor shall be the general
accountant of the city and shall keep
in books regular accounts of all re-
ceipts and disbursements of the city;
and, separately under proper heads,
each cause of disbursement, and also
accounts with each person, including
officers who have money transactions
with the city, crediting amounts al
lowed by proper authority, and
charging each with all warrants
drawn in his favor, and specifying the
particular transactions to which such
entries apply. And, he shall perform
such other duties as shall be required
of him by ordinance"
Tenth.-In the collection of taxes
for city purposes the amendment en-
powers levy on all money loaned
within the city at interest.
"AlthOugh the owner thereof may
be non resident" The clause within
quotation marks was added by the
legislature.
Eleventh-It is made the duty of
each property owner or agent of prop
erty within the city to render to the
city assessor complete inventory of
his assessible property verified as
the council may require by ordinance,
and the penalty of neglect or refusal
is fine and Imprisonment.
Twelfth-The salary of the mayor is
fixed at three thousand six hundred
dollars per annum.
lhese are very Drlel ana imperfect
synopsis of the changes made in the
charter of this city as amended by the
Legislature. This amendment is sub
stantially the same as submitted by
the committee of the board of trade
and Alderman-at-large Bolton, and is
in many respects an improvement
upon the present instrument. There
is in the matter of the curtailng of
the powers of the mayor, and the con-
stitutinn of tho nnnn oil "a u 4l.;..0.