The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-10-03
OUR DEFECTIVE CHARTER.

permission we herewith transmit
for publication some remarks con-
cerning our city government.
The charter under which our city
exercises its powers, is its constl-
tuition, in which it must be able
to show authority for all acts 1t
assumes to perform. A city or
municipal corporation can exer-
else only such powers as are eX-
pressly or implied conferred by
the charter. 1t follows, therefore,
that the charter should be full and
explicit upon all powers usually
and naturally falling in the lot of
average sized cities, but upon a
slight investigation we find that
the charter of Corvallis does not,
and in showing the necessity of a
revision we will point out the fol-
lowing imperfections:
1. The boundaries Of the city
are imperfectly described. The
charter uses the following Ian
guage: "Commencing at a point
in the middle of the main channel
of the Willamette river, where the
present north boundary line Of
said city intersects the same,
thence, etc." all reference to for
mer descriptions does not help to
satisfactorily locate this starting
point. To man abroad, the city
is located somewhere on the Will
lamette river, but just where no
one can tell from the records.
The same condition exists with the
early additions.
2. There should be conferred
upon the city corporation the
power of "eminent domain" at
present, there there being no
power to authorize the compulsory
acquisition of property for the es-
tablishment of parks, markets,
streets or other public use.
3. The power over and concern
ing streets should be enlarged.
The progress of street railway
building in the city imperatively
demands that this feature of the
charter be enlarged and expressly
defined.
4. While there is sufficient
power granted to grade streets, yet
it is impossible, by wording of the
charter, to tell what basis of as
sessment is intended. This should
be made definite and would sug-
gest that basis to be for ''benefts
received"
5. Section IS of the charter pro-
viding that each and every addi-
ton to Corvallis, plated and re-
corded shall be deemed to be in
cluded within the corporate limits,
should be supplemented by some
simple procedure to enforce this
provision, such as by petition OF
ordinance.
6. The council should have
power in addition to its present
, taxing power of one-half of one
per centum per annum ON all the
real and personal property which
is taxable by law for state OF
county purposes, to levy and col
lect special tax not to exceed one
per centum upon all such property
for any specific object within the
authority of the municipal corpor
alton, including the payment of an
existing debt. But the ordinance
, providing therefor must specify
. the object therefor and the estl
/ mated amount thereof and be sub
) mitted to the people at a specia
or general election to take effect
only upon ratification by such vote
Now in regard to what is usually
called the government of the city
in order to express an opinion al
to what would be the better pro
cedure, it would require consider
able investigation and comparison
But the views of the Oregonian
expressed short time ago, will
bear consideration. 1t seems tina
8 responsibility ought to be confined