The record-union., 1893-02-13
IN IMMINENT DANGER.

A bill in the Senate provides that in
all cities between 10000 and 10000 in
elusive, the Chief of Police shall receive
no more than 81 800 year. the Captain
not less than 81 200 year, and the officers
not less than 500 nor more than Sl25
month.
The new charter of Sacramento, Just
made law. gives the Chief 100, the
Captain 81 500 year, and the officers SIS
a month. But the Board of Trustees has
power to increase these salaries, but not
TO affect incumbents in offices having
definite terms.
Suppose the Senate bill to become
law and the city to be held to rating by
the Federal census, what effect will the
bill have upon the salary clause of the
new charter? 1t will be remembered
that the charter which Oakland
framed with such care and at such
cost received its death blow at the
hands of little bill of innocent ap-
pearance passed to accommodate some
village in remote part of the State. 1t
would be wise, under any circumstances,
for some one in authority to overhaul all
the bills before the Legislature to ascer-
tain whether among them there does not
Turk danger for Sacramento's new gov
ornamental system, notably in the matters
of public works, street improvement, as
sessments, taxation, expenditures, water
and sewer systems, and in the manage
ment of the municipal finances and the
conduct of public improvements.
For instance, we find in the Assembly
history of bills alone these measures that
by title affect city government-and there
are others amending codes that may do
so-Nos. so. rs, IS, 152, 153, 155, 100, lie,
1879, 275, 2S7, 343, 352, 1893, 412, 472, 475, 48l,
SIC, $50, 557, 59S, 664.
These bills, if they become laws. may
destroy our charter system as to the selec-
ton of Free Library Trustees, as to street
Improvements, Police Court, Fire De-
partment and Prosecuting Attorney, and
taxation. bonded Indebtedness, etc. The
people will be gratlfied to learn that the
fears now entertained are exaggerated.
but certainly we are not alone in
entertaining them. If there is great need
for legislation proposed of the character
indicated, legislators will find Sacrament
oh ri m tl0
suits of study and experience in that
direction, and they may well study it
with view to introducing its features
elsewhere, instead of patching up the old
laws with untried ideas.
1t requires close examination to deter
mine how far these new bills affect our
city government. Some may not do so
at all, others we are convinced do. As.
for instance, there are some which directly
relate to and modify our Street, Police,
Fire Department and other systems and
affect disastrously some of the most cher
ished provisions of the new charter,
which fairly represents the results of the
best experience of all the States in mu-
nicipal government.
There is one bill which seems to abolish
the Office of Chief of Police and gives us
instead City Marshal who is also to be
Tax Collector % and makes the office
elective, whereas under our charter the
local legislature chooses the Chief of
Police and he is solely an officer of police.
Again there is a bill throwing down the
entire liquor license authority of the
charter and setting up different system
and fixing limit to licenses
Here, too, is bill compelling us to
have Prosecuting Attorney, and giving
the District Attorney power to appoint
him over us, and fixing his salary at
$1,000; whereas under our new charter we
elect the City Attorney at $500, who has
also to prosecute before the Police Court,
By the bill referred to we will have both
officers and our salary list be jumped ur
$1,000. Possibly this bill may not reach
US, but prima facie it appears to do SO
Another bill seems to re-establish the
Board of Fire Commissioners which we
have Just abolished. If the doctrine is t.