The herald., 1894-03-15
Mr.. Copp's Views on What Is
Needed.
How a Large Saving to Taxpayers
Could Be Made.
A Reduction Of Salaries and Con
sOlidation OF Some Omoes
PrOPossd-Boms Very
Novel Ideas.

made. A committee OF the city council
has been appointed to attend to this.
Our 'citizens" have been invited to q
discussion OF the subject.
Now then, II l am in order, permit
me to discuss the subject.
In the first place, why have a new
charter or amend the old one?
Because the old charter was made in
boom times, when extravaganza was
abroad in the land, and it created too
many officials and gave these officials
too large salaries.
To particularize: No one OF our city
officials has ever been known to make
as big an income in any private busi-
ness as he does in Office. And, when
ever a vacancy occurs there are about
400 applicants ready to fill each
vacancy. AS a business proposition
then, admit that the reason for amend
ment is to reduce the number of Off
cials and to reduce the salaries of those
needed. How can it best be done
Which officials can We spare?
This point seems to ma just as clear
as the other; and l believe that all citi-
zens agree with me--even the officers
themselves, viz:
First, city assessor.
Second, city auditor.
Third, city tax collector.
The county assessment in the city
should certainly serve as the city assess.
ment, and there is no need OF two sets
OF assessors for the same territory.
This is q aelf.evident truth.
The same applies to the collection Of
the tax, and the county tax collector
should collect the city tax; and as q
matter oil economy one tax collector ia
enough-say nothing about the con-
venience to the poor taxpayer, who for
so many years has been the forgotten
man and the forgotten woman.
The city treasurer should, by all rules
OF business, do the auditing and collect
ing the city licenses.
Now, up to this point, feel sure the
majority are with me, and bv dispens-
ing with these three high priced oficisle
there would be saving of $S4O0 per
Rnnum, and who knows how much
more In the matter OF deputies and in
cidentals?
But, assuming for arguments sake
that the city's share OF the cost of as
sessment and collection of taxes would
be equal to the amount now paid theee
deputies then the eaving is $S40O per
year. Up to this point pu bile opinion
is practically a unit.
Now we come to the price per aunum
OF the officials who remain and are
needed.
There are two officials, in my humble
opinion, who should receive the largelt
salaries, and their salaries should be
placed on the came level that sim liar
officials receive in the cities OF about
the same population throughout the
world. In other words, they should be
paid the market rate, and thie can be
made certain il the committee will cor
respond with say 80 cities known to be
well governed in this country and Eu-
rope.
refer to the mayor and city superin-
tsndent OF schools, and to both of them
should be given greater power, and both
or each should be held personally re-
eponsible for results.
believe the drift OF public opinion
throughout the world recently has
tended toward fewer elections in cities
and more appointments.
In line with this tendency OF modern
thought it has been suggested that OF
the entire number of our city officials
the mayor shall be empowered to ap-
point most OF them and the council con-
hrm these appointments.
That no city officers shall be elected
by popular vote except:
First-Mayor.
Second-Councilmen.
All the rest to be appointed by the
mayor and confirmed by the council,
and give the mayor the power OF removal
for cause, and then the citizen at large
have some one to hold responsible for
Inismansgement OF city affairs.
Supposing, by the method named
above, that the fair market rate of
wages for o mayor of a city of sc, 600 is
81, coo per annum-take this figure for
arguments sake--then let the charter
as amended provide that no ether city
official shall receive salary per annum
greater than $500. This, OF course, re-
fers to the different heads OF depart
ments, such as city clerk, chief of police,
street superintendent, etc.
And let the charter go further and
limit the price of wages paid to deputies.
For instance, that no deputy shall re-
ceive a greater salary than $1,000 per
annum.
Let the charter fix these points, and
for all time prevent this constant in
triguing OF deputies to raise their salar.
les. Remove from them once and for
all the feeling that it is grand hog
trough, where every man is to get all he
Can and keep all he gets. Let the coun-
Gil say how many deputies each head of
department OF the city government shall
have, and then let the head of the de-
partment fix their salaries. being linn
tied by the $1,000 limit named in the
charter.
Then the question arises: What sal
ary shall the amended charter allow the
members of the council2
On this point there seems quite vsri-
ETY. of opinion, se the members OF the
city council never had any pay under
the old charter. | have asked many old
residents of the city this question: "Do
we have more able men in the city
council since the new charter was
adopted and they are allowed salary ?"
In every instance the answer has been
mo"
For the present. admit these old resi-
dents are right and that there are plenty
OF men ready to volunteer to serve their
city for the honor and from patriotic
motives; then it is suggested that the
city be divided into 10 wards and one
councilman be elected from each ward
to serve without pay.
That in the place of many commits
sloners and trustees, etc., there shall be
a standing committee of the council to
rnauouo tho u1ora sv,u1rtank odc.:..