Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1895-08-22
WHICH SHALL IT BE7
DO We Want to Retain Our Present Charter
or Adopt the New One?

asked to give my,views as well as som,
of the special features of what is called
the Blanket charter as compared will
our present charter.
The first change of Importance ii
that voter must be a resident of the
ward where he votes for twenty days
instead of ten as in present charter.
Second. The board of registration
to consist of the aldermen of each
ward
Third. The mayor is not allowed to
vote for any appointive officer.
Fourth. The inspectors of election
to consist of the supervisor and the two
aldermen and one elector. appointed by
the council
Fifth. The clerk and treasurer may
each appoint deputy.
Sixth. All ordinances require the
concurrence of all the aldermen elect
before their passage.
Seventh. No petition required to
compel the residents of any street to
pave, plank, gravel, grade or curb if
two-thirds or four of our aldermen vote
therefor.
Eighth. No petition required to
compel persons to build sidewalks if
four of the aldermen vote therefor.
Ninth. Council can make any i'm
provements they see fit regardless of
tax by two-thirds vote of the aldermen
elect.
Tenth. Before any monies can be
raised or expended for the extension of
water works, it must be submitted to
the people and must have at least two
thirds of all the votes cast in favor of
the same or the same will be lost.
Eleventh. That all contracts in ex-
cess of $500 shall be let to the lowest
bidder who shall sign contract and ex-
ecute. suitable bonds with no right to
reject any bids providing suitable bonds
are offered.
Twelfth. There may be tax of |
$40 per cent. levied in any one year
for general purposes, including tax for
and cleaning of streets and |
TO provide a sinking fund to pay debts
and the interest thereon, besides an
additional tax of per cent. in special
districts for the grading,
paving, curbing, graveling and improv-
ng OF Streets making total of $40
)f tax that four members of the council
'ould impose in any one year besides
he expense of building sidewalks,
without any petition of the tax payers
I such members saw fit TO do so.
Thirteenth. Requires "a two-thirds
'ote OF all the electors to make a loan
or public improvements.
There are several other features that
consider Objectionable, among them
he manner of assessing and collecting
# delinquent sidewalk tax which makes
t very expensive to the owner of lot as
veil as to the city.
In my opinion the following sections
re Objectionable for the following rea-
ons:
That according to section six it would
'e very difficult for the whole council
o see alike in the passage of the or
iuances which requires the entire
ouncil to vote therefor.
That sections seven, eight and nine
i've four members of the council too
luch power and takes the whole mat
er out OF the hands of the people so
hat they have nothing to say in regard d
D the matter whereas our present
harter leaves it in the hands of the |
AK payers who petition therefor and
he council cannot incur such expense
'ithout such petition
That the tenth and thirteenth require
two-thirds vote in order to carry !
ither point which would be very :
ifficult in my opinion. b
That the eleventh section is very OBJ e
'ctionable for the reason that it does !,
OF give the council or board of public n
orks the right to reject any and all {
ids as has always been the custom in P
lch matters. =
That the twelfth section contains v
lore objectional features than all the r
theirs combined; that it gives the L
Duncil power without petition or :,
ord from the tax payers to fix total
TX for all purposes aside from the
uilding of sidewalks at the sum of y
and eight-tenths per cent in any one I
ear. | am not saying that they would Il
0 any such thing but they could do it q
they felt so disposed or any four :
Iembers would be majority and could
D the same. g
Now unless we, the voters to the !,
lumber OF fifty or more petition the u
)mmon council to call special cleo S
on before the lst day Of December A. N
!, 1895, we will become Incorporated = :,
nder the general law with all its OBJ Of
ctionable features above enumerated b,
nd the manner of voting OF such cleo y