Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-07-13
CITY may 60 It ALONE.
General Law vs. Special Charter
for Observation-Disclosures
and Disadvantages.

This being an of year in party poll
ties ii is a good time for our citizen,
to consider questions of local govern
mcnt ana taxation, with a view t
making improvements if any are pos
sible. rhe question of better method,
IN the assessment and equalization Of
taxes is being discussed by the people
Of this city, There is another qucs-
ton, closely connected with that one
that merits attention. 1t relates tc
our city affairs and government gen
orally.
The organic law of the city Of Ian.
caster is a special charter passed by
the Legislature in 1892. Since that
time a general law for cities has been
passed and nearly all the cities in the
state are controlled by its provisions,
Cities organized under special act are
at liberty to change TO the general law
or to continue under the special char
| ter.
Several of our citizens who have in
vesligated the matter are Of the opin-
ion that the adoption of the general
law would be of material advantage to
the city of Lancaster. Following are
a few of the changes such adoption
would bring about.
First, there would be complete
political separation Of the city and
town. The residents Of the city
would have no vote IN choice Of town
officers. The city would have a com
plete set of officers of its own, includ-
ing assessor and treasurer who would
administer city affairs, assess and col
lecl taxes, entirely Independent Of the
town. Town officers would be chosen
outside the city and would of course
have no jurisdiction in the city.
Second, the change would result in
a lessening Of city taxes. Last year
the town Gncluding the city, raised
1920 town tax as recommend
by the town board and 1880 special
tax voted by town meeting for road
and bridge improvement, making 4
total of $2S50 town taxes. OF this
amount a little more than half or in
round numbers about $3.50 was raised
by the city. OF that $3.50 about $1100
went to build roads and bridges in the
country, S2163.40 being the total
amount expended by the town board
on roads and bridges; something over
1928 of it went TO help pay the town
clerks salary; and 500 more OF il for
Office rent for board and clerk, hall
rent for caucuses, expenses of super
visors, etc These items of expense
so far as the city is concerned would
be cut of were the city and town sep
aratcd. The lessening Of the taxes Of
the city Of Lancaster resulting from
such separation in the items OF roads,
bridges and incidentals would amount
TO from 1920 to $1400 yearly
Third, the adoption Of the general
law would increase the mbership
Of the common council and increase
our representation on the county
board. The city would be divided
into wards containing not less than
five hundred residents each Lancas-
ter would be entitled to four or five
wards. From each ward there would
be elected two aldermen and one SUI
pervisor. That would make the
council number eight or ten members
besides the mayor and would give the
city representation of four or five
instead of one on the county board.
Fourth the change would do away
with the large unwieldy caucuscs We
have under present conditions. Each
ward would probably be the unit in
choosing delegates TO conventions as
well as for election purposes. The
result would be four or five small del
egations to county or assembly dis
tri convention instead of one large
one ii, low.
There are doubt other points that
might be considered with profit. but
these seem to be among the more sig
nilicant
The Herald balieves the subject is
worthy of thought and investigation
and if sufficient interest is manifested
public meeting, after little, for ar
gument and discussion, may be in or
| der.