The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-09
oHIo's MUNICIPAL SYSTEM.
Some Good Features, But for the
Most Part it is Very Bad.

Springfield Republican Und.).
The special session of the Ohio legisla-
ture, called to provide municipal code
fer all the cities in the State, reached
miserable ending early in the week. Its
CODE as finally enacted, is the work OF a
few boss politicians scheming for their
own ends, AMI so the rare opportunity of
Introducing reform ideas into municipal
Government on a large scale has been
lost. The form of government imposed
upon all places in the State of 5000 or
more people contains the following pro-
visions. among Others:
First-The City Council will be a body
of one chamber, OF size varying with the
population, and of membership elected
The councilmen will be paid salaries
ranging from $50 to 81 200, according to
population. They will be elected for
terms of two years, half being elected
annually
Second-The executive officers elected
by the people are to be the mayor, prest-
dent of the council or vce-mayor, treas
urer, and solicltor-all for terms OF two
years; and an auditor elected for three
years. The council fixes the compensation
for these officers.
Third-But executive control is largely
taken from the mayor and vested in
series of boards of varying origin. A
board of public service is provided to
have absolute charge of all public works.
1t is to consist of three or five members.
as the council shall provide but they
are to be elected by the people for terms
of two years. This board can create. NIL.
and salary such Offices in connection
with it's work as 1t pleases. The council
must first authorize contracts, but the
board can shape them about as 1t wishes.
Tn emayor has absolutely nothing to do
with this great branch of the executive
power.
Fourth-Another important board is that
of public safety, which has control OF the
police and fire departments. This board
Te alapfad nv the Anpnp1A. like the
other. but is appointed by the mayor, with
this vital limitation: TWo-thirds or the
council must approve and II approval
Is not forthcoming in thirty days, then
the Governor OF the State will name the
board This board is to be composed Of
two or four members, as the council
should say, is to be bipartisan, and one
half of the membership is to be chosen
every two years for terms of four wears.
Ffth-The board of health is to be
composed of five members, appointed by
the mayor. subject to confirmation by a
majority-instead of two-thirds-of the
council. The mayor also names the BIZ
partisan board of tax commissioners.
New governments are to be elected I'M
der the code on the first Monday OF next
April and they will go into effect on the
first Monday in May.
There are some good features in this
plan of city government, as In the case OF
the council of one chamber; but for the
most part II is about as bad as 1t could
| have been made. Executive responsibility
is so far divided up among different
boards of different origin that 1t can
never be easily located. The mayor Is
| reduced to a position of unimportance.
He is not even given the dignity of pre-
| siding over the council as under the Eng
lish plan which makes little of that Of
| fetal. The control of the fre and police
| departments will largely fall TO the Gov
! ernor of the State; for a two-thirds vote
| Of the average council to confirm the
mayors choice of the board Of public
safety will rarely be obtainable where the
MAYOR is of opposite politics to the Gov
| ernor, The principle of home rule is vio-
| lated as badly as the principle Of execu-
| tive responsibility.