The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-10-31
NUMBER ss.
MUNICIPAL CODE.
The New One Obeys the Ohio
Constitution.
POWER RIGHT WITH THE PEOPLE.

Fewer Changes From Existing Con-
ditions and Closer to the Voters
Than Any Other Plan Proposed.
4 great Republican meeting filed
the spacious Board of Trade auditor
tum at Columbus the other night.
The Columbus Glee club. with their
songs. filled large part of the time.
although brief Republican speeches
were interspersed. Secretary of State
Laylin presided. Governor George K.
Nash made the principal speech in re-
sponse to requests for a statement
about the new municipal code.
In addition to what Governor Nash
said. the following are among many
strong points in favor of the code as
now before the people for the test of
its practical operation:
1t increases very considerably the
power Of the city council. elected by
the people.
1t brings home to the people,
through the council, an enlarged pow
er for prompt and thorough action for
the public needs heretofore reserved
for the legislature.
1t makes the council represent the
entire city by adding members at
large.
1t stops dickering for the organiza-
ton Of the council by making its pres
ident and clerk, or auditor, elective by
the people.
1t makes q larger proportion of the
executive officers elected by the peo-
pie. There are enough officers pro-
vided for the larger cities, while the
smallest need incur no extra expense
on account Of any positions which it
does not need as yet, but which are
allotted to it in obedience to the SUI
preme court and constitutional re-
quirements of uniformity in all cities.
It gives the mayor the responsible
ity for naming every appointive on
GER. II he picks out strong, suitable
men for the bipartisan board of pub
lie safety the responsibility for any
rejection rests with the council; only
in that event can the governor inter-
vene.
The mayor is the executive head Of
the police and fire departments, whose
members are selected and protected in
their positions by the merit system,
administered by the bipartisan board
of public safety. thus ensuring capaci-
ty and stability in both departments.
Another reform is protection by
statute against partisan gerrymander
of councilmanic districts, or wards.
and against ripper legislation
In case of cities that are carrying
debts the sinking fund commission
provides a plan and protection for the
payment Of all debts. This will en-
hance municipal credit and save the
taxpayers great sums annually.
A check, always needed, now pro-
vided for the first time, upon excessive
local taxation Is made by giving the
sinking fund commission control of all
local tax levies.
In case of public Improvements new
checks and safeguards are provided
against excessive special taxation.
Another important new protection
for the public interests is in giving
the mayor the veto power, and reQuir-
ing a two-thirds vote of council to
| overcome his objections.
The plan adopted comes closest in
its general features to the system al
ready in operation in most Of the
cities of the state, excepting the two
that have had the so-called federal
system. 1t differs from those in max
ing the principal officers elected by the
: people, and not creatures of the may
or, and in putting the subordinate ofa-
| GERS under q stringent merit system.
Other very vital objections to the
federal plan have been that 1t gave
, the mayor a veto upon all proposed
} | legislation in council, because the ap-
} | proval of the mayor and his cabinet
| was required before the submission Of
measures to the council, and after that
/ | the mayor and his cabinet had the
right to oppose measures on the floor
, in open council. in the way practiced
, in the British parliament. This Is
/ foreign and not federal plan, and Is
, not like anything American
The new code limits the city levy to
10 mills on each dollar of taxable
r property, exclusive of levies for
schools, libraries, university, hospital
and interest purposes. and any higher
rate must be approved by two-thirdi
Of council and two-tnirds of the cleo
: tors before it can go into effect
Temporary loans, secured by the
4 council, can run only six months. De
ficiency bonds may run for so years
t to secure the lowest interest rate, but
they must never exceed ! per cent o.
the tax duplicate, and must be ap
proved by two-thirds of the city coun
ell and two-thirds Of the voters
Which?
9 The New York Democratic platform