The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-03-07

City Engineer Thomson streauously
opposes the proposed park board
amendment and has given cut a state
msut giving his reasons Ills chief
ebiectlon 20 the amendment IL that,
a. he allegCs. It gives the park board.
over which the taxpayers have no
control Gun power to spend 10 per cent
% the fine and license reVencus Of the
city besides a regular park tax levy,
without check from any other de-
partment ol the city. This, he thinks,
will lead 10 wholesale corruption Ia
! the administration Of park affairs.
He compares the existing system.
with Its numerous safeguards on pub
lie funds. with the loose provisions ~
the proposed amendment Al present
tho general control Of the parks and
other city property u In the hands Of
tho city council while the manage
ment Is under the board Of works.
All officers authorized &c spend money
are placed 2noW2tt..lnop. mfN MT
ey can be spent by the beard % works
a detailed account OF the expenditures
must be presented TO the finance COM
mittee % the council. which decides
upcn the rcasonablcnesa and whether
they shall BE- made.
Thus the primary responsibility h
with the city council an elective body.
returned by the people every two
years" says Mr. Thomson. and who
are thereby required TO provide a man
agement acceptable 20 the public. by
the proposed amendment the council
would be deprived % Ell voice In the
matter and the management placed IN
the hands OF five commissioners who
cannot be removed from office. who
hold terms Tor five years. who would
have absolute control 81 every park
and square and 10 per cent Of the cash
income OF the city. with grounds they
can manage and with funds they can
spend regardless OF the public will.
The amendment provides that tho
hoard Of park commissioners shah
also hava authority TO expend the
park fund that Is. without oversight
or restriction from any other body.
The new board would be a law wholly
20 itself. auditing It's own bills and
compelling the comptroller and treas
urcr to perform the routine work Of
paying the same. With such a beard.
without bond or obligation. cheek or
restraint. handling the enormous fund
that must come into It's hands. per-
forming the labor without saiaried re-
enumeration. what would be more GER
tain that there should follow fraud
and embszHlementf
The proposed article Is repuxnaut
10 the most cared principles Of the
city charter; to the democratic form
OF government. IN that II fixes a com
pulscry tar on the people from which
they have no recourse. and 20 good
morals because II puts large enpendl-
lures under unpaid and unrestrained
appoiutlve officers opening the door
to more suspicion"
Ex-CouncilmGn william Weight. who
n now 4 North Seattle real estate
dealer. also opposes the amendment
and has written The Star as follows:
Il am utterly opposed to the char
ter amendment No. = relating 10 city
park departments. for the reason that
II delegates powers and duties that
should be exercised and performed BY
city officials. elected BY the people.
20 a park board that at best will be
only ornamental. because that board
would have 70 hire somebody that
could lay out parks and build drive
ways l DO not believe that a park
board could be more successful in that
respect than a city council. elected by
the people. assisted by the board %
!. public works and engineering depart
ment OF the city who certainly must
be more qualified for such work than
any park board. no matter how care
fully selected. possibly could be: be-
sides. the members OF the city admin
tstraflon are either under bonds for
the faithful performance Of their re-
spective duties or their work 10 under
the supervision Of those that are undar
bonds. The agument that no money
Is Actually handled BY the park board
viii not do because a great many
fraudulent transactions are carried out
iuss under such cover as that would
-
But the most serious objection II
that 81 having q fixed tar levy for
any purpose In cur city charter. IL n
wrong IN principle and certainly not
sensible for practical purposes 10 tie
the hands Of those that We elect every