The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-27

ON CHARTER
REVISION
Those That Have Been Made
Summarized What Vari-
Gus Officials Advocate.

A digest of the voluminous written
suggestions submitted to the Charter
Revision Commissioners to help them
in their difficult task has been pre-
pared by Wilson J. Vance, private Sec
rotary to Mayor Jacob Haussling. Mr..
Vance has culled out the salient sug-
gestions made by the members of the
commission, the heads of city depart-
ments and city bodies, Mayor Hauss-
ling and others. and condensed them
into a readable article. A typewriter
copy of this valuable digest has been
prepared for each of the commissioners,
and it will be of great benefit to them In
their consideration of the revision prob
lem. Here is the digest in full:
FUNDAMENTAL FEATURES.
There seems to be n general agreement
among the Commissioners and others who
essity for an increase in the powers now
exercised by the city government, to the
end that the delay, Inconvenience and con-
fusion Incident to the constant enactment
Of laws applying to the municipality by
the State LEGISLATURE may be avoided and
cured to the community, The matter Is
treated specifically md at some length by
the Mayor, and suggested by the City
Counsel. This suggestion has also been
~coLcurred In by he other Commissioners
There also seems to be general agree
ment as to the necessity for an adequate
urges provision for a body which shall not
only prescribe rules for the selection and
appointment of minor officials, but shall
also examine into the workings of the va
rious departments to determine whether
or not any are oyermarined. All the Com
missioners Indicate their adherence to the
Commissioner Martin stntas that the
three fundamental reforms he deems
requisite are:
l. Civil Service.
I. Direct nominations,
|. Separation of municipal elections from
other elections.
He believes also that the initiative and
referendum should be adopted and If the
terms of the Mayor and Aldermen are
made four years he suggests the recall.
President Hardin COMEDIES in the view
that all elective municipal officers should
he CHOSEN AZ tinA WHOM nnlv sirh otiriH.s
IS e ap pDafe fSr' as 2R rnln 'a that r R9't the 'p city
officials should not be chosen at elections
separate from those at which State and
separate ballot should be provided for the
choosing of municipal officials.
CHIEF STRUCTURAL CHANGES.
Br9adly speaking, the changes proposed
ment sronp themselves under two plans,
to wit; What are known as the Mayor
Plan, and the "Gommission Plan The
commissioners for the most part have adj
vocated a government in which the Mayor
by reason of his appointment of the heads
OF the chief city departments, and his
participation rs a member in the pro-
ceedfnRs Of the Board of Estimate or
Finance. having final regulation, of the
financial affairs of the city, will be
ciothel with much greater power and re-
spensibillty tlmn Ut present.
Commissioned Riker. however, has pro-
POSED that the administrative and ~legisla-
TIVE functions Of the city be lodged in a
commission or board to he elected at large.
Even thls plan does not differ SO radically
from the general scheme on which the
otler commissioners agree as does the
Commission Plan pure and simple. Mr..
Rlker gould have his commission subject
TO the Mayors veto and also to the con-
penditures Is concerned to a board of esti-
maae or finance. in which, however, It
world have collectively one-third OF the
To explain more clearly the difference
between these two general plans proposed,
closer analysis of their features is neces-
by most commissioners Involves the aboli-
tlon of the board OF street and water com
possessing administrative or legislative au-
thority. All legislative powers, 1t Ia pro-
posed. shall be lodged In a common council.
While most of the commissioners who
adhere to this plan agree that the council
should have a smaller number of members
than at present, and 1t is apparently their
view that the representation should be one
member from each ward, President Hardin
urges the billty Of continuing the
representation of two members from a
ward with not less than fifteen wards in
the city. The City Counsel has suggested
that the council be made up OF one member
from each ward. and that the city be re-
Distracted so that there shall be but nine
wards.
The administrative functions now exer-
cised by the Council. the Board of Street
and TF-.e- Commissioners and most all
the other boards. would under this plan be
exercised by single-headed departments the
chiefs. of which should be appointed by
the Mayor and he directly responsible
to him and subject to removal by him
without charges.
There is some difference of opinion among
the advocates of this plan as to whether or
not the Board of Estimate should have the
absolute determination Of the gross amount
Of expenditures, or whether 1t should act
in this respect as the adviser of the COM
mon Council.
Mr.. Martin says; 1.-The duty of recon-
mending to the Board of Aldermen every
requirement Of the yearly tax budget shall
be vested in this board, as well as all de-
tails connected with bonding and every
other matter relating to the receipts and
makes a slmllar RECOMMENDATION, and adds
ms n suggested requirement: "A two-thirds
vote of all the members of the Board OF
Aldermen shall be necessary to alter or
change In any particular the recommends
tions OF the board"
Mr.. Bachelor would have the board
prepare tax budget, make gross appro-
priations, authorize issuance OF bonds and
fix salaries" Mr.. Hardin would give the
Board of Estimate power to determine the
amounts to be raised for the use OF the city
and make 1t mandatory upon the Board of
Aldermen to carry out the recommends
tons by tax ordinance, The city. counsel
would give full authority TO the Board of
Estimate to determine expenditures, and
the. Mayor concurs in such a scheme. Mr..
Corish would have the board prepare the
tax ordinance. which would become effec-
tive upon concurrent action of the Council.
As to the composition Of the Board of
Estimate, there are some differences evil
dent among those who favor the plan now
being described. The city counsel sug-
gested a board to consist of the Mayor. the