Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-09
SUBMIT AMENDMENT
FOR CONSOLIDATION
MUNICIPAL WATERWAYS ASKS
CHANGE IN CHARTER
Proposal Filed with City Clerk Pro-
vldes for Monster City Under
Borough Plan Of Gov
eminent

tn provide for making Los Angeles
a harbor city by simple and prac'iooi
scheme for the consolidation of city
and county governments, a proposed
amendment to the charter was nleo
with the city clerk yesterday py Iile
Municipal waterways assoclallon' liz
amendment provides for borough
evster, in cities hereafter annexed nav
ING a population of 800 or more WheIS
q. majority of the voters snail deilaIlu
such a system. Under TINS poIouSii
system Los Angeles Will nave JuIIsl
diction over water front, harpors anu
bishwavs and the borough will have
jurisdiction over other munlclpal al
fairs. :. o+ &c
meeting next Monday. .,.a,,,o1
The Communication of the mumclpal
waterways commission asks that INC
amendment, which is TO be known as
article 25. be submitted at the earnest
possible time, together with such otner
amendments as may be proposed. Inc
intent is to have it submitted at the
time the charter amendments SUBMIT
ted nv the initiative petition Oh the
Municipal league are voted on;
The last section of the article is one
of the most important. 1t PROVIDES
that the city be authorized to incur a
dition to any amount now authorized
by law, for the purpose of acquiring
and improving highways and railroads,
and the land necessary for then pc
tween the business districts of the city
and the navigable waters of san PedrO
and Wilmington. The construction OF
wharyes and warehouses is included III
these bonds.
Trustees for Boroughs
The article provides that consolida-
ton may be effective under the charter
when the state laws permit 1t, ana that
any city having 800 population or more
may establish a borough system aIIer
annexation or consolidation by pre-
senting a petition to the city council or
Los Angeles signed by so per cent of
the qualified electors in the district de-
string the borough system, and on the
presentation of such petition the city
council must call an election in the dis
trict and the voters shall determine
whether or not it will be a borough.
The borough will be governed by
board of trustees composed of five
members, elected by the voters of the
borough. Elections in the boroughs
and the city of Los Angeles will take
place at the same time after the tlrst
borough election, and the trustees Will
hold Office the same length of time as
The Los Angeles council is given jul
risdiction over four streets which eX-
tend across the limits of the borough,
and these streets are to be known as
harbor highways, and the city is given
power to construct and own water, gas,
electric lighting and power plants and
railroads over such highways.
The borough board of trustees will
elect one of its members president and
appoint q clerk and treasurer, and
shall have control over all purely local
eral taxes within the borough for pure |
ly municipal purposes. The borough |
board has power to appoint an attor-
ney, chief of police and necessary Off |
GERS and men, chief of fire department |
and firemen and all other officers and |
employees necessary to conduct it's local |
government.
Rights of Voters
Voters in the boroughs have the right |
to vote for all general city officers of |
Los Angeles proper, and if they choose |
their borough may be made an lndi- |
vidual city ward.
One-tenth of all general taxes col |
1ected of each borough, not including |
taxes to pay principal or interest on
bonds, shall be paid into the city treas
ury of Los Angeles to pay for a reason |
able proportion of the expense of main |
1ector, and the remainder of the taxes
shall be paid over to the treasurer of
the borough.
When the city and county govern
ments are consolidated the council will
exercise the power of a board of super
visors and conduct the business of the |
county.