The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-06-04
THE COMMISSION PLAN.

Ute Inv
The Commission Plan adopted by
the late lamented legislature is not
the best form of that system. 1t could
be much better and it would be hard
to make 1T worse. In trying to i'm
o on the plan found SO success
full elsewhere the parties who drew
h local plan, b Commission Plan,
botched things considerably. A num-
Der of the better points of the tested
plan have been eliminated and a num-
Der of bad and vicious points have
been added.
One of the best things about the
Commission form of government is
that 1t concentrates authority. While
the local plan is probably a slight Inn
provement on the present method OF
divided authority and irresponsible
government, 1t does not pin down the
responsibility as it should but leaves
too many loopholes. 1t provides that
the commission n the mayor shall
divide the city into departments and
each shall be presided over by either
b mayor or a member of the com
mission. The mayor shall receive q
salary of $500 annually and each of
the two or four members of the COM
mission shall receive a salary annu-
ally of $1400.
II Roswell should adopt this plan
and select our commissioners and a
mayor, the cost per year in salaries
would amount to $7,400. This, of
course is unreasonable, and the city
Is simply unable to meet this require
ment. If but two commissioners are
selected with the a the cost
would be $4,6 This is better but is
much more than should be paid. 1t
most unfavorably with the
Board of county commissioners. This
board, at but a small cost per year,
gives government it would be hard to
beat.
The tried form provides that each
commissioner shall receive a majority
If the total humble of votes cast.
The local plan says nothing about this
matter.
The tried form provides for b ini-
tiative and referendum in the adop-
ton of franchises. The local form
does this.
The tried form provides for the mer
1t system for city employees. The 10
cal form passes this over
IL Tx 1O1h
call Of an official who may prove un-
faithful to the trust reposed in him by
the people. This feature was tested
in Los Angeles this spring and was
found most satisfactory. In this re-
spect the local form is deficient. Once
the mayor or a commissioner is elect
ed, he holds office until h end of his
term. There is nothing in h local
plan to enable us to let go should We
find we have picked up a hot brick. All
we can do is TO hang on to it and
yell.
There is another serious defect in
the local plan. 1t says nothing about
city clerk or city treasurer, and we be-
neve both of these officials must be
elected under the old system.
Incidentally it is provided in this
act that all franchises, after its pas
sage must be granted only after ap-
proval by the voters of the city. A
reading of the act indicates that this
clause is now in force.
The Record is frank to say that
some OF the provisions Of this form
are not only weak but, We believe, are
absolutely vicious . One of h worst
of these is the clause that provides
that the mayor and the commission
ers must he men who 'are not other
wise employed" This clause weak
ems this whole act. 1t bars out the
very kind OF men who are most desir-
ed and brings out as eligible for these
Offices the professional politician, the
very kind of man who is eas wanted.
If such a law was in effect in the coun
ty, a man like BILLY" Atkinson, for
instance, could not hold office. 1t
bars out the most successful and b
BEST QUALIFIED men of Roswell.
Before The Record can bring itself
to strongly advocate this plan we
would ike to see what kind OF a pro-