The Paducah evening sun., 1910-02-07

vation in city governments In Ken
lucky will be established IL bill
presented before the Kentucky legis
lature by Senator Thomas A. Combs
of Lexington, providing that cities o.
the Second class in Kentucky be gov
erned by commissions, is passed.
The bill presents one of the most
interesting phases that has yet come
before the assembly and announce.
ment that II is to be introduced Mon
day has occasioned much commen.
Lexington, Covington, Newport
and Paducah are the four cities that
would be affected by the measure.
Many city offices in each of these
will be abolished IL the bill becomes
law.
The adoption of the mmssion
form of government is not made com
pulsory, but is subject to the wish of
majority of the legal voters. ac-
cording to the terms of the measure.
The act is similar to those adopted
in Iowa and Texas. and provides a
form of government the popularity
of which is widening.
AboIishes Many Offices.
Among the interesting provisions
of the bill is one which reads: IAN
the present city offices save those
Of mayor and police judge shall be
abolished"
-Four commissioners and a mayor
are to be elected, whose powers
shall include management of every
department of city administration.
The work is divided into five de-.
partments-public affairs. public FL
nance, public safety, public works
and public property-the mayor to
become superintendent of the first,
with supervision over the other four,
while the four commissioners be-
come superintendents at the head
of the remaining four departments.
The board is to determine the, func-
tions of each department and to ar
range for itself which commissioner
shall superintend each of the four
departments.
Elected for Two Years.
The commissioners are to be
elected for terms of two years, and
to draw salaries of $500 a year.
Their eligibility to candidacy Is to
be determined by petitions signed
by electors to the number of not
less than 25 per cent of the total
number of voters.
IAN the legislative. executive and
administrative power of the city
shall be invested in this board OF
commissioners" the act provides.
AS restraint upon this power
placed with the hands of the voters,
IL is provided that any act passed
upon by the board of commissioners
may be protested and suspended by
one fourth of the legal number or
voters.
If the commissioners still decline
to reverse their action, the question
must be referred to the voters at the
next regular election or one specially
called.
Removed by Vote.
Commissioners may be removed
from Office only by the unanimous
vote of the four other commissioners
and then only after a fair public
hearing. The board would have no
voice whatever in the management
of school affairs.
Citizens of Lexington, Ky, are
enthusiastic over the measure. and
predictions are freely made that IL
will pass. The bill will be given the
backing of Senator Combs and his
followers. and a big delegation from
Lexington is expected to lobby for
passage of the measure. Inasmuch
as the government by commission is
not thrust upon any of Kentucky's s
Second class cities. but that 1t is
merely made possible to adopt such
form of government II voters de-
sire II, it is not expected that any
material opposition to IL will de-
velop.
The Bill.
An Act to amend an Act entitled,
"An Actfor the government OF cites
of the Second class in the common
wealth of Kentucky" which was ap-
proved March the 10th, 1894, and
thereafter in due course became q