Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-15
RATE REFERENDUM
ELECTION ORDERED
People Will Decide on Lighting
Prices at CounCiImanic
BaIIoting June 80
1853 NAMES ON PETITION
Corporations Ask More Time and
Are Refused-CIaim the
Action Is Illegal
1853 NAMES ON PETITION

The city council yesterday received
the light rate referendum petition. 1t
contained 1853 certified signatures. The
council ordered special election and
passed an ordinance combining this
special election with the councilmanic
election June 80. On that date, there
fore, the people will determine whether
the rate for electric light shall be or
Z cents per kilowatt hour.
The council also ordered that the
license ordinance, against which refer
endum proceedings had been initiated,
be placed on the ballot for submission
to voters at the election June 30.
Attorney L. M. Edwards, representing
the light corporations, asked the coun-
ell to defer action on the light referen-
dun for sixty days, promising on be
half of the corporations that they would
pay the expenses Of a special election.
The proposal was not received with
favor.
City Attorney Hewitt guided the coun-
ell through the process of the referen-
DUN proceedings. A resolution was
passed to reconsider the light ordi-
nance. Then followed the ordinance
calling a special election to consider
the light ordinance, and the passage
of the ordinance combining the special
election with the coming election.
Just before the matter was put to
the vote of the councilmen Attorney
Edwards asked permission to address
the council members. He said:
Gentlemen, we ask that you do not
act hastily In this matter We ask
that you postpone your action until
such time as our side can be placed
before the people. Certain statements
have been made that the corporations
are holding back their referendum pc
tition in an effort to put the city to
an expense of $4,000 for a special cleo
ton. Postpone this matter for sixty
days and we will pay all the expenses
of a special election.
SAY ELECTION Is ILLEGAL
"In reducing our rates you reduce
the value of our bonds and the cor
porations will be unable to make the
extensions that the city desires through
lack of money. We do not feel that an
election at this time is legal, inas-
much as the required thirty days in
which we may file referendum petit
tion does not expire until day after
the election of June 30.
"Give us sixty days time and we will
bear all the expense of a special cleo
ton"
In reply City Attorney Hewitt point
ed out that the council was acting
within its rights in ordering that the
light ordinance be placed on the ballot
at the coming election. The council
unanimously passed the measure.
Mayor Alexander signed the ordi-
nance yesterday afternoon. The city
attorney states that on the publication
of the measure for ten days in the
official journal of the city 1t will be-
come effective. A resolution to this
--.fVf al Of
ing tomorrow afternoon. 1t is stated
that copies of the ordinance Will not
be mailed to voters. as the council
hopes to obviate this expense through
publication.
OFFER TO PAY FOR ELECTION
After the council refused to accept
the offer of the power companies to
nav for a special election at a later
date officials of the company announced
that no steps will be taken to prevent
the question of rates being placed be-
fore the people.
After the election, however, it is un-
derstood legal steps will be taken to
test the validity of the ordinance and
the election under which 1t is put into
effect.
The power companies claim the cleo
tion is not the result of the fling of
bona fide referendum petition and that
the mayors petition cannot Do Coh-
sidered as such.
1t is also contended that in check
ing the names the clerks have no way
of telling how many voters on the Pc
tition were registered forty days prior
TO election, as required by law before
a registered voter is entitled to cast
his ballot.
The third contention Is to the effect
that the referendum is called to vote
on an ordinance that under the charter
and the political code will not become
operative until July !, and therefore
&c not subject to vote before that time.