The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-12-03

copy of the record of the village in the
matter of such organization showing
the canvass of the votes and the re-
suit of the election whereby such viii
lage became SO organized as a city and
the recorder of deeds shall record the
same, and upon such record having
been duly recorded by the recorder of
deeds as aforesaid, he shall Immediate
ly transmit the same to the secretary
of state together with his certificate
of such recordtation Endorsed thereon,
or annexed thereto, and it appearing
from the recitals in said record that the
provisions of this act have been duly
complied with, the secretary of state
shall file the same and charter said
city or village by his certificate duly
authenticated under his hand and the
great seal of the state
1T is the duty of the president, who
| becomes mayor after the election if a
majority have voted in favor of chang
ing to city, Immediately after such
change of organization to appoint a
competent person to prepare and sub
NIT to the city council for their adop-
ton or rejection, an ordinance in re-
! vision of all the ordinances of said
city and for the government of said
city.
The new city officials shall hold Of
flee until their successors are elected
at the. general election to be held in
April, 1911.
Il will attempt to point out a few
facts regarding the result of this
change:
| Elections for city officials in cities
must be held in the odd years and BIZ
annually thereafter. The people elect
mayor. a city clerk, a city attorney
where there is resident city attorney
and city treasurer. At the present
time the treasurer Is appointed by the
village.
"A city treasurer cannot succeed him
self, which results in a careful econ
omnical administration Of the duties OF
! this important office and the necessity
/ for paying obligations promptly, due
1 to the fact that the treasurer knows
! that he cannot succeed himself in Of
/ flee and must have everything in first
class condition for his successor.
Before enumerating the charter
powers of a city, great many OF
which the village cannot exercise and
does not possess, I want to take this
opportunity of mailing two falsehoods
that have been circulated regarding
the results of this proposed change
1t has been asserted
"First-That the taxes of the people
will be increased
'Second-That the new aldermen car
pay themselves $4,000 per year.
Both of these statements are alb.
luteiy untrue. The constitution of the
state of Illinois fixes the maximum
nj 0f ;r1
incurred by cities and villages and it is
/ precisely alike in both
Under the new revnue law cities and
4 villages may levy taxes not to exceed
one and two-tenths per cent of the
assessed valuation of all taxable prop.
perty in the municipality The village
of West Hammond has always levied
as much as it has been legally possible
for it to do so. As city it cannot lev,
a great greater amount, so that the
taxes cannot possibly be increased a.
the result of this change and a cit,
canont levy a higher rate of taxes thar
a village can.
las to the second statement. the stat
ute provides that in cities of less thar
| 100000 inha bitants, the compensation o.
aldermen shall not exceed the sum O.
SO to each alderman for each meetins
or the city council actually attended BY
him, the difference being that trustee.
| can only charge for one meeting {
| week and aldermen can receive SO fol
| each and every meeting they attend
| II the council by it's ordinances so pro.
| vides. Special meetings are few ane
far between, however. and the add
tional expense, If any. would hardly b.
| noticeabue- The number of alderman i.
determined by the population, as fol
| lows:
I'm cities not exceeding 5000 inhabit
| ants, six aldermen.
Exceeding 1900. but not exceed
| ing 5000. eight aldermen
Exceeding 5000, but not exceeding
10000, ten aldermen
| The population is determined by thu
| last preceding national, state, schoo
| or other census authorized by law t.
be taken. 1t is required by statute