The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-07-14
Bill to Permit Cities to Han
die Own Affairs to Be Pre-
sented to Legislature
GONFEBs SELF GOVERNMENT
Many Matters On Which Citizens Are
More Competent to Pass Judgment
Than Legislature Would Be Settled
az Home

Home rule for cities" is one of the
topics when will occupy good share
of the time devoted to discussion at
the sessions Of the League Of Wiscon
sin Municipalities now being held at
Fond du Lac The advocates of broad
er powers for cities in the regulation
of local affairs undoubtedly have rea-
son and common sense on their side OF
the argument for the citizens of amy
community must know better what they
want and need than the members of a
legislature drawn together from all
over the state and with a very imper
feet knowledge of conditions any
community outside their own. Many
OF the advocates of the passage of Q
home rule measure by the Wisconsin
legislature can be found among the
older members of the legislature it
self and they base their reasons for
the support of such bill on the
grouna that extending the powers of
the cities and villages wouldt relieve
the legislature Of much business and
shorten UP the sessions very materially.
over half the time of the legislative
sessions is now taken up in the con
sideration of purely local measures
which are Of no benefit to any of the
cities or villages Of the state except
tho city directly affected An act en-
titled Bill to Confer Self Govern
mcut on Cities has been drawn which
will empower an Of the cities of the
state to aeal dmectl with matters of
purely local Importance This bill will
be presented to the legislature at it's
next session and will undoubtedly stir
up widespread discussion around the
state A copy of the bill follows:
The people of the State d Wiscon-
sin, represented in Senate and AS
smembly, do enact as follows
Section l Any city shall have pow
er to adopt and from time to time alter
regulations relating to it's own govern
ment or to the conduct of it's munich
pal affairs in manner following:
Such regulations or amendments
thereof shall be enacted by resolution
adopted by a vote of at least two
thirds Of all the members of the com
mon council and approved by the
mayor not less chan two months next
prior to municipal election, and sub
mitted to a vote of the qualified cleo
tors Of the city at such election.
If the same be ratified by majority
vote of the electors east upon that sub
ject such regulation or regulations shall
take effect on the third Monday of
April following such election, and shall
supercede, so far as such city is con
cerned, any provision of law which may
be in conflict Herewith, except as here
matter provided
Section ,. No such regulation shall
supercede or contrayene the criminal
laws of the state or laws designating
what property shall be assessed for
taxation and exemptions therefrom or
fixing a limit on the rate of taxation,
or relating to subjects on which action
by the legislature is required by he
constitution of the state
Section s. A petition, signed by
qualified electors of a city, who voted
at the last preceding municipal election,
asking for the submission oil any such
regulation or regulations may be filed
with the city clerk not less than three
months before the next ensuing nluni
cipal election, and the city clerk shall
transmit said petition to the common
council at it's next regular meeting.
If such petition shall contain the
signature of not less than five per
cent, Of such electors the common eoun-
Gil may submit the regulation or regu-
lations accompanying such petition to
vote Of the people Of such city al the
next municipal election, as provided in
Section I, Of this act, by majority
vote and without the concurrence Of
the mayor Of the city.
II such petition shall contain the
signatures Of fifteen per cent, Of such
electors, it shall be the duty Of the
common council to submit the regu-
lation or regulations accompanying the
same to vote of the people OF such
city at the next ensuing municipal elcc
ton as provided ln Section l. If adopt
ed y vote Of the peopls, as pro
Tided il Section /, # this act the Ell
fect snail, in either case, be the sane