Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-19
INITIATES ACTION
ON CONSOLIDATION
Mayor Sends Message to Council
on the Merging of City
and County
WATER PROBLEM is BIG ISSUE
Executive Asks Authority to Ap-
point Committee to Con-
slider Question
Confined from Page ono,

CONTINUED from rage OuoI
position of the owens river water
supply and the distribution of the
power to be obtained from the
generating plants to be constructed
in connection with the aqueduct.
1t must be obvious, 1 think, from
the public hearings that have been
held recently, and are now in
progress before your honorable
body. that a number of legal diff
ficulties are involved in the sale or
distribution Of water and power,
either to neighboring cities for re-
distribution by them, or the sale
by this city of such water or power
directly to consumers outside of
the city.
REMOVES DIFFICULTIES
Many of those who have ad-
dressed your honorable body re-
garding this matter have clearly
pointed out that the difficulties
surrounding the distribution of the
city's power and water would be
practically, if not entirely, re-
moved by the expansion of the city
boundaries so as to include the
territory over which the water and
power would be distributed. This
would apparently lead to the con-
clusion that such territory should
be under one governmental con-
troll, and that such governmental
control should be exercised by what
is known as "city and county gov
ernment," modified, or specially
framed, If necessary, to meet our
local conditions.
Every one who has given this
matter even superficial attention
must realize that the management
and disposition of the immense
water and power surplus which
this city is to have under its con-
troll in the immediate future, and
the policy to be adopted by this
city with regard thereto, are of the
utmost Importance, and upon their
correct solution vitality depends
the prosperity and we'll being Of
this community. The idea seems
to gain strength, as we proceed
further with the discussion of now
best to deal with our water ana
power problem, that 1t naturally
and perhaps necessarily leads into
the question of what form of gov
ernment is best adapted to cope
with the situation thus presented.
Some of our citizens have pointed
out, with much force, that the
same authority which owns the
water and power, and is charged
with the duty of distributing 1t for
the public good, should also nave
political or governmental controI
of the territory in which the water
and power are distributed and con-
sumed If so, there is apparently,
.
government existing in this state,
only one form of government ap-
propriate for the purpose, and that
is city and county consolidated
government. chiefly for the reason
that territorial expansion is a nee
essary element to he taken into
account.
QUESTION IMPORTANT
The question is, however, of
grave Importance, and should only
be decided after most careful and
exhaustive investigation. And even
if city and county government be
accepted as the form of govern
ment best adapted for our pur-
poses and needs, it may be that
legislation will be required before
1t can be carried into operation.
The next legislature will meet in
January, 1911, and II we are not
prepared by that time, or very
soon thereafter, while the leg1sla-
ture is in session, to take up this
matter, so as to be prepared TO
apply for the necessary legislation,
the water and power will be on
our hands, in all probability, be-
fore the following legislature
meets in 1918. Certainly nothing
can be lost, and it would seem to
me a great step in advance Will
be taken if we proceed now to con-
slider this matter of city and coun-
ty government in earnest. IL
should be examined in all it's
bearings, and public sentiment be
given positive direction, and, II
possible, a definite plan adopted
before we are confronted with ac-
tuaI emergencies which can even
now be clearly foreseen.
I call the attention Of your hon
orable body to this subject for the
purpose of recommending that
commission of our representative
citizens be appointed and request
ed to investigate the question OF
consolidated city and county gov
ernnent ana LH6 lOIIll III WAASlL -
should be cast, in connection with,
or as it may be applicable to the
administration of the water ana
power supplies, and make report
thereon, through your honorable
body, to the people OF this city and
it's surrounding territory. BY this
means I believe a great deal or
information can be placed before
the people, so as to enable them TO
form an intelligent judgment upon
this somewhat difficult problem. 1
would suggest that this commits
sion should consist of not less than
nine persons, representing, If pos
sible, the various civic bodies or
the city and it's various enter
prises, as we'll as the legal profes-
sion. The adoption of any form or
government, while it must be
guided to a large extent by the
advice Of men learned in the law,
should also have the counsel OF
those who can speak for business
and industrial interests and for the
welfare of the workers and people
at large. 1 most sincerely recon-
mend this matter to your careful
consideration at this time. Re-
spectfully,
GEORGE ALEXANDER,
Mayor