The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-26


and beginning OF the terms of mayors
and councils shall not occur at the
same time with those OF other elective
officers.
8. Tho vote In both branches upon
an appropriation ordinance, or one I'M
posing taxes or borrowing money.
g. No street railway, gas, etc, etc..
company can use the streets alleys or
public grounds without the consent of
corporate authorities'-which words,
1 presume. mean the municipal council.
TO- A three-fourths vote of all men,
bers elected to each branch of the
council is needed to sell any rights of
the city in water front, wharfs. streets.
etc. etc.
These arc the restrictions and pro-
visions which we must recognize.
Must Retain Ward Lines.
Hence. until an amendment can be
had to the State Constitution, every
Smarter must have, as parts thereof,
each Of the above named requirements
or provisions. 1t is to be especially
noticed that Richmond. as other cities
of her size. must have q city council
composed of two branches. with the
members to be elected from the re-
spectivc wards.
The question, therefore. arises. Will
the retention of such a legisla tive body
defeat our presenting a draft of
charter. by which we can obtain the
benefits OF what Is commonly called
the commission form OF government?
1t is true that the charters granted
to cities upon the plan OF the commits
sion form authorize in nearly every
instance only single organization or
department, to which is given both the
legislative and administrative powers
pertaining to municipalities. have
been able to find but three city char
tiers having both a city council and
what may be called a commission body
or board OF affairs. Those three char
tiers belong to the cities OF Bluefeld.
of Charleston, w. Va. and Of Hunt
ington, w. Va. I have been unable to
see the Canadian form of city charter.
There are some differences in the
names and powers given these several
bodies Of the respective cities. But for
our purposes We need only notice the
main fact that each of them has two
bodies, instead of a single commission
board In each Of them what is called
the corporate powers"-that is, the
legislative and administrative powers
are lodged In what may be called,
for general description. a commits
SION" while what may be called the
council. whose members are elected
from the several wards, have very lin
tied powers. Those powers are con-
fined to the right of vetoing any fran
chise or license granted or ordinance
passed by the commission board; the
right to demand OF the commission any
specifications. maps, contracts. papers.
etc. etc, affecting the city's interests,
and the power to remove upon charges
heard any member of the commission.
1t would. therefore, appear that in
all charters. under the commission
form, both legislative and adm!nistra-
crtt 40 To-
Legislative or Administrative.
We have seen from the provisions
above noticed from our State Consti-
tuition. that not only must we have a
city council, but that that body mas
solely and exclusively the legislative
powers of the city. 1t follows, there
fore. that the most that can now be
done IS to create a department which
shall have control over the admins
trative features OF the city govern
ment.
Whether this separation of the legis-
iative and administrative powers is
wise or not, the fact is that at pres
ent they cannot be lodged in one body.
unless they are allowed to remain in
the city council.
city council. as required in this
State. Is far from commission form
OF government. While the numerical
Size of both branches OF the city coun-
ell can be reduced, under the power
above mentioned, as given by the Con-
stitution. yet the members would have
to be elected By wards. while under
the commission form of government
the members are elected by the voters
OF the entire city. Nor could the mem
bers OF the two branches of the city
council sit as a joint body. as they
are members of separate and distinct
y1t1f -
arately.
Therefore, the mere reduction of the
members, comprising the two branches.
would not make the form approach
what is called the commission plan.
What IL Planned.
The nearest approach which we can
now make to that plan is by retaining
the city council, with its legislative
powers and its constitutional power
to grant franchises, and at the same
time establishing an administrative
department and transferring from the
council and its committees all the adj
mlnistrative powers. including therein
the expenditures of all money. the APP
pointment or election and control of
all administrative officers. the control
of the city property. and the several
departments of the city government
1t is, to say the least, question of
some doubt whether such separation
of legislative and administrative pow
ers is not the wiser course.
The arguments for the single small
body are:
list. What is known as the short
ballot"
I'd. The concentration in a few per-
sons OF all responsibilities. so that the
blame of failure or improper manage
ment can be the more easily placed.
The theory of the short ballot" Is
that, where there are only a few per-
sons to be elected, the voters will pay
more attention to the characters and
abilities of those TO be elected than
they would If there were many per-
sons to be voted for.
How Elected.
do not think that this theory
would in the case of this city be in
juriouslv disregarded by our having
both City Council and q board of