The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-01-25

the taxes cannot possibly be increased
as the result Of this change as a city
cannot levy higher rate of taxes than
a village can.
lnasmuch as the constitution of the
state of Illinois has fixed the taxing
limit. thereby preventing the city of
west Hammond from levying more
taxes than the village of West HAM
mond could, the question arises as to
whether we will be able to operate a
a city without extra expense. We will.
because the mayor will not receive any
more than the president of the village
The aldermen will not receive any more
tain the trustees received Formerly
the trustees charged $3.50 for each
meeting and as much as they pleased
for alleged services rendered by them
10 say nothing Of so-called secretarys
salaries.
The circuit court has forever enjoined
trustees and aldermen from charging
Tor services, and the secretary's salary
mas been cut out altogether.
Now six trustees are elected. who
represent the whole village and no par
ticular locality. This is one reason why
trustees have been wtlfully extrava-
giant and careless. They are careful
only when their acts effect their i'm
mediate naighbors.
If West Hammond becomes a city
and is divided into wards, giving the
south side two wards and the north
side two wards, with two aldermen
each. the aldermen will each be re-
sponsible to the voters In his ward and
viii take good care not to displease
them.
Think how much easier it will be for
the people of a ward to select good.
honest aldermen than it is for the
whole village to select good trustees
The mayor win be compelled to en-
force the law He will have the power
to cancel the saloon licenses of the
bawdy house keepers.
Another important thing is this: All
the houses of i'll fame are in a certain
locality; they will all be In one ward.
The people of this ward will have an
opportunity to elect aldermen in this
ward pledged to put these houses out
of business. These houses have given
West Hammond a bad name; they are
supported by Hammond. Make them
go back where they came from. There
are more houses of I'll fame in West
e
change to a city, we will have a bet
ter and cleaner form of government
and at the very beginning we will
clean these houses out. This will
cause many good people to live here
who dislike to come as long as the
sporting houses are in town
August Zimmerman has demonstrated |
what a good treasurer can do. He has
greatly reduced the debt of West Ham, |
nond by judicious handling of village |
funds. If we change to a city the |
treasurer will have to. be elected in
stead of being appointed
The enumerated powers of cities |
greatly exceed those expressly confer
ed upon villages. Many of the recent |
,nactments of the general assembly of t
he state of Illinois calculated to en-
arge and increase the powers now pos
essed by municipalities so that said
may be better governed
md possess additional privileges and
advantages, are expressly conferred
pon cities and do not extend to VIII
ages, the reason being that in the
management and government of VIII
ages a presumption exists that there
re few Inhabitants in q village and
is not expedient and advisable to be-
tow the same advantages, powers and
rivileges upon village as ought to be
estowed upon a city. For instance,
n a city where the city council, upon
commentator of the board of local
provide sfor the con-
truction of certain improvements. to .
e paid for, by special assessments, ,
iajority of the persons assessed for
he Improvement can demonstrate and
hereby automatically prevent the city ,
rom taking steps to levy the assess /
lent for a year, and If at the expira-
on of the year another remonstrance
that the statutory number {
till object to the Improvement. it is {
elayed another year. etc. 1t gives the
eople assessed for local improvements
n opportunity to control the construct