Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-28
AMENDMENT TO The CHARTER
Committee Which Drafted it Decides
- on Change.
PROVISIONS ARE TOO BROAD
Decide that People and Not the
Council should Decide whether
60 Issue Garbage Plant
ROnda.

An amendment TO that section OF the
charter revision bill which gave the city
council and mayor power 20 issue bonds
for the construction Of a garbage plant in
omaha, has been prepared and sent to Lin
coin. The amendment takes the privilege
from the city council and mayor and stipu-
lates that the issuing Of bonds for this pur-
pose shall be decided by the people by vote.
The committee which draft the original
bin has come 10 the conclusion that It
would be better TO leave this matter to the
people Consequently the amendment was
prepared and sent on it's way. City At
torney Rlne who was a member OF the
original committee. stated Friday morning
that the amendment would be offered when
the bill Is reported back from the com
mHtee on municipal affairs. where It was
referred.
Representatives Of the bar and business
men OF Omaha agree that the provisions
s6pt the proposed charter revision bill are
too broad In some instances and that
amendments should be offered to the BILL
which will. In a measure. curb the power
Of the city council and the mayor.
Especially are three provisions pointed
out-that extending the limits In which the
council can improve streets without petit
ton; that which gives the council power
20 issue bonds for the erection OF gar
hage plant and that which gives the coun-
elk at its option the power to designate
the hours when the polls shall open and
close in special elections. Other amend
rnents might be proposed, also particularly
that relating to the lighting fund, but the
three mentioned first are considered the
most important.
Limits TOO Great.
W H. DeFrance a well known attorney
with offices in the Omaha National Banl
building, criticizes that provision regarding
the extending the limits for street improve
rnents.
t%To my way OF thinking, the present linn
It's Of $500 feet are ample said Nr. De
France. THE proposed extension takes II
practically all of the city. There are
few streets without this limit, which will
need Improvement In general, the prop
erty owners are capable OF judging 70
themselves whether the streets should b.
improved. BY all means let the limits re
main as they are
"As to the hours for general and specia
Nectlons, there is no reason why ther
should be any difference. II the laborin
nan is worthy OF consideration in the mat
Her Of general elections. he should be &C
3 corded the same privileges in the specla
elnCtlOubs utIe II iO aAbhiiiNiN AhaN ~
be advanced why the hours should be diff
fsrent and many why they should be ider
decay, so 1 think an amendment should b
offered making the hours the same
THAT the people should have the priv
eye of saying whether and how much bond
they want Issued for garbage reductio
plants goes without saying. They foot tn
bills and are plenty able 20 Judge how niue
money they want to expend and the mar
ner in which It shall be expended"
Assistant City Attorney ]. J. Dunn
view coincide with those Of Mr.. DeFranc
l.There is no necessity for extending ii
limits for paving said he THE limi
have been increased from 5000 feet an
when the former provision was change,
ntwas deemed that $500 feet would be SUI
fieIent. Conditions are the same now
hten."
FL heartily agree with the article in II
Bee Thursday. calling attention to the pr
visions Of the proposed charter" sa
Charles F. Withheld. building inspecto
Amendments should be made to these pr
visions and have doubt that they W
when the bill comes up for further col
sheraton"