Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-05-04
Proves All Advocates Claim.
ed in Eighteen Months
Test
TAX RATE IS REDUCED
New Class of Men Handle
City Government Salts
factorily

"A correspondent TO the HOqulam
Washingtonian sends the following
timely letter on the commission plan
of municipal government, from Berk-
ley, California, which is full of inter-
est:
This city has been operating under
the commission form of government
for year and a half, with general
satisfaction. The idea of oldline poll
t1cal divisions. which always dominat-
ed the city, seems entirely to have
disappeared so far as municipal af-
fairs are concerned. Apathy as to
the conduct of municipal affairs. has
disappeared. Questions before the
commissioners have been repeatedly
discussed by some of the official bod
les. Administrative matters are, in
fact, more widely taken up by local
Improvement organizations and the
citizens generally as never before.
The first election under the new char
ter brought out vote of 800 in a
registration of 5000. A subsequent
state election in which both state and
county fights were fiercely contested,
brought to the polls only 200 more.
Tax Rate Cut
The city tax rate has been reduc-
ed cents on the hundred dollars,
putting the city among the lowest in
the state in this regard. This reduc-
tiOn was made possible through
economical and business administra-
tion. In other words, a saving of
money that had been dribbled away.
During the year the number of cleo
trio lights on the streets were doubled.
The police force was restored to it's
full quota and the fire department en-
larged. Numerous Improvements were
made in the police and fire line sys-
TEN. Additional expenditures over
the previous year were made in street
repairs, and in furnishing the new
city hall. These increased eXpendi-
lures, for bettermentS, amounted to
over 900, and in spite of this fact.
the commissioners We're able to save
money in reduced taxes
Berkeley has, under the new plan,
four commissioners and a mayor. At
the first election these were elected
from class that had never before
taken part actively in the affairs of
municipal government. The mayor is
an attorney, and it was with much
difficulty that he was persuaded to
run for office. The final method used
to get him to run was an appeal TO
his desire to see the new charte er
properly put in action. His salary
is $1,000 year and his loss because
of the abandonment of his practice
has been considerable. The commits
siOner of finance was a real estate
dealer. The commissioner Of supplies
is a retired president of bank. The
commissioners of public works and
OF public health and safety We're busi.
ness men of standing in the commun-
ity. In the year and a half of the
present administration, the recall has
neither been used nor suggested
Petitions Abandoned
Three or four initiative petitions
have been circulated but none of them
has come to vote. being abandon
ed by their prOposers for one reason
or another. There was a noticeable
willingness on the part of the citizens
to sign petitions at first, apparently
attributed to desire to watch the
workings of this new and unusual
mode of government. At least, that
there was such willingness was prov
ed by the request of many, after peti-
tions We're presented. for the with
OrdWdI OF CnelT names. tne reason us
ually stated being that signers had
not understood the purport of the Pc
tition.'
For the first few months there was
a sort of underbreath of dissatisfac-
ton, emanated chiefly from that pOr-
tion of citizens which was politically
or personally opposed to the admin
istration at it's election. This was not
real opposition. however. and soon
gave way to an era of good feeling
The commissioners hold meeting
every Thursday morning. There were
some objections to this at first on the
part of the residents. Most of them
desiring to attend meetings. but were
unable to get out in the day time
The commissioners thereupon held
meetings one night a month for the
transaction of such business as es'
pecially interested the residents, as
for instance, the designation of as
sessment districts, the opening OF
streets and the like. These meetings
however, were so poorly attended
that they have been abandoned.
SOCIAL AND AUCTION