The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-04
SPECIAL ACT ONLY
. ON B0hD|NG LIMIT
Other Charter Changes Likely To
Come Through Amendment To
Hally Home Rule Bill.

for an informal session OF conference.
Saturday morning, a. IL: so, Ii is eN'
pected that the aldermen Will agree
on a definite plan OF action looking
toward the adoption OF urgent meas
ures affecting the city OF Detroit py
the people as we'll as by the legisla-
ture. While many OF the aldermen
are inclined TO favor a general cnar'
ter revision. II - generally conceded
that such urgent measures as tue
civil service bill and the municipal
ownership amendment, for instance
should not be held up pending this
revision, which would require year
at least.
1t is doubtful, however, II the plan
TO secure the restoration OF civil SER
vice by special act or the legislature
will be carried out. There Is grave
doubt, Corporation Counsel Hally now
says, whether these acts would be
constitutional Under the new con-
stitution the legislature can pass spe-
cial acts, affecting a single city or
community, only when a general act
would not apply, and the question as
10 whether a general act would apply
is left 10 the judiciary. Thus. II the
| IL gislature were ID pass civil ser
wee bill Tor Detroit only, the question
| would arise whether such an act
would not be applicable to every city
on the state. This would a1ord an
opportunity to anyone so disposed 10
| take the matter into the courts, with
possibility that the act might be held
unconstitutional. This would mean
starting all over again. The same Is
true of the municipal ownership ques'
/ ton.
! But Mr.. Hally can see nothing TO
prevent the passage OF special act
raising Detroit's bonding limit from
TO 8 per cent. Such bill has al
ready been prepared, as stated In me
! Times, Thursday, and will unquestion-
ably be presented TO the legislature
next week. II is even considered pos
sible TO give the bill immediate enect,
so that IL may be voted on by the peo-
pie in the coming spring election, for
all special acts require referendum
AS TO the other important measures.
the plan that seems TO meet the APP
prevail OF most of the aldermen, Is to
secure, if possible, an amendment 10
the Hally home rule bill TO permit
the city TO amend it's present charter,
without waiting for a general revision
1 This is the quickest course and there
are no legal obstacles in the way as
far as any one mas been able TO see.
This plan also meets with the approx
al of Mayor Thompson.
Let US get these needed amend
ments In the quickest legal way pos
sible," said the mayor, Friday noon.
"On-hand, l should say that the best
way to go about il would be TO amend
the home rule bill. That will give
Detroit and every other Michigan
city for that matter, an opportunity
TO decide for itself between a general
revision or amending Its old charter.
| / believe that our old charter, In the
main, is all right. and 1t would seem
that we could accomplish all that Is
| desired, for the present, at least, with
out a general revision. IL this is
1 found desirable later, there is nothing
TO prevent Its being done, but ] think
| the people should have the right to
amend their old charter IL they see
| IT."
There Is a possibility, IL the civil
service amendment Is submitted again,
| that the Vernon bill, which was knock
out by the supreme courts decision
in the municipal ownership case. will
be revised. In the opinion of the cor
poration counsel. its scope Is very
limited, and ii does not apply to the
police and fire departments, the pub
lie lighting commission, the health
board, the library commission, the
recorders court or the police court.
There are other defects OF legal ma
ture which will have to be corrected
4 also