Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-08
OMAHA CHARTER BILL VETOED
House Lacks Eleven Votes of Passing
it Over Governors Objections.
REASONS FOR EXECUTIVE ACT
Says weight Of Sentiment is strongly
Against the Proposed Increase
in burdens on the Tax
payers.
lFrom a staff CorrespondentJ

gTam.)-Ihe veto on the Omaha charter
bill reached the house OF representatives
this morning and for lack Of eleven votes
the house failed to pass the bill over the
governors disspprovsL The ballot was
forty-nine to forty-one, and sixty was
necessary to pass over a veto.
In setting forth his res CONS for denying
the city officials his approvs. Of the bill
they drew. he goes over the arguments
against heavy taxation which have been
presented to him by interested property
holders and quotes several letters in sup
port OF his position. His final decision is
: he says, based upon the beliefs that the
overwhelming sentiment is against the
charter. He says in his message:
Message OF the Governor.
To the Honorable, the House Of Repre-
sentatives in and for the state OF Ne
braska In considering house roll No 81,
which is amendatory OF the charter I'm and
Tor the city Of Omaha, l am Influenced in
Withholding my signature and approval OF
| said measure because Of the overwhelming
evidence that has come to me through the
citizens and taxpayers Of said city.
public hearing was had in the executive
office as to the necessity of having said
amendments added to said charter Both
sides were heard in fun and complete argu-
ments The merits Of the proposed amend
ments were very ably presented by the
city attorney and others in behalf OF the
! present administration Of the city OF
! Omaha, As a rule, a legislature ana an
! executive Is influenced and absolutely does
In the main, what the legislative delegation
! from city desires In the way of a char
/ ter or charter amendments. But 1t is true
in this case that overwhelming weight Of
sentiment seems 20 be against the charter
| amendments proposed
Would Money BE wisely spents
| THE propositions to be considered IL
| seems to me in this matter. are these:
Does the city need the Increased money
that these amendments provide for II
granted, Will the money be properly ex-
| pended. Has the money already in the
| hands OF the present officials who will be
! called upon to spend a large portion of
the amount herein provided for. been 5u-
diciously and In a business like way spent
in the past. II it has not, is II good
business proposition to entrust several hun
dred thousands dollare more to the same
officials, who have practically made fail
ure in administering the business interests
Of Omaha in the past. What are the bur
dens that the city is already called upon
" anu arc not THESE burdens al
ready Of sufficient proportions to call
halt. In arriving at these conclusions.
have had the benefit of a public hearing
and have the personal letters Of the own
ers of houses and Of the business men of
the city Of Omaha to guide me in the con-
illusions that have arrived at.
Taxes Increase Hundred Per Cent.
But before doing SO, call yodr attention
to the following
last four years the population Of Omaha
has increased less than 10 per cent. The
salsble value of it's property has not I'M
dergone any material change while the
tax has increased 100 per cent. and this
does not take into consideration the follow
ing astounding figures:
First there Is q judgment against the
city Of Omaha, which is unpaid $500 900 IN
past due hydrant rentals second, Omaha
Is called upon to pay for the city water
works in the form Of judgment that is |
now against 1t, that appropriation, 81, 25O.- |
900. These enormous amounts must be /
raised in the next few years by the prop |
erty owners Of said city. Then is II wise /
20 embark on an expedition of a general |
salary raising which those charter amend !
ments provide for and an all-around in |
crease OF taxes, which amounts to about |
10000.
Now as to the necessity Of this increased |
taxation, am satisfied from the evidence |
that Omaha does really need the amount |
of money provided for In these charter |
amendments, but 1 am satisfied that the |
city would not get the full benefit Of this |
large sum.
City May Make own Charter.
I'm view of the fact that a commission |
form Of government is about to be pro-
vided for and a constitutional amendment
enacted which will enable Omaha to make
its own charters and absolutely have it's
own kind of government, It seems TO me
that It would be better to wait and let the
people Of that city decide for themselves
whether there should be administered a
new system of government rather than for
this legislature to impose a new burden
upon It, which, on the face Of things seems
to be against the will of the majority
am firmly convinced that with a proper
and efficient administration Of the reve-
nues provided for in the old charter,
Omaha can get along in good shape until
other provisions by a constitutional amend
ment and commission form of government
have been adopted.
Police Management Criticized.
1T is said that there should be a much
larger police force. l grant 1t, but / also
say that there should be n better manage
ment OF the present police force. / am in
formed that the police force OF Omaha con-
sists Of ninety men, working in three
shifts Of eight hours each, and that there
are only twenty policemen patroiling this
large territory during the entire night,
There is no necessity OF such a situation.
Why could Il not be arranged so that
seventy policemen could be on duty from
: o'clock in the evening until o'clock In
the morning and let the force Of twenty
be on during the forenoon or a certain
portion OF the day when a man can take
care OF himself fairly well.
1T is not desirable in this kind Of paper,
nor have l the time 20 prepare an elabo-
rate statement Of the situation that the
evidence discloses 70 me in this matter,
bu, sufEes II 10 say that the objection 90
thts meaevre At this time, as hereinbe-
fare set togth are amply sustained by
large maisriSy OF the property interests
% baid city, upon which would fall the
burden OE MI OF this Increased taxation |