Bisbee daily review., 1912-08-23
URGES COMMISSION
GOVERNMENT FOR
ARIZONA COUNTIES
Bill Providing for Business
Administration of Affairs
Probable

The creation in effect Of a commits
son form Of e0y chime IT fo- counties
of Arizona win be the oh .ect OF a
bin that will in all probability be in
PRODUCED at the next session OF the
state legislature. Already there is
considerable discussion Of .he matter
ami there are many advocates Of the
plan. some fayoring the plan in a
modified form and others advocating
the election OF q full Eoari at full
salary and requiring all The time OF
the supervisors.
The subject of commission form
of government has not entered into
consideration. hut the plan that is
being advocated is the commission
form pure and simple
The plan proposed is that members
of the board bc increased TO an *.
tent that would warrant a qualified
citizen in accepting the position and
devoting all of his time to the duties
of the office requiring his presence
at the county seat all the time at the
Office Of the board. except when en-
gagged on county business else
where.
Readers of The Review will recall
that six months ago NJ Newman. then
mayor of the CITY. advocated this
plan rs an adoption OF the so-callei
municipal form of government to the
county government. asserting that it
was nothing more than the applica-
ton Of business sense to the admin
istratiOn of the county government
Mayor Newman's plan attracted a
great deal Of attention st the time.
and aroused some criticism. but it
was generally realized that he had
suggested something that was worthy
of consideration and something that
out-progresSed the progTassiveness Of
the advocates OF this form Of govern
ment for cities
When asked by a representative Of
TheReview Yesterday for his opinion
of the proposed law. Mr.. Newman
gave it his unqualified endorsement
Il am very glad to hear Of H." he
said. 1T is in effect an application
OF tho principle of the municipal CON-
mission government TO the govern
'nent Of the county. and. as ! have
stated before. II Is founded on bust
ness principles. I believe that there
should he no difference in administer.
Ing the business affairs OF a county
and 4 business corporation. There is
no essential difference between the
two. and certainly any business man
will agree that No business CORPORA.
ton could DO successfully carried on
If the manager only gave one day
each month 10 its conduct.
Eyes. 7 am in favor OF such a law.
As IL is now no man capable OF
h0tFfTrF HnVTvsa ha
visor Is warranted in devoting suf
ficient time, TO the duties of the
hoard without allowing his own
business to retrOgrass. ] believe that
all three members Of the Cochise
county board should be paid a sal
arv large enough for them to accent
it without impairing their private
fortunes, and then devote all Of their
time tn the cOunty's aTairs. I be.
lieve that able men for the positions
Of supervisors could be got for a sal
arv NJ. say. 50 coo n year
81 believe that there is no question
but what this would pay the county.
both in economy and efficiency The
taxpayers would get more for their
money, ar they would then have n
right to eXpect that that the suDer.
NiSpIS MbuiN give tNeir WhOle time
TO the county. 7 would favor plan
that would give to each supervisor
supervision OF certain branches OF
the county work. say one man for
supervision over county roads. which
is n very important matter at this
time; another the clerical work and
another the financial Job. attending
to assessments. etc.
Mr.. Newman also took occasion to
reiterate his belief that Bisbee
should adopt the commission form NJ
government for the city I'VE are
coming to II sooner or later" he de.
clared.
Gus Hickev, chairman of the pres
ent board of supervisors, is also in
favor of the principle of the suggest.
ed plan bHt in a somewhat nrodiied
form Tie believes that the sane end
would be attained BY the employment
Of one supervisor, the chairman. on
full salary. the same as that paid to
The sheriff OF an Arizona county who
should be given power 20 act in cert
ain matters and whose full time
should he required for the county.
Mr. Hickey would also. in the same
connection. abolish the state tax COM
mission and enact a law making the
chairmen of the boards OF supervisors
Of the several counties the state
board of equalization. by reason
Of their knowledge OF local conditions
they would be in a better position"