Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-06-10
rider" WOULD
|NVAL|DATE AN
ELECTION
(From Sundays Daily.b

Il
determine sentiment OF the taxpay-
ers upon the issuance OF S250,OOO
in bonds for the erection Of new
court house.
That was the announcement issued
from the boards office yesterday af-
ternoon following the rendering of
an important opinion by County
Attorney P. w. O'Sullivan. The
County Attorneys opinion settled
definitely the question Of whether
or not an election for a smaller
bond issue could be called under
the initiative petition signed and
submitted by the taxpayers asking
for the larger amount. There can
be no rider" inserted or attach
cd The petition must be delivered
to the vote Of the taxpayers just
as it was Submitted to the board.
The opinion was requested by the
board following an important meet
ing between heavy taxpayers and
the board At which time some slight
dissension occurred over the amount
to be expended upon the court
house l. the bond issue was voted.
Several maintained that the quar-
ter of a million mark, as named in
the initiative petition, should be set
down permanently while few
urged that the cost of the struc-
ture be limited to $4,000.
In a spirit of harmony, both fac
tons tried to determine what mea-
sure could be taken if the smaller
figure was agreed upon. 1t was
suggested that a clause be insert
ed in the petition submitted and
the call for the election that So
coo OF the S25O.OOO be utilized to-
wards the redemption OF the bonds
first due.
But this clause cannot be in
serted, declares the county attor-
ney and if ii were. the election
could be enjoined by any of the
400 or more signers who attached
their signatures to the original pc
tition.
This means that the voter will go
to the polls to vote for or against
4 S250,0O0 bond issue. and that he
will be possessed of the knowledge
that S70.gSl of that amount will
go towards the redemption OF the
bonds providing the smaller build
ing is determined upon.
The board is determined to act
fast and the election wis be called
to be held within thirty o~ys. This
move is urgent in view of the fact
that the budget for the coming
year must be made up by August l.
The county attorneys opinion was
regarded as excellent, to the point
and clearing the situation, by Will
liam Stephens, chairman of the
board and Harry Heap. Supervis-
or Alonzo Mason has returned to
his home in Cottonwood and he
will not return until Tuesday, thus
accounting for the brief delay in
the call of the election. The gist
of the County Attorneys decision
is as follows:
Any signer of said initiative pc
ton may mandamus the Board of
Supervisors to call said election in
case the Board should refuse TO
call it, and could compel, by man
damus the calling of said election
in strict and technical conformity
to the provisions of the initiative
petition filed. In other words, the
signers OF the initiative petition.
under the law, are entitled, as a
matter of law. to have the propo-
sition submitted to a vote of the
people in strict accordance with
SAID initiative petition. The board
has no authority to add anything
TO or take anything away from
said petition initiated as aforesaid.
The proposition must be submitted
to a vote of the people exactly as
it was initiated by the people. The
board has no jurisdiction whatever
as | construe the law, to place any
riders on the proposition. am
convinced of this fact beyond any
question of a doubt
1t has been suggested that the
initiative petition calling for an is
sue OF S250OO0 of court house bonds
is too large and that it should be
reduced. dropping off $4,000 Of the
first maturing bonds. 1t was sug-
gested that, in calling the bond
election and submitting the initia-
tive proposition to vote OF the
people. that two propositions be
submitted to the voters. First. the
proposition of whether or not the
Board of Supervisors shall be au-
thorized and empowered to issue