The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1914-06-24

non STD\ NDER
COMMISSION III LIE.
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| cjdpd that Houston was large
enough corporation and rich enough
| tc pay men to adrAinistrate her al
fairs. The citizens decided they
] could not afford TO leave the business
of governing the city to a gang OF
politicians who served free, as far
as actual salaries We're concerned,
but profited from the fact that they
were entrusted with power.
Commission government was
adopted The outstanding fact is
| that the commission plan has given
| Houston business-like administra-
ton, in the true sense Of business,
Also more has been done in civic
! improvements. in interesting the
people in their government, in the
regulation of public utilities and in
economic administration since the
commission government was estab-
rshed than ever before.
But the first awakening to its ben
Gifts came with the election of J. j..
Pastoriza as tax commissioner three
years ago, by an overwhc Inning ma
iority. Pasgoriza devoted his nights
and DAYS to tax problems, finally
evolving the famous Houston plan
Of municipal taxation,
Under his scheme land is assessed
at . per cent OF its fair value and
improvements at % per cent. Mon
cy, personal property and securi-
ties such as mortgages, notes and
bonds. are not assessed.
More than any other plan, Pasto-
RIA : methods do not result in spe,-
cial privileges or determination.
This pleases all taxpayers. Under
the old councilmanic form of city
government tax reforms could hard
ly have been instituted.
On a par with the tax reforms un-
der commission government has
been Mayor Ben CarHpbelis fight to
regulate public utilities in the inter
ests OF the consumers. He hired OK
perts to investigate the Houston
Lighting & Power Company. They
recommended that the company re-
duce rates 30 per cent The mayor
and commissioners ordered the re
duction effective April !, 1914. The
people of Houston viii save about
| $3.50 900 a year. The telephone
companies and the gas monopoly are
now being investigated
The best thing about commission
government, as the average citizen
views it. is that under it the city OF
ficials devote all their time to the
city's business And sometimes they
even fall short Of time enough to
master the intricate problems of gov
eminent, But What would a coun-
ell OF politicians DO no meet once a
month
The things done by the commits
| sion government in Houston are too
numerous to mention. The water
| commissioner deVotcs his time to i'm
proving the municipal water plant.
F., The street and bridge commissioner
| looks after the care of the streets,
repairing, paving, grading, filling,
The fire aud police commissioner is
busy with his two important depart
ments, The tax commissioner has
| probably the biggest job OF all, that
of raising enough but not TOO much
| money to run the government. The
commissioners meet and advise with
the mayor who is the executive head
OF the government and has veto
| power All commissioners have sub
ordinateS and one good thing. as the
citizen views it, is that the subordi-
mates are compelled 10 do full
days work each day
The mayors present salary of
81, 600 a year will be raised TO 81,
500 after the next election March I
1915.
The four commissioners receive
each $500 month