Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-12-01
OPEN FORUM
X x 4; !; X x x 4; < 4 \ X X
BAD FEATURES OF CHARTER,

Editor Journal: Win you kindly al.
low a statement Of some reasons why
the voters Of Salem should not adopt
the proposed City Manager charter
While it might be an improvement in
some respects over the present charter
it lacks in the great essential 0f guar.
anteeing retrenchment and lower taxes
If three county commissioners can run
the business of Marion county econom.
ically and reduce taxes for the past ten
years, why do they propose seven com.
missioners Here is about the way il
would work:
Four Of the seven would choose the
city manager, aud with ell his appoint.
ing power ana al power over contracts
this manager and the four commission,
ers would han lie the brsinsss shd
politics Of the city. The minority
would have nothing 10 say The system
requires each Of tho seven wards Ia
nominate two candidates for commits
sioner, and then from Che fourteen
names on the ballet tho voters at larg,
would select seven, the whole iity vet
ing on each Of the seven, The choice
Of the ward might h. Defeated by the
vote Of the city at large, thus destroy
ing local rcnre Ie1tatiGn. The lnrppl
wards Of the city could combine AL
select the whole soren aud would GER
tanly combine TO s,l"t fOm Of In,
seven and thus run the city,
The commissioner receiyin! the hrp
est popular vot) would be Acting
Mayor II is Il we'll known fact that
candidates with backbone and sironl
convictions on public matters get the
smallest vote We would rie,t fol
Mayor the ncnrr,t t. iellvfisb OF
spineless politician in the bunch W,
have a better city government as IL is
The present administration has paid
Off $4,000 of inherited debt and ha,
reduced the tax levy from 1872 mills tC
II mills. II has created no new debt
but has provided sinking funds foI
wipiug out all bonded debt that can b,
paid Off There are many things ahou
this proposed charter that do not lool
good and should be explained to IN,
people. As the Prohibition question II
permanently disposed of, this is goot
time to frame up new carter for oul
city but this ole has bttlo merit.
The people Of Salem have once vote,
down q charter proposing a commissio,
Of seven members, They also votet
down a charter providing three commits
sioners because the salaries propose,
were too high and the charter did avn,
with the direct primary, initiative
referendum and recall. In the present
| proposition there Is no provision for IN,
recall given the people, but the Git,
Manager may have his head choppe,
/ off any day and would have no per
mancnce or tenure Of office TO carr,
out good policies, IL he was able /,
frame them up. Any time maiort,
Of the commissioners were dissatisfie,
with him they could recall him but thI
| people are to have no recall. IL woul,
be as nearly an automatic machine a
/ II Is possible TO set up under n Nd
called commission.
Would we not have seven politician
managing one managerl Is NOS tina
the reverse Of any business proposition
where we often hear Of one cxrcnti"
managing seven men under him, o
seven hundred, and making a success o
the businessl But who ever heard q
a City Manager with seven bosses2 |
the city Of Dayton we hear 40 niue
about there was an awful calamity.
flood wiping out the old city, and
went under martial rule. Nbtnrnll
such conditions developed the idea q
O city managerial form of governnen
Baker City has been governed nv thrr
commissioners for ak Years. This IA
u was proposed that ihc CITY Mnnapr
form be tried, aud Il was voted dow
One very bad feature Of the propose
charter Is aholishiug the Office Of c,l
treasurer AMI appointing single ban