El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-21

payers league which has been consid-
cred" he said, but I feel that the va
riOus city departments are in good
hands and that the present council Is
seeking to save money. to be economi-
cal and vet progressive We are Will
ing 10 receive suggestions at all times
and il is the duty of the citizens to
make theTa- But do not know wheth-
er taxpayers league can help US
Anything however, which Will assist
the council in its work OF saving money
for the people Of FL PasO will be crate
fully received 1 think, though, that
Mr.. Smauey thought we had the old
style form OF government, while we
have the commission form"
Stevens Opposes Plan.
Councilman f. B. Stevens spoke fiat
" against the proposed league or the
employment of an expert by the cham
Der Of commerce to assist the council.
! do not see any necessity for start
ing anything new, he said The
chamber of commerce can appoint
committee to go over the valuations
and 10 check the books without the
organization OF a league But as Tor
a man from Tucson coming here /
think the chamber Of commerce IS as
good a league as we need 1 think we
car work with citizens committee to
a better advantage. 1 favor the raising
o. valuations, for 40 percent or SO per-
cent valuation is too low. 1t should
De raised 70 % percent OF more anu
this would increase the city's valua-
tions by several millions and give US
more bonding power"
John ". Fisher, another councilman,
stated that he thought the chamber
OF commerce, the Adclub and Rotary
club should keep out Of other affairs
but their own, and, while the council
was always ready to receive sugges-
tons, and the door is always open"
he believed that the present system
Lack of Confidence:
J. P. O'Connor did not make a state
ment Of his views except TO ask the
meeting If the suggestion that a tax
payers league be organized was any
indication Of a lack OF confidence in
the administration He was assured
by Mr.. OrndOrff and Robert Krakauer
that this was not the case and that the
plan was TO assist and not to criticise
the city council in its work. Later Mr..
O'Connor said his inquiry was made
only in Joking way and not seriously.
While Mr.. Smalley was explaining
the work Of city manager Clark. of
Tucson, mayor Lea asked what the
trouble was with the city manager in
Phoenix and other places where there
had been trouble with city managers.
Mr. Smalley answered this by saving
that the trouble had either been
caused by politics or unfortunate moves
such as disrupting the engineering de-
partment or some other department
causing a lack OF efficiency. He said
Phoenix was paying its city manager
$1,000 while Tucson paid $4,000 annually.
The mayor and council drew only a
nominal salary each month. He said in
Tucson the city manager was selected
from outside of the city and no politics
entered into his appointment. He was
selected, he said, by the council at
the suggestion Of the Taxpayers assO-
citation.
What Saving Meant.
H D. Slater called attention TO the
fact that when a city council could save
$4,000 by applying more efficient
methods it meant an increase of $500
600 in the tax valuation of the city. He
explained the formation Of the old City
club which was organized several years
ago for a similar purpose and OF an
other organization formed Is years ago
which accomplished great good. He said
that organization had IN mind the en-
ployment of a man like Mr.. SmaIley
1T has infinite posi- bilities.'' said Mr..
Slater in referring to the proposed plan
Of a taxpayers league, operating as a
bureau of the chamber OF commerce. Il
cannot see how such a movement could
be regarded as in any sense antagOu-