The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-02
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. wlckersAsn Diseases the Pro.
visions About CosAty Govern.
ment and tAe State LEGISLATURE.

visions About Cosnty Govern.
ment and tAs State Legislature.
To THE EpiroR " THE sUN-Sir: The
revised Constitution provides a meas
ure OF home rule for counties. and
provisions looking to the Improvement
Of county government. In very pop
ulous counties such as Erie, West
chester and Nassau there has been .
great demand for improved county
government. In many Of the less
thickly settled counties not only was
there no demand for change but there
positive opposition to any depar.
ture from the existing system.
This fact grows out of>the greatly
varying conditions OF the counties.
Delegate Law. during the debates.
pointed out that the counties varied IN
az much Al from st. Lawrence
with 2.sso square miles to Richmond
with So; in population, leaving
out OF consideration the counties
in Greater New York, m much an Erie,
with 52S 1856. and Hamilton. with 4.373:
in density Of population. AZ much az
westchester. with 5ss persons to the
square mile. and Hamilton, with 2.
Sixteen counties have a population Of
100 or mor to the square mile. and
counties have less than that
number. In the county Of Erie 80
per cent. Of the population resides in
the city Of Buffalo: In Monroe. 20 per
in the city Of Rochester. In
Nassau county the assessed valuation.
per capita, IL 1891: in Lewis. $500.
The per capita expense Of government
In Hamilton = S23.2l. In Yates, S7.7S.
As Mr.. John Lord O'Brian. chairman
Of the Committee on County Govern
ment. said in presenting the report
Of his committee to the convention:
'"The policy Of the State has been to
entrust county government entirely
to the Legislature. on the theory that
the county az an entity acts as the
agent Of the State in performing
state functions" The result has been
that aside from the general county
law there are special laws affecting
every county. Mr.. Barrett Of West
chester estimated that more than
1900 OF such special laws had been
passed since the enactment Of the gen.
eral county law in 1892. without in
the acts relating to New York
city. Besides all this. customs have
grown up in every county. practically
the statute law. and al
Delegate Law said. "the result Is that
In the hfty.seven counties Of the
State We have hfty-seven kinds of
law"
The principal complaint against the
workings Of the county governments
has had relation to their administra-
tive functions. In the largest counties
the boards OF supervisors are 80 large
40 to b. unwieldy. In Erie county,
for example. there are ffty-four SUI
pervisors. There 10 no administrative
head to these large boards. In West
chester county there 10 a board Of
thirty EIGHT supervisors and an annual
expenditure Of upward Of $500, 900.
without any head or chief administra-
tive officer to formulate any CONSTITUTE
tive or economical policy, or to see
that any definite legislative policy is
out.
To meet these conditions the revised
Constitution amends the existing re-
that there shall be a board
OF supervisors In every county. except
a county wholly included in a city.
by adding a proviso that 1.-The Legisla-
ture by general laws may establish
different forms OF government for a
not wholly included in a city.
such form OF government to be-
come effective In any county only
when approved by the electors thereof
In such manner as the Legislature
nay prescribe II further provides
that no local or special law relating to
a county or counties, except when
included within a city, shall
be- enacted by the Legislature except
upon request, by resolution. Of the gov
body OF the county or counties
affected. The Legislature is empow-
cred by general laws to confer upon
any other governing bodies it may es-
as well as upon boards OF
AZ now authorized. such
further powers Of local legislation and
administration as II may deem eX-
pedient; and also TO confer upon any
elective or appointive county officer or
officers any Of the powers and duties
exercised by the towns of any
or the officers thereof. relat-
ing to highways. public safety and the
care of the poor.
BY another amendment cart. XII,
l2) the Legislature Is directed to
provide for the method and limita-