New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-05
HOME RULE PLAN
FOR CITIES NOW
In FINAL DRAFT
Compromise Confers Much
Exclusive POWer-GOeS
to Convention To-day.
NEW BUDGET MAKING
SCHEME APPROVED
Committee Proposes That Gov.
ernor, and Not Legislature,
Originate Bills.

From a STAFF Correspondent Of The Tribune
Albany, Aug. 4.-The home rule pro-
posal which the Cities Committee has
been working on for nearly three
months reached a final draft tonight
and will be submitted TO the conven-
tion tomorrow.
Based on the home rule given to the
Philippines it is a compromise between
the extremists, who have fought for an
out-and-out home rule measure, and
those who have been fighting for the
preservation of the sovereignty of the
state. II gives the cities an exclusive
grant of power to manage, regulate and
control their own property, business
and local affairs, and the right to ini-
tate their own charters and to amend
them.
1t leaves to the Legislature power TO
pass general laws applying to all in
habitants of the state, applying TO all
cities and TO all counties. Power to
veto all new charters and many amend
ments is also given.
Cities may without submitting their
Lotions to the Legislature, nix salaries,
regulate powers and duties, and deter
mine the method Of appointment and
removal of all city employees. The
same applies to county officers who are
appointive, with the exception Of Dis
t.iot Attorneys and stats and officers
of courts of record, when such coun-
ties are wholly within the boundaries
of the city.
Exclusive Power to Cities.
Seth Low, chairman of the commit
tee, said the proposal gave a broad
field of exclusive power to cities.
"0n the other hand, the Legislature
is left free, by laws applying to all
cities without classification or dis
tinction, to determine the policy of the
state as to matters of general interest
to all cities" Mr. Low added. "For ex-
amPrv, the Legislature may provide By
such law that no city can assess
property for benefit for more than 80
per cent of its value.
an the same way the Legislature by
general law may permit or forbid
cities to own and operate public utli-
ties, or it may permit cities to own
and operate such utilities as New York
City can now, and provide further that
they shall be subject, in whole or sim
ply as to their accounting, to regula-
ton by the Public Service Commission
of the state"
Charter Changes Made Easy.
The provision relating to charters
provides that next January, and in
every eighth year thereafter. the ques-
ton, "Shall there be a commission to
revise the charter of the city," be
submitted to the voters IN each city.
Should the majority vote aye, the
charter revisers are to be elected at
the general election the following year,
or at special election.
The size and composition of the
board of sixteen to revise a charter in
the city of New York are based upon
the constitution and voting power of
the Board of Estimate.
The revision must be submitted at
the next general election, or else at
a special election. If il is ratified it
shall then be submitted to the Legis-
lature during the first week of the
session. If not disapproved by the
Legislature within sixty days, it shall
become law.
The question of education, except