The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13
PERCY IS OPPOSED ID ANY INCREASE IN COMMISSIONERS Criticizes Present Members But Says Salaries Should
 Not be Reduced HAS GOOD WORD FOR GENERAL MANAGER Present Commissioners Are Not Over worked and Even Board of Rev
 enue Should be Reduced
 to Three

Walker Percy, author of Birming- hams commission government law, yesterday issued a statement in oppo- sition to five commissioners for Bir- mingham as is proposed. His state ment Is addressed to the senators and representatives from Jefferson county. and while expressing criticism of the present city commissioners. the writar maintains it would be a serious mis- take to increase the number of com missioners and decrease the salaries. He writes:
 June II, 1915. To the State Senators and Members
 of the Legislature From Jefferson
 County
 Gentlemen: If newspaper reports are correct, there is now pending in the house a bill which has already been passed by the senate. the purpose of which is to increase the number of commissioners of the city of Birmlng- nam from three to five, and to reduce the salaries of the members of the commission so that the head of the commission will receive s5000 a year and the other members s4000 year The Immediate effect of this bill If passed, would be to have the city gov ernment run by five commissioners in- stead of three, the total expense being the same as under the present bill
 Tt seems to me if I or any other constituent of yours disapprove q bill pending before the legislature. that t Is fa1rer and better for your constituent to tell you what his position Is. md his reasons for it. rather than to wait until you have acted and then blame you for the course you pursued naturally feel keen interest in any change contemplated in the present Birmingham commission bill. I went to the legislature of 1911 primarily for the purpose of securing commission government for Birmingham Some of the hardest work l have ever done was done in aiding in the preparation and passage of the Birmingham commission bill. As much interested as I am in our city government and in the law under which the city is administered I have no such pride of opinion in connection with that law as would make me averse to change for the better
 No Champion of Members
 Will the Birmingham commlssion bill and the government of this city be improved by increasing the mum Der of commissioners from three to
 
 better results by reducing the salaries paid to the commissioners? What has been accomplished as the result of com mission government in Birmingham ? What are the shortcomings and defects of our present system. and wherein lies the opportunity, if any. for improve ment?
 While my feeling toward the mem bers of it is kindly, l am in no sense champion of the present city ati- ministration. Aldermanic government in Birmingham, prior to it's abolition, was beginning to bring about its usual results. Legislation was determined upon In secret caucuses behind closed doors Selfish interest received undue consideration Graft existed or was be- lieved to exist. and although there Were several men of the highest char acter on the last board of aldermen, I think we were drifting steadily to a lower plane in our city government. The fundamentals of commission gov ernment are the concentration of power and responsibility and the payment of something like adequate compensa- tion to those from whom business government is expected. Whatever may be said about the government of this city since commission government was