The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-02-09

Thc New Mexico municipal act a.
passed ~ lNsi. aud although rather
comprehensive at the slime % Was pass
ed. = now thiity-tN" ,'ais 1ld. Muli'-
|Ipai government thrlu9hou; the ma
lion oulN begau To- pc progressive ia
real sense after til, Galveston hur-
|rcane of 1900. aad romuliss on form.
'ut uuly became noticeable
to any extent SOME ten cans ago ur
about isos. The .ity manager PLAZA
for municipalities is stii younger. be-
ing first in%augurnted IA 1905 ~ Staua-
ton, virginia
~ the most modorn The city nam
ager plan of municipal government -
practically conceded TO he the best.
II simply inca ~ thu, the people 81 a
city FIRST being vested with those
three fundamental of soNvroigEil the
initiative. the referendum and the re
,all-sc,urc q Uhart"r that empowers
them under proper ptiIIrI-uomina
ton primary and Australian ballot
laws. by n short ballot 20 elect usually
four aldermen aud q Wat"t 81 Large
These I've men usually gei little OF
| No salary ana have little %" d". save lo
| act a. u buaTu af directors tor tn ,ltA.
I The mayor acts a. chief of ihtn3s IA
ceremonial matters, nut this board
uf directors hy a majority vote hii"s
a city manager ana usually PAYS hinn
a FIRST class salary. The city manager
IL m. center of responsibility ana runs
The whole city, appoihtiiA hirlhs' anu
| dis harging every bOdS, under h rlNil
| service rules which IN" charter pro-
udcs. By June. 1914 some fonftc"
American cities had advanced q" ne
city manager plan, aud thcr" Is M
doubt hat America Viii develop la the
fntur. a profession known ~ IA" CTS
manager. somcw ma along the mes at
The German burguuustcr. which
means tina highly trained specialists
WM run ouI cities IA "A h%usin'sslikr
manner
The commission form ~ govern
meut. huWctcr. ~ "A vast Improvement
over the present plan Eve SINCE the
I~oilgluaI act OF lsNl Interested parties
Ian NeW MtNlto have OBJ uc h'.or, oar
irg assemblies and secured ,dt-
loue amendments. ana although many
oil theso were neto-sar. ana good. lHt
result has been that our municipal
code is rather a hulglo In 1908 a
short commission form LAW US pass
Ell. which ~ 1913 VAS repealed ana re-
enacted Boa an amended form Th,-
latter act iS now the Ian ~ 20 IA,
commission form Of government tot
municipalities ia ms state Tho rhi"i
! difference between Nh, Jaw as 30 stood
IN 1909 iId as n NOW reuds - that th'
ci,v manager plan Is uo longer pro
vided for and the elimination oi th'
provision ut section eleven cot thc l2u1
law ,PnRe .i2l, rcquir.ug tho grant
ing of public utilitN franchises Goo D.,
submitted 20 the people.
TIE New Mexico aoi 81 1878 BE- sub.
stantiilly the OH Galveston form
providing for three commissioner -
bo elected at large. one to act as ma.
yur \ reasonable statement ui !.
would Do tu s1, that II is not much u|
am improvement o'tr the pics'n
| mayor aud ward-oicctod aldermen
Iplal. No mode ~ petition nomination
IL provided for and The voters are no
ipussrsscd OF the initiative" referendum
and recall. 80 IA" people would NO
have the usual checks which mod
err commission forms usually provide
for. ~ mas been sail however, Il b
preferable TO the present loose sys
Item. for II at least ,onds Go center 20
4 sponsibility. The commission is g.,
appoint tho chief municipal officer
and as only I've are necessary foI
elective action. the present iGrcos a
,'city hall would not ukclN rcoccuI. 4
noted writer on matters Of govern
mont once said that for policy one
must elect, ana fot clici"ncy onc must