The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-23
CITY MANAGER PLAN

HERE ARE certain features about the commission plan
\ for city manager government that bear scrutiny
and thought is the fact that people Bridgeport
there submitted choices city manager plan
and the commission plan The people the city
down. Later by great majority they voted
mission plan.
For some other the political machine
ruled Bridgeport paved with not want the
commission plan and it did want the city manager plan Why
Is 1t to be assumed there advantages the manager
pan which make better and that Mayor Wilson and Mr.
King people of Bridgeport
shall have these advantages? motive part
would be laudable If they have it. admiration
have been brought forth Conron repentance reform
have well progressed.
Another readily presents Is it easier under
perpetuate itself?
the city plan makes it easier existing a
favor this plan as logically effect follows
casual scrutiny of the charter shows changes
from the commission form, which lend themselves strongly
the needs of whoever is controls the city treasury
patronage and the power that goes with control.
There Isl for instance the preferential system voting
This system is not bad itself In fact it will
excellent results But it complcat
ed and difficult method Of voting, which, for the first
three times that is used will work entirely favor of the
political that is best best disciplined
interested i4 retaining power. H
Under this system there only Choice is de-
ernined by counting first second and third choices
who receives plurality of first choice voters will
say elected The method of voting different distinct
be difficult unorganzed voters to work But the
organized voters those by political
carefully drilled and they will receive great advantage
of it.
binary circumstances there will be election for four
And again the unorganzed voters will be disadvantage
compared with the power by of the difficulties
Of the vote. tx.
The City Manager plan differs the commission plan
in this that represents further degree Of Capitalization The
commission elected but the actual repoed in city
who is entirely beyond the reach of the voters
Mayor Wilson, should become city manager Mr. King
should receive that post and become the uar ruler of the city
well the unofficial ruler either of them would be entire
beyond the reach Of the people who could neither employ
discharge them
There is the recall provision but does not apply to the
city manager only the commission 1t would be very diff
discharge because offenses committed
by manager If blamed for his offenses they might dis
charge him. though their policy would be actually the
of the dissatisfaction and the conditions might
continue.
Farmer not know why Mayor Wilson prefers the
manager plan he suspects it will be easier to keep
troll city would be under the commission PLAN he
undoubtedly is right
The new to be condemned this account
present has been put in several times
by the sufficient number of voters may be thai
the voters kind of government they have received
we'll they will the charter because will give them
just they have been getting The voters like the
charter because give them what they have been get
ting guarantee them the thing for long time to
come