The Detroit times., 1917-10-31
REVISION
Of CHARTER
is NEEDED
-sTonGE ENGEL
Present Document Is
Very Confusing,
Saws Controller
cEoHGE ENcEL

Days AOlitl OiiNA
no city omeml realizes the need
~ new aty charter more 'lan
rHy controner George - EngeL
lie h the man who ISSUE the pay
check OF an fbe city amployes and
tho b. Is conceded 20 De- pretty
eood al figures. SIT Eugel con-
tesses that his JOB has been dam
cnii one az times
Some time ago charter amend
ment was adopted fixing e minimum
wage for city employees and taF
mafter has been n dispute eyer
elnre because of conlicure pro
Visions I'M the charter The com
mon council undertook 20 hN slid
ing scale for fhc employees by orii
name bnt another charter almond.
faeut unset that ordinance and
nla,ed the power OF hNins salaries
IN the hands 81 The BOARD ot esti.
mates The situation was further
complicated by provision 'hai 10
galaries could he Increased onring
The fiscal year in which the o.
sreases were allowed
Inasmuch as 90 per cen, ~ fhf
money raised bog taxes goes Tor
wages and salaries Controller I'm
eel believes that the charter should
Re absolutely clear as 20 how these
salaries should be- fixed and littr.o
nfed among The various classifca-
tlons provided by the civil service
| commission
~Tbo charter should not Or too
radical" De- SAYS "li should be-
tlmpIe. clearcuf document without
any friis
ono az the ninc charter amend
inents 20 BE- submitted next Mon
s!ay In which Controller Engfl 81
particularly Interested provides for
the creation of general surplus
fund 20 hc made up ot an uneX
pended balances left 10 the various
departmental funds q The end ~
the fiscal year As 10 ls now ne
balances are carried over and cred
tied 90 The respective funds, and
usually within q month after the boz
inning of thr ncNf fiscal year thf
Department heads are asking me
council FOR permission to use these
balance for other purposes The
amendment viii put an end 20 ms
sfernal juggling OF funds, which has
been a source of much annoyance
Both the controller and the CITY
treasurer are vitality interested In
the amendment dividing the time
for the collection Of taxes so that
taxes on east side property may be
paid In July and taxes on west side
property in August The city has
grown so large that the treasurer
Office Is inadequate 20 take care Of
ali the taxpayers IN single month.
The high cost of living IS fo
blame for the proposed amendment
Increasing the pensions az The
widows and children OF deceased
fremen from S25 20 $50 per month
with the idea ~ improving the
water front and also as measure
Of safety. Aid Bradley secured the
submission OF an amendment au-
fhorizing the common council 10 pro
vide for the construction 81 moies.
breakwaters. sea walls. dykes and
other structures. the cost 20 be as
sessed against ihe aoutting prop
orty.
Another amendment the voter
will md on his ballot next Tuesday
authorizes the public lighting com
mission TO engage in the sale OF
commercial light This does not
mean that the city Is going 10 com
pete wish tho Edison company u
AZ pronosition carries. but that the
city will be- fin q position 20 legally
supply light 10 tho county buiidrg
Tor other city and county pur
nfeR.
Other amendments authorize thc
crancil 20 provide for the laying
and uIaufiuc 0i trees under fhr
Jon of tto paris deparfm r'.
f cost to De- assessed against t1r
property owner benefited. End gives
TIE council power 10 provide hV
ordinance for the licensing and req
ulation OF private detective n1
private detective agencies TIE lsf
Ter is specially "a, ored by the Do
,rolt Federation az Labor whicH
would have an private detectives
employed in plants 10 designated
thar they could he plainly distin
rulshcd Ths ioard of Commerce
IS opposed GO he amendment. he
iipving that the work ~ special OFF
Gers would be- uuiihed b. their iden
ti'y were known all Times
Interest VIII center ~ course
Ground The amendment providing foi
the construction 90 the PROPOSED
new bridge 90 itelje Isle Mavo'
Marx wants f understool fha Is
s. not Che int afIor 90 buHd Jh'
NIldeo while materials remain a
birth as they are 49, present bu'
~ points oar haf t VIII take three
years to build tbr bridge after 81 30
Started II ffe project D. defeafe,
now b rnnni Do resubmlted foi
30 lrafi $3.50 years. WHICH woul,
mean dr.ay oi ntc scars lf on
ihe other bend. should carry now
and The price OF materials droppc,
considerably r few munih- con
ftfuciion of ihr bridge could be- Foe
run without further delay
rhcrr only one other hartc
empndmsnt 60 De- voted on Tha
g. The proposition rut forward b.
some 81 Tho papiOyinE aldermen a
n substitute for tho email council
rroiect that appears on the b1No
under The head uf uropue ions
along with the charter revision ref
nrsndum The aldermanic pia
calls for "a common council com
posed OF one alderman from eac
ward o..
|hi\ nERg's wHEkrLEss stF S