El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-09-25
OFFER WAY To
SAVE CITY CASH
Taxpayers Officials Pro
pose Ordinance That Will
Reform Government.

A complete reorganization OF all city
governmental functions into four
main branches-public works, public
welfare. public safety and public
finance-was proposed by the Tax
payers league, represented by presi-
dent Charles y. Bassett and secretary
Dewitt A. Bandeen, at a meeting with
mayor Charles Davis and the city al
dermen Tuesday morning
Mr.. Bandeeu. who said the new plan
Of city operation would save in sala-
ries alone between $4,000 and $4,000
a year had the proposed reorganiza-
ton scheme set out IN detail In an
ordinance ne proposed for the council
to adopt.
speaks for Quick Action.
Mayor Davis said he thought the
council ought 10 pass or reject the
plan as soon as possible, at least be-
IOre the new budget is made.
We would almost have to forget
politics" said the mayor, and forget
any of our friends in office who
might be affected by the plan" Al
derman O'Connor said he had no
friends in office. il more efficient
city management demanded their
elimination.
Each alderman was provided with
a copy Of the ordinance proposed, and
IL VIII DC AAcEAcsEQ ~ AA4NAAA AAA nc
tail, and come up for final consider
alton Friday morning at 10 o'clock
Organization Suggested.
The proposed new organization
would be as follows
Department Of public works-to in
clude the city engineer. street com
missioner, sanitary commissioner, wa
uerWOrks, blacksmith shop and cor
raj, all under the management Of a
superintendent Of public works. an
sWerable 10 the mayor and council
and actually working under the alder
manic committee in charge. The Ordi-
nance provides that choice OF this Of
fetal shall not be limited, in that only
an FL Pasoan could be elected. The sal
airy, il was estimated, would be about
$4,000, or more.
Under AldermRnic Committees.
Department Of public welfare-To
include the health officer. department
OF weights and measures, and the
park commissioner, all answerable 10
an aldermanic committee
Department Of public safety-TO I
include police, fire and Jltne bus man /.
agement departments, all answerable I
10 another aldermanic committee
Department Of public finance-To I
include treasurer collector, supply =
purchasing and audit divisions, all
under one aldermanic committee.
Advocate Central Authority.
Mr.. Bandeen and Mr.. Bassett eX-l
planned each paragraph as the ordi- ]
nance was read. Mayor Davis said II ]
had been suggested that the water J
works department should be kept QUIZ
Of the new plan, but Mr. Bandeen said /
that would be merely q compromise ]
and would violate the principle OF the 4
whole plan OF central executive man I
agement. The whole plan, he said. (
was that the same principles used in
private business. those Of central au-
thority. should be used in public az
fairs.
Doesn't Cut Ont Aldermen.
Some OF the aldermen wanted 10
know II the plan would take work
and authority from them, but Mr.
Bandeen said each alderman would be
at the head Of one Of The committees
over the new departments
one OF the advantages OF the plan.
added M Baudeen. would be that re-
pair work could be done under one
and hereafter waterwOrks,
sewer. street and similar work would
90 on together, and at a saving
Would save Tu1es.
Mr. Bandeen was then asked about
the proposed actuary bond sinking
fund plan, and said that instead Of 50
Or 81 cents that would be needed this
year, there would be only 80 cents, II
he plan was adopted Il consists
chiefly OF providing general sink
ng fund levy at the beginning Of the
year. and placing that at - per
cent interest when il IS collected. The
interest would mean that a smaller
amount Of tax WOULD be needed for
the long term bonds. This was prac-
Ideally done AT present, thought the
council This discussion was then
lropped IN order that the reorganiza-
ion plan could be taken up again
McBrOOm says It's Legal.
City attorney j. II. McBrOOm de-
,lared that il would be legal 70 adopt
he new plan, but no offices created
by the charter could be eliminated.
Making the plan fit into the present
ist Of officers will he the work that
Til occupy the minds OF the council
men until the matter comes up for
final consideration.
Should Make Budget Earlier.
Incidental 10 the main discussion,
alderman O'ConnOr said he thought
hat hereafter the city should make
rs budget early in the spring in
tead OF waiting until the year had
nearly passed. Then. even under the
present plan Of management each
department could be told il had so
much money 10 eXpend-
Mr.. Bassett insisted that II the tax
layers plan is adopted, everyone
.hould cooperate towards making IL a =
'uccess, and that If anyone throws
monkey wrenches in the coEwheeIs."I
hen the taNDavers could not be con-