The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-12
Iowa state Legislature Passed Num-
Der of Measures Calculated to
Help Development Of
Municipalities.
HOME RULE DEFEATED
Majority, However, Was so Smaii
That Supporters OF Measure
Were Much En-
outraged.

IA usual much OF the time OF tAe
legislature was devoted to consldera'
ton of bills relating to cities anu
towns. BY far the greater portlon
of ,nese bills were of special
nature and concern only few towns
each.
Louis H. Cook reports for the Des
Moines Register as follows:
The home rule proposition was
taken I'D in the house on Dill Dy
kimberly permitting cities and towns
to exercise all powers not specln
caIfy denied them by the state laws
The bill failed to pass by narrow
margin.
The Coakley public comfort station
bill H. f. IL, was one of the meas
ures passed which may be used by
practically every municipality or the
state. ooo
It permits cities of under 5000
nopulat1on to establish at public ex-
pense one comfort station, cities OF
from 5000 to % 900 two stations, anu
cities Of more than $4,000 three sta
tions if they desire. The opening or
the stations is left entirely to the
city council AS originally drawn the
hill was compulsory in nature, Dut
this feature was eliminated when
the measure finally passed.
Cities of from 1900 to 5000 popu-
lation may levy a special tax FOR
euuipping a fire department under
1.-THE Elwood bill. The Larson bill, H.
F. 81, permits cities of less than
q, 600 population to assess special
| tag for maintenance of a fire depart
ment.
| Quarantine officers are placed
under the civil service under the
| Grason bill. Cities of from 5000 to
20 900 population will be able to
| create civil service commissions,
under the bill presented by Wilson OF
| Mahaska. The present law affects
only cities of more than 10000 popu-
Iation.
| Police pensions must be paid In
full, and special tax levied to raise
the funds, just as has been done In
the past in regard to f1remen's pen
sions as the result Of the passage OF
another bill.
The city manager plan may be
adopted in special charter cities,
under a bill introduced by Senator
Shrup. The McFarlane bill permits
the calling of special election to
vote upon the city manager plan by
a petition of Is percent of the voters
| The old law required petition of Is
percent of the freeholders.
! S. F. 129, by Broxam. permits cities
I to oil streets and assess the cost to
property benefited.
The Wormly bill, H. F. 568
exempts obligations for public utility
plants operated by city or town
from the 5 percent constitutional
debt limit That is, a city may &c
! into debt up to 5 percent of the as
sessed valuation Of it's property, the
bonds for municipal utilities not
being included.
The Parker bill permits cities to
establish restricted residence dis
| tricts.
| H. F. 1858, by Shortess, amends the
old law prohibiting the transfer OF
cash from one fund to another. An
unanimous vote by the council and
an approval by a judge Of the district
court is required to authorize on
such transfer. The old law made any
/ transfer of funds an offense punish
able by Imprisonment.
The number Of bills affecting only
few cities each was considerable
Des Moines was granted the right
to erect a municipal court building
and the Weaver social center bill is
another of limited application. NUM-
cipal court laws were also materially
revised to patch up deficiencies in
the existing laws.
Powers of cities to regulate the
social evil, gambling, immoral use OF
taxicabs, bootlegging, ETC., are in