Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-13
I1-
HOW 1T WORKS IN NEWARK

a striking illustration of the success
of commission form of government il
Newark is given by the Newark Eve
ming News as follows:
Frequently the question is raised
sometimes sincerely and sometime
challengingly. as to how commission
government functions any better thai
or as well as the old mayor and com
mon council form.
"VVell, here is a pat Illustration: The
police and fremen's merger pension
bill has passed both houses of the
legislature and is now before the gov
crnor for his approval or veto. The
city commission, on the initiative OF
Commissioner Brennan, Director OF
Public Safety, which embraces the
police and fire departments, has con-
demned the bill as a vicious measure
ininlical to the best interests of the
city.
~ senate committee had snubbed
the commission and ignored its re-
Quest for a hearing. But, still possess
ed of the courage of his convictions,
Mr.. is determined to carry
his fight to the governor. He calls
no committee together, arranges for
no conference oflocal officials, pays no
attention to the unwinding of red tape
- IL. far JaIogafian of
from no one. Under commission gov
ornment he is charged with a direct
and definite responsibility and with
tho authority necessary to sustain 1t.
And these are all that he is required
to invoke. so he gets the governor
without any delay and in time TO have
the city's protest heard.
Contrast this businesslike and
efficient procedure with what would
have happened, if experience can be
taken as an indication, under the old
mayor and common council system of
city government, in a similar situa-
ton. In the first place. there probably
would have been nc protest at all-the
-ama influences that caused the legis-
laturo to pass the bill would likely
have caused the common council to re-
main supine. If a protest had been
made it would probably have been
perfunctory, deliberately contriVed to
be innocuous to save appearances. But
even il q genuine feeling of official
oDposition should have been created,
leading to a concrete movement 10
prevent the approval of the BILL III
would have been necessary to over
come. first. the influence of the inter-
ested lobby. supported by a horde OF
politicians; next. the hating effect OF
a maze of formalities reaching
brough individuals, boards and COM
munities to the council, and, finally,
the lack of definite responsibility.
And the chances would ave been
that long ere the u%nraveling processes
were completed and the protesting
movement at last aimed at a definite
objective, the bill would nave been
signed and the damage irretrievably
done. As it is, even though the gov
ernor should not be c~onvincingly i'm
pressed by the objections which New
ark makes to this pension scheme. the
workings of commission government
will have enabled the city's rep
resentatives to act promptly and YIN
time in informing him of the reasons
for their opposition"
Here is concentration of authority
and efficiency that goes with it. Eacf
one of the five commissioners has hi:
particular department to look aftel
and he is absolutely responsible TO thu
taxpayers for that department. Wher
anything comes up affecting that de
partment the commissioner acts with
out further question.
When one compares this simple anc
direct method in comparison with thu
complicated and antiquated system il
vogue in Perth Amboy. the ~desirabilit!
of a change is emphasized. The sooneI
commission form of government cal
be established here the better it will b'
for the taxpayers.