The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-02-10
Citizens WORK
FOR COUNTY HOME
rule IN MICHIGAN
PLAN Is TO ASK LEGISLATURE
TO PASS. CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT AT THIS
SESSION..
WOULD ENABLE COUNTIES TO
CHOOSE FORM OF GOV EMINENT
If Amendment Is Passed Each County
BY Popular Vote, Could Do Away
With Wasteful Systems
Now In Force.

Following meeting at Lansing T.
confer with state officials, including
members OF the legislature, the gov
ernor, and the attorney general, a
the question OF county home rule 10:
Michigan, a statement was given on
by Secretary c. Roy Hatten OF thu,
state committee OF citizens regardin,
the object and plan of the project.
Since this idea was first Launched
about year ago says the state
ment, lit has been discussed in many
parts of the state. 1t is unfortunate
that we have had no plan of fixed ma
all possible views and opinions Nigh
be expressed before framing the mea
sure for the Legislature. We follow
ed this method so that everybod,
might have chance to express al
opinion, but as result some false
notions OF the proposal have gotteI
out and have been given circulation.
This is a plan for securing county
home rule in government by consti
tutional amendment and subsequent
action OF the Legislature. 1t absolutely
is not an effort to give control OF any
county to the largest city in that
county. 1t is not limited to the com
mission plan of government for coun
ties. 1t is not personal attack or
any county officials as such, and in
stead OF being new and novel idea
1t has already been tried in California
and some other states, with much sat
isfaction.
1T happens that the glaring de
fects Of the ancient ecounty system, OF
lack of system, SHOW up strongly
where modern city government,
stands in contrast with that of the
county. Hence in Wayne, Genesee
Bay. Kent, and similar counties, the
idea of cornty reform has started
with vim. But in none OF those cities
so far as we know, is there any desire
TO deal unfairly with the rural sec
lions of the county Rather they are
TO receive every consideration, and be
fully consulted as TO the whole plan
1t is to be hoped that all concerned
county officials, farmers. and tax
payers, will study the problem and sa,
what they think. not before they gel
the facts and learn our viewpoint. bu,
after
every time any so.callcd reform
Is suggested, there is much SHAKING
OF the knees among certain people
VINO hold public Office They DOM
want conditions changed, lest the,
De left out in the cold. New il is
quite possible that after county gov
eminent shall have been re.organized
there will be just as much work to he
done as before, and hence need 70,
just as many workers in any giver
county. What we propose is t.
cnange the. system and methods 81
That better results can be reached
with less cost to the TAXPAYER am
more satisfaction to the county of
hclals and employees. This is no
an attack Of any set OF so.callet
politicians, but an effort to chang,
the system by which they work, to fur
hlsh better piece OF machinery. i
a county wishes it.
Instead OF being new, the idea i
as old as the system OF home rule il
California counties. We are told tina
the better system there is so salts
factory, that no county would thin
Of returning to the old one They cal
1t home rule for the county.
| ut is not aimed to force the com
mission plan of government on an
county, or the ommission-manage
system, though 1t is surprising to rea
bow eagerly, In some rural countie,
the people want "a new DEAL 1t haI
pens that in some newspaper article
there has been talk particularly of tn
commission plan Of government base
on county charter. That questio
is to be left to the county itself t
decide, after the legislature has lai
down the rules OF procedure ACCORD
ing to the will OF the people Of tn
state.
"No county in Michigan that DR.,
fers its present system need max
any change at all. Not until a mi
jority Of the people vote at the poll
for a change can any move be mad
"Since the people OF Michigan ar
paying high taxes, and want to saw
money in government, it would a.
pear that county reform, in the II
terests OF economy and efficienc
ought to make broad appeal througl
out the state, so that the legislator
would soon hear from the people an
the demand for permissive count
home rule would be met on a IA
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