The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-01-28
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 GOVERNMENT
II Amendment Is Passed Each County,
BY Popular Vote, Could Do Away
With Wasteful Systems
/ Now In Force.

Following a meeting at Lansing to
confer with state officials, including
members of the legislature, the gov
ernor, and the attorney general, IN
the question of county home rule for
Michigan, statement was given out
by Secretary G. Roy Hatten OF the
state committee of citizens regarding
the object and plan Of the project.
"Since this idea was first launched
about a year ago." says the state
ment, ut has been discussed in many
parts of the state. 1t is unfortunate
that we have had no plan of fixed ma
ture to advocate, but have waited till
all possible views and opinions might
be expressed before framing the mea-
sure for the legislature. We follow
ed this method SO that everybody
might have a chance to express an
opinion, but as a result some false
notions of the proposal have gotten
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 a personal attack on
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.
ut happens that the glaring de-
fects OF the ancient county system, or
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 county reform has started
with vim. But in none Of those cities.
30 far as we know, Is there any desire
to deal unfairly with the rural sec.
tons OF the county. Rather they are
TO receive every consideration, and be
fully consulted as to the whole plan
1t ID to be hoped that all concerned.
county officials, farmers. and tax.
payers, will study the problem and cav
what they think, not before they get
the facts and learn our viewpoint, but
after.
Every time any so-called reform
Is suggested, there is much shaking
OF the knees among certain people
VINO hold public Office. They don't
want conditions changed, lest thew
De left out In the cold. Now II ia
quite possible that after county gov.
eminent shall have been re-organized.
there Will be Just as much work to be
done as before, and hence need for
Just as many workers in any given
county. What we propose is To
change the system and methods So
that better results can be reached
with less cost to the taxpayer and
more satisfaction to the county of.
hciais and employees This Is NOT
an attack Of any set of so.called
politicians but an effort to change
the system by which they work, to fur.
nish better piece Of machinery il
county wishes it.
Instead OF being new, the ide1 is
as old as the system of home rule in
California counties. We are told that
the better system there is so salts.
factory, that no county would think
Of returning to the old one. They call
It home rule for the county.
ut Is not aimed to force the com.
mission plan Of government on any
county, or the commission-manager
system, though 1t is surprising to read
how eagerly, in some rural counties.
the people want a new DEAL It hap
pens that In some newspaper articles
there has been talk particularly of the
commission plan of government based
on a county charter. That question
Is to be left to the county itself to
decide, after the legislature has laid
down the rules Of procedure accord.
ing to the will of the. people of the
state.
mo county in Michigan that pre-.
fers its present system. need make
any change at all Not until a ma
jority of the people vote at the polls
for change can any move be made
Since the people Of Michigan are
paying high taxes, and want to save
money in government, 1t would an
pear that county reform. in the in
terests of economy and efficiency
ought to make broad appeal through
out the state, 80 that the legislature
would soon hear from the people and
the demand for permissive county
home rule would be met on a fair
haaia