The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-02-04
COMMITTEE OF
CITIZENS BACKS
HOME RULE PLAN
LAUNCH MOVE TO ELIMINATE
NEEDLESS TAX BURDENS
NOW BORNE BY
PUBLIC.
MICHIGAN BEHIND TIMES IN
COUNTY GOVERNMENT FORM
Under Present System Which Has No,
Been Changed Since 1850, There
Is Claimed To Be No Actual
Responsible Head.


Who are back OF the proposals for
reorganization of county government in
Michigan. by home rule plan? Is
there IAN African in the woodpile,"
or Joker" which should rouse the
fears Of any considerable group OF cit
izens in this commonwealth? Why Is
the idea advanced, and what Is to be
gained by it's adoption?
These questions were submitted by
reporter at Lansing to members of
the state citizens committee who met
here. and the following facts were
outlined.
AS a result Of the great war taxes
have gone up. expenses have in
creased. and lot Of unexpected bur-
dens have fallen on the public. In the
interests Of economy there have been
hundreds OF movements launched, in.
GLIDING definite plans for modern
charter" in cities. and now a project
In Michigan. led by Gov. Groesbeck,
to revamp departments Of state gov.
eminent, so as to save millions OF dol
lars to the people.
In the same connection, It Is said,
there has risen demand for re-or-
ganization Of county government, In
some counties, because the county
system is recognized as behind the
times, and full of duplication of activ-
tiles and financial wastes. BY closer
coordination Of functions in admin
istration, 1t is argued, there may be
secured more responsibility AM less
lost motion.
In December, 1919, score Of men,
some Of them state officials. but all
with no selfish interest to serve spent
day at Lansing and discussed the
conditions. In the discussion the fol-
lowing facts became evident:
Michigan is behind the times In its
county government.
A majority Of the states have
adopted modern forms of county gov
eminent such as we have represent
ed by ommission-manager form in
cities.
Michigan county government has
come down to us practically without
change since the constitution OF 1850.
There is no responsible head" in
the county.
The head" Of county government
is a board Of supervisors Of "a to 48
or more members, meeting two to
four times year.
County officers are elected by the
people and are not responsible to the
supervisors. There is no. centralized
authority or responsibility.
There is no requirement for GEN.
tralized purchases, or anyone whose
duty it is really to audit the bills.
County officials, being create by
the constitution and governed by the
legislature, are really separate
jurisdiction from the supervisors.
County government so-called, is
not county self-government at all,
but simply state government Of
counties.
AS an outcome of that meeting, a
mend program to bring about de-
sirable changes in the form Of coun-
ty government. This committee con-
sisted Of Robert T. Crane, Professor
of Politics of the University of Mich
igan; Elvin Swarthout, Grand Rapids,
Michigan, for many years a member
Of the Committee on County Govern
ment of the National Municipal
League; State Representative Orville
E. Atwood Of Newaygo, and G. Roy
Hatten Of the Grand Rapids Citizens
League. secretary of the Commit
tee.
1t soon became evident to the COM
mittee that the problems Of all coun.
ties were not the same, and that no
county which desired Improvement
should not be prevented from taking
action because other counties were
not awake to the need. The commit
tee therefore, decided to ask the next
legislature to submit to vote Of the
people, constitutional amendment
which would make possible a subse-
quent legislative enabling act where
by the people Of any county could vote
to change their form of government.
To adopt this amendment it is neces-
sary to have majority vote of the
people Of the state and before any
county can be affected at all by this
amendment it Is necessary to have
majority vote of the people of that
county.