New-York tribune., 1922-09-27
Cabinet Plan Is
Liked by Voters
In w estcIlester
New Governmental Form i'll
County, as Suggested by
Committee, Finds Favor
i'm Advance of Hearing
Politicians TO Lose Jobs
Change From IIaphazard,
Inefficient Sys.enl Is Con-
sidered vitality Important

Che tentative report o. I special
committee Of the new Westchestes
County government commission, sug-
gesting new charter for Westchester
County under cabinet" form of gov
ernment, with one commissioner, crea-
ted widespread interest throughout the
county yesterday. So far as could be
learned there appeared to be listle OBJ
lection to the plan. The commission
will hold public meeting OF October
TO discuss IL and receive reports from
sub committees.
There has been much objection to
any plan transforming Westchester
County into a "City Of Westehestern
and since this scheme has been side
tracked, the new charter idea seems to
BE looked upon with favor.
Politicians interested in the change
Of governmental policy in Westchester
are attending either the Republican
state convention at Albany or the
Democratic convention at Syracuse, and
it was impossible yesterday to get
their views. 1t is known, however, that
several Of the Republican officeholders
who will be iegislated out OF Office if
the new chatter should be adopted do
not look with favor on the plan. but
they all concede that change in the
antiquated form of county government
needs improvement, with centralized
head.
The report of the committee on form
Of government which was signed by
former Mayor WilliamsJ. Wallin, Of
Yonkers; Daniel 7. Hays, of Pleasant
Vile, and L. Ogden Thompson. of Pei
ham Manor, contains, in addition to
the new form Of constitution for the
county, many facts concerning the his
tory of Westohester.
r. states that Westchester County
dates back to November, 1888, when it
was created as one of the twelve coun-
ties into which the Province of New
York was divided. Then the report
says:
"Westchester County remained a
rural county until less than fifty years
ago, and the Board Of Supervisors per
formed we'll, on the whole, the few and
comparatively simple duties imposed
upon it. Westchester County is no
longer ; rural community, with its
four cities, It's eighteen towns and
/ twenty three villages. 1t is no longer
simply convenient administrative
unit Of the state, existing almost ex-
clusiveiy as a state agency.
A so-called county consciousness
is pressing the county to take over
governmental duties wherever the
smaller subdivisions cannot or do not
FUNCTION well or adequately.
we have reached a point where the
laws affecting the county are maze
through which only a few specialists
can GUIDE one The fault clearly has
been in the system Of law under which
the county was governed. Means were
/ not provided and could not be had to
unity and coordinate and guide the
operations Of the county government
4 a helpless, spraWling organization with
out head"
Then the recommendation in addi-
ton TO those already printed were:
That executive and administrative
powers and responsibility should be
centralized.
That the election of the county gov
erning officials should be in an odd
numbered year, to permit the decision
on local issues and the choice OF coun-
ty officials to be made when partisan
strife runs less high over national and
state issues than in other years
Ihat as little change as necessary
should now be made in local represent
tatiou of the cities and towns in the
county government"
The County Commissioner. If the
I plan is approved by the voters, will be
! at the head Of and will control a cabi-
net in which there will be four other
officials. He will maintain control
through the appointment OF two sub
ordinates, who will be technical experts
an engineer and county attorney. The
two other members Of the commission
board or cabinet will be chief fnan-
cial officer and q supervisor at-large
both elected by the people. Supervisors
representing the same units as at pres
ent will constitute a Legislative BODY.