Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-03-31
AN INHERITANCE FROM THE
MIDDLE AGES"

MIDDLE AGES"
As Il former resident Of Iowa. Il state
where the commission form of county
government has long been in vogue, ]
| wish TO give IL few facts bearing on the
commission form that the voters Of
RuslS county have an opportunity 10
adopt at the spring election.
We inherited our present cumberous
system, Il combination Of town and
county government from the middle
ages.
1t is claimed by the opponents of the
commission form of government that
this form which has been adopted by
fortyfive of the states, places too much
authority in the hands of three men
They then proceed TO tell you that all OF
the county work is done by committees
composed Of three or five members. So
in the final analysis the county business
is passed upon by few men whose re-
ports are accepted by the county board.
/ The trouble here is however, that the
members of Il committee may have little
| pass upon and have no time to invest
gate fully before reporting TO the
| board.
Forty-tiye of the states have now
what is locally known as the COM
mission form of government and find
their needs best served by these men
who are paid enough to give county
| business n reasonable amount of time
| for consideration?
| We do not think the three men will
receive much less in salary and fees
| than do the thirty-siX at the present
| time. The reason for believing there
can be a saving in the amount of money
| raised for county taxation, is due to
| the fact that three men chosen wisely
will surely be able to conduct the bust
ness better than thirty-six who can give
| little or no time TO the consideration
| of the affairs outside Of their immediate
neighbOrhOod.
1t is argued that these men will be
representatives Of districts and will not
| represent the entire county. We be-
| lieve RuSk county has at least three men
who, if elected TO the office Of county
commissioner, will understand that
| their duty is 10 serve the entire county
| to the best of their ability. Under the
present system each man goes to The
| meeting of the county board with q de-
termination TO get all that he can for
| his community. So we have trades and
chickering's that often bring results
costing the taxpayer unnecessary mon
ey The commission form Of govern
ment makes ii possible TO choose coun-
~ officers 10 do county work instead of
having town officers to transact the af
fairs Of the county.
Someone may want some specific
statement of a place where money can
De saved the taxpayer of the county.
Under the commission form of govern
nent the county highway commission
er is not necessary. We understand
the county commissioners office costs
about -Four Thousand (4000 Dollars
Il year. Under Section 1917 MIG, it is
possible for rs 10 do away with this
official The work Of the highway
commissioner can be done, and is done,
in other states, by the county commits
sioners. The county commissioners al
so look after the poor and the office Of
county poor commissioners is also I'M
| known outside OF few states that
still cling TO colonial systems Of gov
| eminent.
Please notice the town government
| is still left in the hands of the town
board. No power can be exercised by
| the county commissioners other than
| the power now exercised by the county
| board We do maintain after having
| lived in the state that has the com
mission form Of county government for
Il good many years, and having seen
the workings of the county board in
Wisconsin, that the commission form
| OF government is more effective and
that it will save the taxpayers some
of the money that now makes taxes al
most equal interest on farm lands in
upper Wisconsin.
When the county board meets, it
costs the taxpayers about two hundred
(2oo) dollars per day, therefore the
board has TO rush through business
without taking time 10 investigate the
merits Of each proposal With the
commission form Of government the
monthly meeting DOGS not Increase the
cost to the county and there is plenty
of time for individuals to be heard on
any subject coming before the COM
| missioners and time for tho commits
sioners 70 investigate each proposition
before passing upon 1t. We believe
4 the affairs of the county can be con,
Quoted more efficiently and more econ
omicaily with board Of three men
than with the present county board OF
thirty-siX- who are elected not pri