The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-03-29
ROCKWELL LETTER NO. 8.
Bv ROBERT F. ROCKWELL

The letters this week anu mex. VIII
be general survey of present tax
conditions as | see them, showing the
fallacy of the idea that any apprecl-
able saving to the tax payer can he
made by a consolidation bill passed
by the legislature and ending with
statement of fundamental facts as l
believe they now exist with the only
solution which seems to me to offer
itself at this time. These letters will
appear this week and next, but should
be considered as one general state
ment of facts and figures.
The report of the Special Commit
tee appointed by President Robin H.
Davis of the Denver Civic and Com
mercial Association to investigate and
study the two code bills before the
legislature is one of the most com
plete and fair representations of this
subject that has yet been made. The
committee is composed of seven of
the leading business and professional
men of Denver, who had no personal
or political interest in the matter,
and Mr.. Davis who appointed the
committee was one of the members
appointed by Governor Sweet TO
help draft the original administra-
tive code bill Their report may
therefore be considered as non-polit-
ical and for the sole purpose of in
formation and for the best interests
Of the Denver Civic and Commercial
association and the State of Colorado.
The summary of their report may
be considered and their argument
against the legislature passing the
Administrative Code Bill are as fol
lows: (the words within parenthesis
are mine).
l. The nine commissioners to be
appointed by the governor under this
bill and who would become the State
Executive would be practically be-
yond the control of the electors, the
same as the numerous boards and
commissioners they would replace.
.. The Governor would not have
absolute freedom in the selection or
replacement of the commissioners,
because of the Civil Service provision
of the constitution which includes
these heads of departments and
which cannot be modified by any or
! dinary action of the legislation
(This no doubt refers to the provi-
sion wherein heads of departments
as well as employees must be select
ed from list prepared by the Civil
Service Commission, and when ap-
pointed they cannot be removed ex-
cept by vote of the entire people
or a Constitutional Convention)
8. The bill practically detaches the
main governmental functions from
the elective officers established by
the constitution and even in the case
of the governor leaves little absolute
power in his hands.
A 1t sets up a government depen-
dent upon statute and we think is a
departure in spirit from the govern
ment of elective officers contemplate
ed by our constitution. They add
this very pertinent statement: "Much
can be said in criticism of the out
line of government contained in our
constitution, but it seems bold to
abandon the whole plan or admins
traticn upon which our constitution
is based without at least constitu-
tional change"
5. In. some particulars we think
there is doubt as to the constitution
ality of the proposed administrative
code
6. The financial savings claimed for
the administrative code bill seem to
US not adequately substantiated "The
tentative budget" accompanying the
bill wherein the claim is made for
a saving of S500,000) shows that the
preparer of it has arbitrarily reduced
salaries in nearly all departments
without any indication of reasons
savings in miscellaneous operating en-
perses. No system for this reduction
IS made. The pamphlet is not con-
vincing. The experience in Illinois
and Nebraska with similar measures
in dispute shows that the defenders
of these measures in those states, while
claiming increased efficiency land
may | again insert the fact that these
states do not have the Civil Service
such as we have) do not claim actual
reduction of expenses as result ot
their enactment. (These men might
have gone further regarding this ten.
tative budget and stated that many
departments important to the rural
communities We're cut out entirely
such for instance, as the Horticul.
ture work thruout the state, the
Dairy commission, etc. This no doubt
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