Evening star., 1936-11-21
New York's
New Deal
Hailed
Charter Brings Reforms
Sought for Many
Years.
BY WILLIAM c. McCLoY.

n YEW YORK, November 81 (N.A.
| nj N.A)-The adoption Of a new
" city charter, with the ap-
proval Of the system of pro-
portional representation, has been en-
Enthusiastically hailed by host of men
and women belonging to many nom
partisan organizations as the Begin
ming Of new era in municipal gov
ernment for New York
Many of these proponents Of the
new experiment have been battling
for city betterment for two genera
tions. They are not fooling them
selves with the idea that there will be
no more work for them to do They
do insist, however, that they have
won an effective instrument for OBJ
tanning better and truer representa-
ton of the electorate than has ever
before been possible F
The charter will go into effect
January /, 1888, and the city officers
to serve under it will be chosen at
the mayoralty election in 1887.
Advantages of Charter.
Here are the advantages the voters
expect to reap from the adoption of
the charter:
l. A small council TO replace the
discredited Board of Aldermen.
2. A chance TO get a representa-
tive council.
3. Adequate city planning.
T. A capital budget with a six-year
program.
S. Expense budgets which really tell
the whole story.
/ g. A pay-as-you-go policy effective
gradually.
7. An auditing controller who does
not audit his own work.
8. Uniformity Of building standards.
| 8. Protection for local property
owners against excessive assessments.
10. Initiative and referendum. for
important amendments.
Under the old charter. New York
City is governed by municipal as
sembly consisting of an upper and
lower branch. The upper branch
comprises the three city-wide elected
ofhcers-that is, the mayor, the con-
troller and the president of the Board
OF Aldermen and the pre-idents of
the five boroughs The lower branch
OF the assembly comprises a board of
aldermen, consisting Of 65 members
elected by districts.
Council Given Powers.
Under the new charter, the Board
Of Estimate will have the administra-
tive powers for the city and city
council, replacing the Board of Alder
men. will have the legislative power.
The mayor will continue TO be the
chief executive with slightly enlarged
powers and will appoint a deputy
mayor to relieve him of a number OF
routine duties. He will also appoint
a city treasurer. The controller still
is to be elected by a city-wide vote.
The powers OF the borough presi-
dents will be greatly reduced. Their
local improvement boards remain,
with power to construct local sewer
and street Improvements. but inter-
cepting sewers and disposal plants,
as well as many other large public
works, are placed under the control
of central department of public
WI No, bAtC 44CdA Va hllANA1 10 dPpOlIltSA
by the mayor.
further loss in the power OF the
borough presidents comes from the
establishment of a central depart
ment of buildings. This department
will issue building permits and Ger
tiflcateS of occupancy. replacing the
present five borough building bureaus.
Council Greatest Change.
The outstanding change in the new
charter is the establishment of a city
council, with a varying number OF
members, replacing the present Board
OF Aldermen. The new councilmen
will be chosen through proportional
representation and preferential yot-
ing-one councilman for each $4,000
votes cast in each borough--a frac-
ton of $4,000 votes or more will en-
title the borough to an extra council
man.
A