The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-16
MUNICIPAL FARLEY
HERE BACKS PLAN

county instead OF the duly elect
cd municipal representatives.
L. l.. Burgin, Henderson coup-
" representative in the assembly.
told the officials that it was his
opinion the representatives would
be glad to get rid of much of the
local legislation now before the
assembly.
Mr.. Johnson did not offer any
definite proposal for a law to
give this authority to cities and
towns, but favored statewide
law flexible enough to cover all
municipalities.
Mayor Ben Douglas, of Char
lotte. president of the league, was
also in favor of the proposal, de-
claring that cities should have
more home rule.
Municipal officials gathered
here yesterday at l o'clock aud
were guests of the city at lunch
con at the Skyland hotel. Mayor
A. V. Edwards presided at the
luncheon. The business session
convened at $50 o'clock at the
city hall and Mayor Douglas pre-
sided.
In opening remarks, Mayor
Douglas said the league was first
organized in 1909, but was not
active until its reorganization in
1881. II has two purposes, he
said, education and legislation.
In the field of education il MAIN
tains schools for municipal en-
ployeS.
1t is not political and does not
conduct lobby, he said, but the
cities of the state pay about 90
per cent of the taxes and should
be heard in the formulation OF
legislative programs.
He declared that the league
was responsible in some measure
for the appropriation of $780,
900 for an advertising fund and
for the allotment of 100000 for
the up&eep of state highways
through city limits.
Relative to the advertising
fund, he declared that Western
North Carolina was receiving the
most benefit from this fund be-
cause this section of the state
had more to advertise to the
world.
Speaking briefly, State Treas
I'll al hn
that they should confne the leg
iSlative program to the things
they absolutely had to have.
Mayor John Craven, of Lexing-
ton, expressed the opinion that
the state legislature is county
minded. The cities are the red
headed Step-children, ne said.
Pointing out that the cities pay
the greatest part Of the taxes to
the state, he said that the organ
ization was not a lobby, but
sought TO present it's claims to the
1--WE should lay
our claims before the assembly
and not go before it on our
knees, ne SAID.
Other problems discussed were:
use OF state highway equipment
for upkeep Of streets in small
towns; the constitutional amend
ment giving tax exemption to
81. 900 homes; regulation and tax
ing of out-of-town trucks, and
of the size of gasoline
truck carriers.
Mayor ]. V. ErSkine, Of Wea-
verville, and Mayor r. NJ. Lee, of
Mars Hill, led a discussion of the
use of highway equipment. These
officials favored use of state
highway equipment for work on
city streets, either at no cost, or
at nominal expense.
Most officials were opposed to
the homestead exemption under
the constitutional amendment,
declaring that it would be almost
cuinous to the smaller cities and
towns.
Relative to licenses on out-of-
town bread trucks, laundry deal
ers. fuel dealers and others, Sec
rotary Pat Healey pointed out
that the supreme court had held
the city of Rocky Mount had a
right to tax bread trucks from
other cities on the use of city
streets. He expressed the opinion
this was q precedent covering this
problem. i
The secretary also discussed
legislation governing the capacity
of gasoline trucks. He told Of Sc
rious accidents from wrecks in
other states, and declared that,
while the state supreme court had
set no precedent in this matter,
other states had. -,
Field Consultant W. h. Newell
outlined future courses of in
struction, and H. B. Wilson. OF
the American Municipal associa-
ton, of Chicago, discussed an in
surance survey being made in the
state on municipal risks. He was
of the opinion cities might be able
to save on insurance rates as a
result of this survey.
Among those attending We're:
State Treasurer Johnson; Harry
E. Buchanan, president of the
Hendersonville chamber of COM
merce; T. W. Raoul, town clerk
of Biltmore Forest; L. L. Burgin,
county representative
in the general assembly; Ralph NJ.
Lee. mayor of Mars Hill; A. V.
Edwards, mayor of Henderson
vile; Ben Douglas, mayor of
Charlotte; Patrick Healy, Jr., of
Raleigh, executive secretary of
the North Carolina League of
n Z. li4in-. d q RnnS.nrr,,n.