The Problem
The first question the Committee had to determine was whether or not it should
attempt to propose an entirely new charter. Many persons favored that plan. The idea
was rejected early and it was decided that such an event should await another day.
Nor did the Committee attempt to remedy every obvious fault in the present Charter.
Time did not permit—even though several sessions of the various committees were held
weekly. The purpose of the Committee was to give its attention to the most obvious and
imperative needs.
The Committee prepared twenty-two amendments which it felt would accomplish
two major objectives: (1) more efficient and responsible government, and (2) more
economical government that would save hundreds of thousands of dollars to the taxpayers.
Several of these important amendments concerning civil service, police, city council,
controller, purchasing, public works, and regulations for the Water and Power Department were not approved by Council or placed upon the ballot. Fifteen of the amendments were placed on the May 6th ballot.
Unfinished Business
Two subcommittees—Pensions and Retirement, Financial Administration and Taxation—were unable to complete all the work assigned to them. Reports of these two
subcommittees are presented on page 17.
Recommendation
It is the recommendation of the Co-ordinating Committee that the Charter Revision
Committee be continued until the work of these two subcommittees has been completed
and other problems of charter revision not covered in the twenty-two amendments have
been further examined.
Summary of Amendments Proposed
No. 1
The Mayor
This amendment was designed to enable the Mayor, as the chief administrative
officer of the City, to perform more efficiently the duties imposed upon him by the
Charter by giving him more power and a larger staff.
1. The Mayor is given authority to appoint, in addition to a secretary, two assistants,
exempt from civil service requirements. The secretary and the two assistants shall
not be related to the Mayor by blood or by marriage. At least one of the assistants
shall have had five years governmental experience.
2. The secretary of each departmental board or commission in the City government
shall furnish the Mayor with a copy of the minutes of each meeting of his board
or commission.
3. The general manager of each department shall once a month file a report of the
work of his department with the Mayor and Council.
4. At any time within six months after he first takes office, the Mayor may remove,
without approval by the Council, one member of the Board of Commissioners of any
or all of the departments of the City government having a commission. The vacancy
so created shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor subject to confirmation by
the Council.
The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, may provide for the transfer of
equipment or supplies from one department of the City government where they are
not needed, to another department where they may be needed.
5.
This amendment would enable the Mayor to be a more effective head of our City
government and to exercise better supervision over the departments. The appointment
of administrative assistants is already in effect, having been authorized by ordinance,
but should be in the Charter so that the Council would not be able to cripple the
Mayor's office by repealing the ordinance. The power to remove one commissioner in
the first six months of his term plus the fact that the term of office of one commissioner
on each commission terminates on July 1st of each year would enable the Mayor to
appoint a majority of all hoards and commissions by July 1st of his second year. Without this provision it could easily happen that during half a Mayor's term he would
have boards and commissions, a majority of whose memhers might be out of sympathy
with his administration. At the same time the voters would hold him responsible for the
acts of these boards and commissions. The public demands of a Mayor economy and
efficiency. They are entitled to hold him responsible for exactly that. The purpose of
this amendment is to place the Mayor in a position that would enable him to respond to
that demand.
This amendment was adopted by the City Council and submitted as Amendment
No. 13 upon the May 6th. 1941, ballot.  It was defeated by a vote of 111,757 to 80,077.
No. 2
The Council
This amendment provides for a Council of nine members, eight to be elected by
districts and one at large. The term of office would be for four years staggered, with
election every two years. The monthly salary of district members would be $500. The
councilman-at-large would be President of the Council and Chairman of Finance Committee.    His salary would be $750 per month.