The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 2, 1945, Page 8

PAGE EIGHT - 9 THE DAILY ALASKA EM —_— e —— DO WE NEED A CITY MANAGER? What are the advantages of replacing our mayor with a city manager? ' Last year, mem- bers of the Juneau Civic Forum, jndividually and collectively, publicly declaimed the following principal advantages: 1. It would open the way for Juneau to secure a municipal building, recreation building, year-round swimming pool, library or combination library and children’s theatre, more paved streets and sidewalks, and to accomplish the razing of present semi-burned or semi-collapsed buildings. Assuming Juneau taxpayers wish to embark on a large spending program, it would be interesting to know why a hired engineer could get these things for us any faster or cheaper than an elected mayor. 2. We need an engineer to work out concise and business-like plans and to spend the large amounts of money to accomplish the things mentioned under Item 1 above. Why an engineer? If the operation of the City is comparable to running one of the biggest business in Juneau, as has been asserted, why not elect a business man to run it? Our local businesses sometimes need an engineer or mechnically adept man for certain work, but the businesses are run by business men, not engineers. 3. We need a competent man to organize, direct and push through a revamping of the present obsolete tax system. There has never been anything obsolete about our tax system, for it is typical of all small towns the nation over. Our property assessments did need revaluation, and this is now being done, thanks to our retiring mayor and council. 4. The present system of electing a mayor it just a popularity contest. This means that the democratic process is a farce. If this is true, then it would be equally true that no City Manager could keep his job unless he did just what a mayor does to get re-elected—make himself liked by the people by doing what the majority want done. That’s how Roosevelt got the third and fourth terms. . It would lay the ground work of providing jobs for men in the armed services following the o termination of the war. This appears to be rather questionable flag-waving, for there is nothing that can be done along this line by a City Manager that a Mayor could not do. 6. The City Manager plan is sponsored by the National Municipal League, of which John G. Winant is President, and men of his caliber consider it the typically American form of gov- ernment. For every well-known American that is for the plan, there may he 100 who are against it. A glance at the literature put out by the League gives rise to some doubt as to its motives. For example, their list of Publications (to enable you to take a short cut to learn all about the City Manager system of government) con- tains approximately 100 pamphlets, books, etc., which, if you bought one of each, would cost you more than $80.00, and would take' several years of your spare time to read. It is possible the League is designed, at least secondarily, to dispose profitably of its literature. 7. The City Manager is free from politics while the Mayor is not. This point is also made by the National Municipal League in its pamphlet entitled: “Answers to Your Questions.” The reason for the abandonment of the City Manager plan in 2 number of cities is due to the fact that politics crept in and got control. This point is'made by the National Municipal League in its pamphlet entitled: “Manager Plan Abandon- ments.” 8. All of Juneau’s former mayors are for it. This is not true. A survey of all of the former mayors of Juneau now living here will show that the majority of them are opposed to the City Manager system. BEFORE YOU VOTE Ask Yourself These Questions: ® What can a City Manager do that a Mayor cannot do, since all of the power of either is derived, primarily, from the people through the Council? @ Isit more American fo elect the head of your municipal government or have him appointed by the Council? ©® If the City Manager plan is so successful and so ouistanding, why do less than 5% of all cities in the United States under 10,000 population have this form of government. (Figures of the National Municipal League). ©® Should we make such a change now, or wait until the service men come back and can vole on whether or not they want to change our form of gov- ernment? LS 4 PIRE—-JUNEAU, ALASKA To the Taxpayers Yoters of Juneau: You are heing asked in tomorrow’s election to give your en- dorsement to a‘Business Administration Ticket"’ and thereby agree to a program which has as its aim the purchase by the city of all public utilities, including electricity, water, tele- phone, bus service and docks. You are offered hy this ticket no substantiating facts or fig- ures concerning what this step might mean. We urge you to consider the following facts and figures: 1. Your city's honded indebtedness at present is $245,000. 2. Under the plan put into effect by former Mayor Harry I. Lucas, this debt is being retired at the rate of $17,000 each year. The annual interest on these bonds amounts fo §8,- 335. Thus the city already is obligated o pay out each year on its debis more han $25,000. 3. Atthisrateit will be more than 14 years before the present debt is refired. DO YOU THINK IT IS WISE AT THIS TIME TO PLACE YOUR CITY MUCH DEEPER INTO DEBT BY ISSUING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE. IN BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUYING FROM PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, AND AT INFLATIONARY PRICES, ALL OF THESE PUBLIC UTILITIES? The "Business Administration Ticket” also urges you not fo grant a franchise to the bus service now serving the people of Juneau. We believe that some such service is demanded and do not think that it is fair to put a man out of business who has been operating under great difficulies o provide a transporta- tion service that has been economical and efficent. We urge you to vote FOR this franchise. Juneau is not on its way toward becoming a “defunct” city, contrary fo this opinion expressed by the “Business Admin- istration Ticket.” Steady progress has been made by past adminisirations to- ward retiring the debts. A sinking fund has been created, now amounting to $45,000 invested in United States war bonds, and earmarked for the purpose of building a new city hall, containing not only ad- ministrative offices but a fire hall and public library. This fund is growing steadily at the rate of about $15,000 a year. By the time conditions return to a state where building may be done at normal costs, the city, under wise management, may be able to build the new building without any extensive borrowing. The “Business Administration Ticket”" represents the new and dangerous school of thought which believes that it doesn't make any difference how much money a government unit spends. Juneau COULD become a ““defunct” city under this administration. : * We urge Youto Voie Sensibly Tomorrow and fo Vote forthe TAXPAYERS’ TICKET JAMES LARSEN - - : - For Mayor ED SHAFFER : : ED NIELSEN - - - For Councilmen This advertisement is sponsored by Taxpayers of Juneau s MONDAY, APRIL 2, 1945