Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-02-20 | Page 4 | Ox Cart Age Government in for an Overbauling

I Ox Cart Can Age Government In VI- for an all Q Overhauling Our archaic I local cal governmental organization once referred to by President Roosevelt as belonging to the oxcart age is headed for some Borne drastic changes in 1934 and future years if it recent trends mean any any- thing says Clarence E. E Ridley executive ex cx- director the International City Managers' Managers association The year 1933 probably will go godown godown godown down in history as marking the beginning beginning be be- ginning of a nationwide movement to modernize the organization of local government Surveys and studies of ot local government were vere made mainly by official commissions in nine states state Arizona Delaware Michigan New Nev Hampshire North Dakota I Texas Illinois Mississippi and Minne Minne- sota Surveys made previous to 1933 resulted In consideration of local government government gov gay reorganization by legislatures legisla legisla- tur Lures tures of ot Indiana a. a Iowa Iowa Kansas Mis Mis- i New York Tennessee and Wyoming county City-county consolidation measures either cither local or statewide were considered by legislatures of 12 13 states In county government lies Bes the most significant progress thus far made Mr Ridley comments Texas in 1933 adopted a constitutional amendment I granting home rule to counties of 62 or more population Ohio voters adopted a similar amendment for all I counties Nebraska adopted a county manager enabling act lct and Minnesota enacted legislation permitting county consolidation Three counties counties Sac Sac Sacramento county California and Albemarle Al Al- and Henrico counties Virginia Vir VIr- ginia adopted ginia-adopted adopted by popular vote the county manager plan which 40 counties counties coun COWl ties in 16 states are considering The trend toward the responsible executive type of ot city government continued with adoption of ot the coun coun- manager cil-manager plan by six cities during during dur dur- ing the year bringing the total number number num num- ber bel of communities so governed to in the United States Groups in Seattle and Philadelphia promoted plans toward county city-county consolidation and in Chicago where governmental organization is in a particularly chaotic state the people will make a beginning by voting inthe in inthe inthe the 1934 spring election on a proposal proposal proposal pro pro- to consolidate the various park districts Studies and researches in the municipal municipal mu mu- government t field also were important in 1933 In Cincinnati an official coordinating committee on which the city county and school board Doard were represented made studies of their activities and In Los Angeles a committee on governmental simplification simplification sim sim- studied plans for consolidating consolidating consoli consoli- dating various governmental units