OO04 1r3, 21 Michigan Commission of Inquiry Into County, Township and School District Government Clarence L. Ayres, Chairman C. E. Bement M. B. McPherson Parm. C. Gilbert A. E. Petermann R. Wayne Newton, Secretary The Governmnent of the Detroit MAetropolitan Area by J. M. LEONARD and LENT D. UPSON Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research MICHIGAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERIES A Report to the Commission of inquiry LENT D. UPSON, Director of Inquiry MAY 1, 1934 The reports in this series will be sent free upon request, actual postage to be remitted upon notice. Office of the Director of Inquiry 936 NATIONAL BANK BUILDING DETROIT, MICHIGAN OAKLAND MACOMB I METROPOLITAN AREA WAYNE COUNTY AND ENVIRONS Z N - ICORPORATOE CTIEtS L i- INCORPORATEO VLL^as 7 470 - ASSESSED VALUATION PEA AC A itll a.71 - POPULAT.IO PEA ACRE Chart 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface: Two outstanding problems-Reorganization of the County Government and the Consolidation of Services of Area-Wide Importance............................................................. 5 I. About the Governments of the Detroit Metropolitan AreaOne County, Ten Cities, Fifteen Villages, Eighteen Townships and about 1,800,000 People.................................................... 7 II. Each Year, $145,000,000, or about $330 a Family for Local G overnm ent..................................................................... 14 III. The Waste of Money and Results from Too Many Governm ents D oing the Sam e Things.......................................................... 23 IV. Five Ways of Unifying Services of Area-Wide Importance Now Furnished by These Governments.......................................... 72 -A Metropolitan District Government Organized Under Existing Laws. -A Consolidation of Existing City and Village Governments with That of the County. -The Federated City Plan-a Consolidation of Existing City and Village Governments, but with Autonomy in Many Local Matters. -Annexation of Neighboring Cities and Villages to Detroit. -State-hood for Detroit and its Environs. V. The Need of a More Workable County Government With a Responsible Legislative Body and an Executive Head.............. 91 VI. Three Ways of Reorganizing the County Government to m ake it w ork able.................................................................................. 100 -Simplification by Use of Existing Laws and Some New Ones. -Separation of Detroit From the Balance of the County. -Home Rule for Counties and a County Executive. VII. A Solution for Both Problems-A Simplified and Responsible County Government, and the Unification of Municipal Services of Area-Wide Importance by Their Transfer to the County......................................................................... 119 PREFACE Local Government in Wayne County costs about $145,000,000 a year$76 a person, or $330 a family. Public services are provided by 145 separate governments, electing over 900 officials. One hundred and one of these governments are concerned with education. The remaining 44-one county, 10 cities, 15 villages, and 18 townships are engaged in rendering diversified services to the public. Two distinct problems arise from these numerous governments within the Detroit metropolitan area: -The reorganization of the government of Wayne County to give it responsibility and direction. -The consolidation of public services of area-wide importance now distributed among numerous local units of government. Either problem might be solved without providing a solution for the other. A proper solution of one should provide a solution for both. "The mess called county government" now consists in most states, including Michigan, of an irresponsible legislative body and a headless welter of elected administrative officers. In 1904. that early explorer H. S. Gilbertson, called it "the dark continent of American politics". Since that time this dark continent has been much explored but little settled. Only in California, North Carolina, and Virginia has tangible, even if small, progress been made in modernizing the structure of County government. The facts and conclusions with respect to County government in Michigan are presented by the several reports published in this Michigan Local Government Series. These are taken from a detailed study of eight typical Michigan counties and apply to all counties of Michigan, including Wayne. These reports urge the reorganization of county government with a responsible legislative body and a county executive with department heads designated by him-all of which may be secured by county home rule. This study of "The Government of the Detroit Metropolitan Area" has to do with the further complicating problem of numerous urban communities growing up within Wayne County and flowing over into neighborhood counties. It is an effort to present the lack of responsibility in the county government as at present organized and the parallelism of common public services by the 44 major and the 101 minor governments in Wayne County. The conclusions of the writers can be stated in a few sentences: Economy in individual governments, with exceptions, has gone as far as it decently can, and still maintain the standards of service to which Americans are accustomed, and probably entitled. Further economy and service can only be secured by reorganizing the structure of the county government, making it more responsible, and then gradually delegating local municipal services to it until the need for these numerous local governments ceases to exist. No report can be written concerning Wayne County government without relying heavily on the excellant Wayne County Manual (1930 edition) prepared by the Board of County Auditors. All population figures shown in this report are taken from the census of 1930. The collection of data for this report and its original preparation is the work of Mr. J. M. Leonard of the staff of the Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research. J. M. LEONARD LENT D. UPSON Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research May 1, 1934. STATE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY Into County, Township and School District Government 936 National Bank Building DETROIT April 16, 1934. Mr. Clarence L. Ayres, Chairman Commission of Inquiry into County, Township and School District Government, 600 Griswold Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. My dear Mr. Ayres: There is transmitted herewith a study of local government in Michigan by Mr. J. M. Leonard and Mr. Lent D. Upson of the Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research entitled "The Government of the Detroit Metropolitan Area". This study is one of several made in accordance with the instructions of the Commission by resolution of January 28, 1932, and are designed to serve as a basis of the reports of the Commission to the Governor and the Legislature. The series of studies, now completed, is as follows: "Local Government in Michigan-a Summary". Lent D. Upson. "Population Trends". George T. Ragsdale and Lent D. Upson. "Natural Community Areas". J. F. Thaden. "Rural Land Zoning". P. A. Herbert. "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government". Arthur W. Bromage and Thomas H. Reed. "Township Government and the Exploitation of Timber and Wild Land Resources in Northern Michigan". W. F. Ramsdell. "The Government of the Detroit Metropolitan Area". J. M. Leonard and Lent D. Upson. "School Organization in the Detroit Metropolitan Area". Don S. Miller. "Rural School Organization in Michigan". F. M. Thrun. "Local Finance and Procedure". Loren B. Miller. "Local Public Works Administration". Roger L. Morrison, Walter C. Sadler and L. J. Rothgery. "Local Relief to Dependents". Opal V. Matson. "Organization and Administration of Public Health". N. Sinai. "The Efficiency of Justices' Courts". Edson R. Sunderland. In these studies the surveyors have endeavored to prepare a long term program, portions of which it may be impossible to accomplish immediately. It is left to the Commission to recommend the legislative steps that appear expedient at this time. Very truly yours, Lent D. Upson, Director of Inquiry. CHAPTER I ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DETROIT AREA - ONE COUNTY, TEN CITIES, FIFTEEN VILLAGES, EIGHTEEN TOWNSHIPS, AND 1,800,000 PEOPLE Social Factors The most important characteristic of Wayne County is the location of Detroit and other populous communities within its boundaries. It is slightly smaller than the average size county in the state, containing 620 square miles against the average of 692.5 square miles. However, the fifteen counties comprising the upper peninsula are much larger than the other sixtyeight. Deducting these, Wayne County becomes slightly larger than the average of the lower peninsula-620 square miles against the average of 600 square miles. Among the counties of the southern peninsula ranked according to size, Wayne ranks twentieth, with forty-eight counties following. In topography, the county is a flat, fertile area, with the exception of the northwest portion which is slightly rolling, the whole having less than one per cent of waste land. There are a few lakes, and some water courses, by courtesy called rivers. With respect to population, Detroit dominates the entire development of Wayne County, altho the city occupies but 22.5 per cent of the area. Chart 1. illustrates this urban-rural condition. The two western tiers of townships comprise 46 per cent of the area of the county but contain only 2.3 per cent of the population. This portion is strictly rural, devoted to truck gardening and small farming. The eastern half of the county is highly industrial, with cities and villages centered about Detroit or hugging the river. The population density of Wayne County is 3,046.7 persons per square mile. The next ranking county, Genesee, in which Flint is located, has a density of only 323.1 persons. All other counties in the state, except three,' have a density of less than 200, with the lowest found in Oscoda county, which has three inhabitants per square mile. Wayne County contains 1,888,946 of the total state population of 4,842,325 or 38.81 per cent. The county population is divided among the various political subdivisions as follows: Per Cent Unit Population Of Total Cities~............................ 1,786,265 94.56 V illages2........................ 63,842 3.38 Townships................. 38,839 2.06 Total................. 1,888,946 100.00 It is evident that the county is highly urbanized with 95 per cent of the population living in cities, and only 2 per cent in the unincorporated areas. 'The industrial counties rank in density (per capita per square mile): Wayne County, 3,046.7; Genesee County, 323.1; Kent County, 279.7; Oakland County 238.4; Ingham County, 210.8. 2Michigan prescribes few requirements for cities as to area, population and assessed value. The local units of government are cities, townships and school districts. The village is a part of the township for certain essential services, but enjoys full autonomy for local functions. Under the "home rule" statutes there is little difference in the structure of government between cities and villages, in fact, villages change to cities frequently and easily. See Arthur W. Bromage and Thomas H. Reed: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government", Michigan Local Government Series. 7 With this great concentration of the population the principal problem of local government has become one of coordination. The development of sizeable independent cities has made this coordination extremely difficult. Population Characteristics As Detroit contains about 83 per cent of the population of Wayne County, and determines its population characteristics, the county population may be properly compared with that of the balance of the state, as follows: Balance of Wayne County State Under 5 years................................ 9.5% 9.7% 5 to 9 years................................ 9.7 10.3 10 to 14 years............................... 8.8 9.8 15 to 19 years................................ 7.9 9.0 Total to 19 years................ 35.9% 38.8% 20 to 24 years................................ 9.5 8.1% 25 to 29 years............................... 10.6 7.3 30 to 34 years................................10.0 6.9 35 to 44 years................................17.5 13.6 Total 20 to 44 years.......... 47.6% 35.9% 45 to 54 years................................ 9.4% 10.8% 55 to 64 years................................ 4.4 7.6 65 to 74 years................................ 2.1 4.8 Over 75 years.................................6 2.1 Total over 45 years.......... 16.5% 25.3% 100.0% 100.0%o Here is a typical urban community in which the age group of from twenty to forty-four years, the prime of life, predominates. Balance of Wayne County State Native White-Native Parentage................35.0% 57.6% Native White-Foreign Parentage..............32.2 28.3 Total-Native White.............................. 67.2% 85.9% Foreign Born W hite...................................... 25.3 12.3 N egro.................................................................. 7.0 1.3 O ther R aces.......................................................5.5 100% 100% The ratio of foreign born white to the total population in Wayne County is twice that of the balance of the state, 25.3 and 12.3 per cent. The negro is found in larger numbers, 7.0 percent in Wayne County and 1.3 per cent in the balance of the state. The native white population and the native white with foreign or mixed parentage present the typical metropolitan situation, 67.2 per cent with half with native parents, in Wayne County, and 85.9 percent in the balance of the state, with two-thirds having native parents. In Wayne County the English speaking countries, such as Canada and other members of the British Commonwealth, account for 38.9 per cent of the foreign born whites; Poland ranks next with 20.12 per cent followed by Germany with 7.89 per cent and Italy with 6.61 per cent. The remaining 8 countries contribute still lesser percentages, but the first four important groups account for about three-quarters of the foreign born white groups, 73.52 per cent. Illiteracy is not a vital factor in spite of the large proportion of foreign born. Wayne County has 2.3 per cent of its population over 10 years of age rated as illiterate, as compared with 1.8 per cent for the balance of the state. The distribution of this illiteracy in Wayne County is as follows: Foreign born whites............................85.2% Negroes........................................ 8.6 N ative w hites.......................................... 6.2 There is a slight difference in citizenship between Wayne county and the balance of Michigan. In Wayne, 49.8 per cent of the population possesses the right to vote. In the balance of the state the ratio is 55.7 per cent. However, 'right to vote' means only potential voting strength, for only a part of the citizens qualify as electors. In Detroit, for instance, there are 794,589 citizens over twenty-one years of age of which only 528,392 or 66.5 per cent have registered. About the same percentage prevails thruout the state. For example, the election of governor in 1932 brought out 61.3 per cent of the total population possessing citizenship. In the previous election of 1930, the proportion was only 32.6 per cent. Following are the more important data on citizenship and voting: Wayne Balance County State Males, over 21 having the right to vote.................... 507,114 854,797 Females, over 21 having the right to vote................ 433,644 789,633 Total Citizenship......................................... 940,758 1,644,430 Total Population..............................................................1,888,946 2,953,379 Per cent of Males with franchise............................ 26.8% 28.9% Per cent of Females with franchise............................ 23.0 26.7 Per cent of citizenship to total population................ 49.8 55.6 School attendance is about uniform thruout the state. altho in the age group fourteen to fifteen, there are four per cent more children in the schools of Wayne County than in the balance of the state. It is assumed that the absence of high school facilities in the rural areas accounts for some part of this discrepancy as this is the age of entrance into the high school. The present school law provides for school attendance up to sixteen years of age, altho upon the completion of the sixth grade, with a proper reason, the child can leave at fourteen. Following are certain data on school habits: Wayne Balance County State 7 to 13 years, number in school........................................237,811 408,649 14 to 15 years, number in school................................. 60,057 104,592 16 to 17 years, number in school........................................ 36,750 66,427 7 to 13 years, per cent in school to total........................ 97.6% 98.2% 14 to 15 years, per cent in school to total........................ 96.8 92.8 16 to 17 years, per cent in school to total........................ 62.9 61.1 The marital condition of the population fifteen years and older is about uniform between Wayne County and the balance of the state. There are slightly more widowed in the out-state sections, but the spread is not of significant proportions. 9 Following are the essential data: Wayne County Male-15 Years and older Single........................................35.0% Married.......................................60.0 Widowed........................................ 3.3 D ivorced................................................ 1.6 Unknown.................................1 Females-15 Years and older S ing le....................................................23.4 Married.......................................66.4 Widowed........................................ 8.4 D ivorced................................................ 1.8 Unknown.........................................0 The data on gainful employment presents a pi( rural development: Industry Balance State 32.2% 61.1 5.1 1.5.1 22.6 65.8 10.1 1.4.1 cture of industrial and Wayne County Balance State In building industry.................................................... 6.5% 5.4% In autom obile factories.............................................. 30.3 9.2 In steel- except m ining............................................ 5.7 5.6 In other industry........................................................ 11.4 16.1 53.9% 36.3% A griculture...................................................7 21.7 Wholesale and retail establishments...................... 11.3 9.5 Professional and semi-professional groups.......... 5.2 6.0 Domestic and personal service............................ 5.4 4.6 All other em ploym ent................................................ 23.5 21.9 100.0o 100.0% Population over 10 years gainfully employed................ 812,940 1,114,858 Total population over 10 years..........................................1,527,305 2,364,609 Per cent of total pop. gainfully employed.................... 43.0% 37.7% Per cent of pop. over 10 years gainfully employed...... 53.2 47.1 Per cent of male pop. gainfully employed...................... 42.5 38.8 Per cent female pop. gainfully employed........................ 10.7 8.3 Per cent of gainfully employed who are males............ 79.9 82.3 Per cent of gainfully employed who are females.......... 20.1 17.7 Approximately six per cent more of the population over 10 years old is gainfully employed in Wayne County than in the balance of the state, but this has little significance since approximately one-half of the population is not gainfully employed. There is little difference between the proportion of men and women working in the two sections, altho there are slightly more women working in the urban area. The chief difference is the nature of the employment. Approximately 54 per cent of the workers in Wayne County are in industry, as compared with 36 per cent for the balance of the state. On the other hand, less than one per cent are engaged in agriculture in Wayne County, against 22 per cent in the balance of the state. As the ratio of total gainfully employed is about the same, it means that industry and agriculture about balance each other in the two areas. For the balance of the occupations listed, there is 10 little difference between the conditions found in Wayne County and the outstate sections. It is only in the industrialization of Wayne County that any significant difference exists. Effect of Population Differences Little comment need be made upon these figures. The outstanding difference between the two areas is the number of foreign born gathered in the larger cities. It is important that a substantial proportion of these foreign born are citizens and that the ratio of citizenship to population does not vary significantly between Wayne and other counties. This fact destroys one argument against a proper representation of Wayne County in the state legislature. Such representatives would not be spokesmen for unnaturalized aliens as is sometimes alleged. It cannot be truthfully concluded that the predominance of youth in the metropolitan area, or the fact that some of it is foreign born or of foreign born parents has combined to weaken the government of the metropolis. It is often contended that cities are the new frontier, drawing the young, the unmarried, and the irresponsible, and that the breakdown of order in these urban areas is a result of this process. This may be true of some metropolitan areas but no serious and impartial student of social influences would say that the government of Detroit has broken down for these or any other reasons. Similarly the effect of industrialization upon government is a moot question. It is often said that the agricultural worker is conservative, not readily organized into political groups, and capable of forming settled opinions upon public questions. Industry, on the other hand, is thought to engender a radical and transitory interest in local government on the part of its employees. In the governments in Wayne County there is no observable degree of ineffectiveness traceable to the industrial worker. Wayne County presents the almost unbelievable situation of a large industrial community, without a dominant political organization. This situation is not duplicated in any of the ten other larger cities in this country. Wayne County as a Governmental Unit Wayne County differs as greatly within itself as does the county from the balance of the state. As shown in Chart 1., the western eight townships contain 46 per cent of the total area, but only 2.3 per cent of the entire population. Within the county there are 145 units of government-one county, 10 cities, 15 villages, 18 townships, and 101 school districts. This is more government than in any other county of the state with the exception of Oakland County neighboring on the north. This county has a total of 227 units, or 82 more than Wayne consisting of 10 cities, 14 villages, 25 townships, and 177 school districts, altho the largest city has only 65,000 population and the smallest village but 27. Other counties have far less governmental development ranging down to Oscoda County where there is no city or village and but six townships. Township government in Michigan is organized primarily for the fundamental activities of government, such as the assessing and collection of taxes, conduct of elections and administration of petty justice, and formerly, maintenance of local roads.3 Public health and welfare services may be provided by either the township or the county. While the actual cost of township government in the average rural township is not large, it is relatively 3See Bromage and Reed, "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series. 11 expensive considering the few functions undertaken and the manner in which these functions are performed. In urbanized townships the cost becomes of major importance, as in Grosse Pointe Township where there is no unincorporated area-all is contained in villages-the expenditures for the year ending April, 1932 being $108,631 or $5.07 per capita. The average county in the state has 15.2 townships, or if the upper peninsula counties are excluded, 16.4. Wayne has 18 townships, of which the western eight are rural, and the balance either partially or entirely urbanized. The townships in Wayne expend a total of about one million dollars a year, an average of $54,313 per township. This large average is due to some expensive townships as there are five townships expending $15,000 or less annually. The highly urbanized townships have expanded the usual activities by undertaking health service, welfare relief, police protection, and in one instance a police radio station. In Grosse Pointe Township all the area is incorporated and contained in five villages. Ecorse Township is divided about equally between villages and unincorporated areas. In Monguagon Township, in which Trenton is located, about 80 per cent of the area is included in corporated villages. In spite of these conditions, township government persists, and can ordinarily be eliminated only by the incorporation of a community as a city when it is forever removed from the jurisdiction of the township. Accordingly, there is definite trend towards the incorporation of villages as cities in order to be released from all township expense and to gain direct representation in the county legislative body. The Change in Units Wayne County has shown a constant change in governmental units over a term of years, as indicated by the following data: Number of Units 1923 1932 Unit C ities.................................. 5 9 V illages................................ 12 16 Townships......................... 21 18 Total............................ 38 43 School Districts................121 101 County................................ 1 1 Total............................160 145 There are fewer governmental units in Wayne County today than ten years ago, due to a reduction in the number of school districts alone. Both cities and villages have increased in number. The reduction of three townships results from annexations to Detroit. A general reduction in the number of governmental units permits stronger independent municipal organizations depending less upon the superior government for services. While annexations and consolidations during the past decade have all worked to the advantage of the government of the area, it is impossible to expect a continuation of the process in the future, as the units are now becoming a size where they are more or less independent and self-supporting. To govern the 145 units comprising the government of Wayne County requires 849 elected officials, including the judiciary, and to which might be 12 added some 64 constables,4 which are about all that serve in office, a total of 913. This is an average of 6.2 officers for each unit. The total number of employees is unknown, and any figures compiled at this time would not be typical because of the short periods worked, the doubling up of work due to the depression, and the general use of welfare labor. 4The law provides for the election of not to exceed four constables in each of the eighteen townships, and usually two from each city, with the exception of Detroit where two are elected from each ward or 44 which gives a total of 128 for the county. However, it is estimated that not over one-half of these serve as constables. The exact number is unknown. 13 CHAPTER II EACH YEAR $145,000,000 OR ABOUT $330 A FAMILY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT Any discussion of the total cost of government in the metropolitan area must be hedged about with explanations, for any estimate of such total is based upon bizarre and antiquated methods of accounting, no two alike, which seek in many cases only to justify the stewardship of the funds entrusted to fiscal officers, and not to produce usable facts about the costs of government. The adoption of a uniform budget procedure would result in some improvement in governmental accounting.' Therefore, the estimates of expenditures of the governments of the county submitted here are not absolutely accurate altho extreme care was used in compiling them. The records of the local unit were accepted and adjusted to the classification used. There was no effort to recast the accounts nor to check for duplications. The figures are valuable as indicative of the trend of governmental costs. There are other causes of discrepancy in governmental records in addition to lack of a uniform system of accounts. Fiscal years differ greatly. The County operates on a fiscal year terminating November 30th. Detroit the largest spending unit, terminates its year on June 30th, as do many of the larger cities. The villages prefer a fiscal year ending in the spring. This overlapping in the fiscal year destroys all opportunity for comparison. Further, as to accounting methods, the smaller units usually are on a cash basis-the accounts show cash receipts and disbursements only. The larger units operate on an accrual basis, accounting not only for cash transactions, but also for liabilities incurred tho not yet paid and sometimes for receivables not yet collected. In two small villages it was impossible to compile any information from the accounts, so the figures used were estimates by the officers of the units. In order to assemble the expenditures for related services under similar headings, a uniform classification was designed for this report. The following is a brief description of the headings of the classification: Police-The usual duties assigned to police departments, including the control of traffic. Engineering-It was intended to include under this heading the engineering services of the municipalities, excluding only the sanitary services, such as garbage collection and disposal. However, it was impossible to make any distinction in many cases. It includes street lighting, sewers, motor transport, yards, street cleaning and repairs, and similar services. It does not include the maintenance of public buildings. Courts-All expenses chargeable to the operation of the courts, including the jury commissioners, probation officers, coroners, etc. Welfare-In the main, this is outdoor relief, altho it includes child care. It does not include the maintenance of indigents in institutions. The accounts for the County disbursements for welfare are complicated because some portion is charged back against the units. Health-Expenditures for health work, by cities and villages. For the County, the contribution toward the contagious disease hospitals is included-,See Loren B. Miller: "Local Finance and Procedure". Michigan Local Government Series. 14 the largest single item in the account. This causes difficulty in reporting, for the contribution is given over in the major part to Detroit for the operation of Herman Kiefer Hospital and Maybury Sanatorium. This amount is therefore shown twice. Legal Services-The expenditures for legal services, the largest item of which is for the Prosecuting Attorney's staff. Institutions-The institutional care of persons in Wayne county or Detroit institutions and also payments for patients in State institutions. The contributions toward the contagious disease patients from Wayne County becomes a duplicate account. Tax Collections and Assessments-Represents the total cost of assessing and the collection of taxes, including refunds and taxes charged back. Eklections-Self-explanatory. Libraries-Self-explanatory. Parks and Museums-The only museum is in Detroit. General Government-Expenditures chargeable to the 'overhead' cost of government, such as salaries and expenses of legislative bodies, care of buildings, purchasing, and miscellaneous expenses. Local Functions-There are some few functions which are peculiar only to a specific unit. For instance, in the County, only the work of the register of deeds is not duplicated in any way by other units. The same is true of fire departments, the County having no corresponding function. Also included is the inspection of buildings, garbage removal, markets, recreation and city planning or zoning. Fixed Charges-The cost of debt and pensions. In some cases the expenditures under fixed charges duplicates accounts under other headings, but there was no way to separate them. For instance, a note may be repaid, but in most cases it would be impossible to say whether the amount was also shown in the other expenditures for the area. Utilities-Self-supporting. The universal utility is the water department, which is assumed to be self-supporting in all cases. Also, in Detroit, there are the Department of Street Railways and the electric light plant, altho no current is sold to the public. Airports are considered as utilities. The problem of elimination of duplicate payments is too complicated to be corrected in a report of this kind. The payment by the County for contagious disease costs is an example. The State pays one dollar per patient day towards the County support of tubercular persons, which in Wayne County is increased by the County to $3.50 a patient day,2 and granted for the major part to sanatoriums operated by Detroit. Thus the expenditure is shown in both the County and the City figures, yet actually is only one payment. The same situation exists in other cases, but the amounts are not of consequence. The expenditures for local government, summarized in Table I for county, cities and villages, total approximately $107,000,000 for one year, to which should be added the expenditures for schools, making a total of $145,000,000. These costs are for the most part for the most recent fiscal 2C. L. 1929, sec. 7014. Act 215, P. A. 1933 reduced this payment to seventy-five cents by the State, which the County increases to $2.90 per patient day. 15 year at the time this report was prepared-for Wayne County, the year ending November 30, 1931, for cities and villages the year ending during 1932.3 Expenditures are shown which differ greatly from the burden on general property. This table indicates that of the County expenditures, one-third is spent for engineering functions, and one-sixth for the operation of institutions. These are the two major activities. Debt charges constitute a small item due to the ability of the County to raise its capital requirements by direct taxation thru the operation of a long term financial program. Also, with the exception of the Road Commission, the County did not have the demands for costly improvements as did the cities and villages with their rapidly increasing populations. It must be understood that the inclusion of Detroit among the cities and villages colors the entire study, for it represents approximately 90 per cent of the total expenditures of that group. The cities and villages have been working very actively toward lessening governmental expenditures over a two year period, while the County had not felt the same need for economy until recently. For cities, debt charges are the largest expenditure, accounting for roughly one-third of the total costs. Welfare requirements rank next, while expenditures for police are third in importance. Village expenditures conform closely with those of the cities in character. However, village costs are reduced by the amount spent by the townships for certain functions such as courts, welfare, elections, and health. The figures for village expenditures are less accurate than those for the other units of government. Outstanding in importance is the large burden for debt charges, amounting to over half the total village expenditures. Some part of this cost may occur from the repayment of temporary loans, but the accounting records were not always clear on this point. Expenditures for engineering services rank next in importance, and for the most part include all services chargeable to a department of public works-sewer and street maintenance, sanitation, street lighting, and all kindred services. These are the essential functions of village government. The small size of the communities precludes supplying many services necessary in the larger city or modifies them to such an extent that they do not become significant. 3There was a delay of approximately a year between the original preparation of this report and its publication, due to causes beyond the control of the writers. It was not thought practical to revise the financial data for a later period owing to the large labor involved. The largest single item. the costs of Detroit, had already been drastically reduced during the period used except for debt service. It should be noted, for the reasons pointed out in this report, expenditures are only indices of the magnitude of the functions of the various units of government. While the figures are from one to two years old at the time of printing of his report, and while there has been a reduction in expenditures in many of the governmental units during the past year, the ratio of expenditures between the units remains practically stationary. 16 TABLE I Total Expenditures-Year 1930-31 or 1931-32 Police............... $ Engineering.......... Courts............... Welfare.............. Health............... Legal Services....... Institutions.......... Tax Assessment & Collection....... Elections............. Libraries............. Parks & Museums. Gen'l Government. Local Functions Fire Protection Other Services. Fixed Charges....... Schools*............. County 101,857 9,991,428 2,686,641 2,892,748 3,398,077 259,985 4,394,563 647,571 16,252 82,852 293,052 1,069,940 406,031 1,555,587 41,f540 Cities $10,191,424 6,570,752 535,326 13,494,667 1,373,199 153,920 2,642,188 885,670 345,655 1,115,400 1,549,225 1,674,354 5,121,164 2,522,456 26,937,566 $75,112,966 Villages $ 412,669 753,420 5,954 31,171 42,240.... 62,240 14,676 12,170 192,069 279,188 97,814 2,390,525 $4,238,140 Total $ 10,705,950 17,315,600 3,221.967 16,387,415 4,777,230 445,076 7,036,751 1,575,481 368,147 1,212,928 1,854,447 2,936,363 5,400,352 3,026,301 30,883,682 41,540 $107,189,230 Per Cent Distribution County City Village.37% 13.57%l' 9.74% 35.89 8.75 17.78 9.65.72.. 10.39 17.96.. 12.21 1.82.13.93.20.74 15.79 3.52... 2.32.06.30 1.05 3.84 1.46.. 5.59.15 100 %0/ 1.18.46 1.48 2.06 2.23 6.82 3.36 35.86.. 100%0/ 1.00.15.35.29 4.53 6.59 2.30 56.40.. 100%91 TOTAL..........$27,838,124 *Schools-Separa~te municipal corporations.............37,103,875 TOTAL-Local Government..............................$144,293,105 Utilities-Self-Supporting........$28,644,698 $ 264,188 $ 28,908,886 *See page 40. TABLE II Division of Costs by Functions and by percentage as between the County and the City and Villages. Based on Table I Cities & County Villages Police..............................95% 99.05% Engineering Functions..............57.71 42.29 Courts.............................83.37 16.63 Welfare Activities..................17.65 82.35 Health Functions...................71.14 28.86 Legal Services.....................58.39 41.61 Institutional Care...................62.44 37.56 Tax Collection and Assessment.......41.10 58.90 Elections.........................4.41 95.59 Libraries...........................6.83 93.17 Parks and Museums................15.81 84.19 General Government................36.44 63.56 Functions Peculiar to Unit..........4.82 95.18 Fixed Charges.....................5.04 94.96 TOTAL......................25.97% 74.03%7 17 TABLE III Summary of Governmental Costs Wayne County Area TOWNSHIPSGeneral Government......................................$437,077 H ighw ays................................................... 233,105 Poor Relief....................................... 188,142 Special Assessment at Large........................ 119,303 TOTAL SCHOOLSMaintenance cost less capital Expenditures COUNTY AND CITIES AND VILLAGESFrom Table I................................................ T O T A L....................................................................... Public Utilities presumably self-supporting........ $ 977,627 37,103,875 107,189,230 $145,270,732 28,908,886 T O T A L.......................................................................... $174,179,618 NOTE: The data for townships represent the budget for the year ending November 30, 1932; for schools, for the period ending June 30, 1931; and for the State, for the 1930-31 county tax levy. TABLE IV Per Capita Costs of Government Wayne County Area Unit 1930 Population Townships.............................. 38,839 Villages.................................... 63,842 Townships & Villages Total.................................... 102,681 Rural Schools........................ 102,681 Townships, Villages and Schools........................ 102,681 Cities........................................ 217,603 Detroit....................................1,568,662 Cities, including Detroit.....1,786,265 Total, Local Government..1,888,946 County....................................1,888,946 County Good Roads..............1,888,946 Total........................................1,888,946 Per Capita Description Expenditures Unincorporated area (excluding schools)..............$25.17 Incorporated area (excluding schools)................ 66.35 Combined costs (excluding schools).............. 50.80 Excluding Capital Costs*........ 34.41 Maintenance Only...................... 85.21 Excluding Detroit but including schools*.................. 73.02 Including Schools*.................... 59.15 Maintenance only...................... 60.84 Maintenance only...................... 62.17 Excluding Roads and capital.. 10.06 Including construction.............. 4.68 All Units of Government........ 76.89 *Per Capita Cost of Schools, less Capital Expenditures: School Maintenance Only Detroit..........................................................................$16.57 Other Cities.............................................................. 25.02 Rural Schools............................................................ 19.52 T o tal.................................................................... 71 18 School Maintenance plus Debt Service $22.75 35.80 34.41 $24.78 Table II indicates the relative importance of the County and of the cities and villages in furnishing the essential services of government. The table shows the percentage of the total cost of each function divided between these two distinct classes of government. The bold face figures indicate the responsibility for the major portion of the expense of each function. The County supplies the principal cost of engineering services, courts, health (due to grants to Detroit for hospitalization), legal services, and institutional care. The cities and villages show major expenditures for the policing, fixed charges, elections, libraries, parks and museums, welfare, and to a lesser degree assessment and collection of taxes, and general government. The County shows the major portion of the expenditures for engineering services because Detroit has been forced to extreme economy in this function. In other years, or before 1929, the expenditures for the department of public works in Detroit were about $15,000,000 annually. The governmental costs for townships, and schools, do not respond readily to tabular treatment. Table III is a summary of these costs, the figures for the townships representing the tax burden, not expenditures. Due to the bookkeeping methods, or absence of them, the time and effort required to secure township expenditures was not worth the results to be obtained. Under township general government is included all the costs of assessing and collecting taxes, elections, and the other usual functions of a township government. Highways include the cost of maintaining rural or township roads, but as is explained later, this expense is rapidly diminishing due to the County Road Commission taking over one-fifth of the township road systems each year during a five year period. Poor relief is an estimate of probable expenditures, and the cost is confined largely to Ecorse, Nankin, and Grosse Pointe townships. Special assessments at large represent the portion of construction costs borne by the townships at large. A considerable portion of this expense has been shifted to the County by recent State and County legislation, declaring a moratorium for a three year period. The tabulated expenditures for schools are reasonably accurate, altho the accounts are in some instances on a cash basis and in others on an accrual basis.4 The primary school interest fund, the corporation tax, the gasoline taxes, and similar taxes are not assessed by units, and therefore cannot be earmarked to the unit paying them. A large portion of such taxes are returned to the local units as subventions from the State, reducing the tax burden on property, but not the general tax burden of the community. Table III indicates that the annual cost of local government for the County, cities and villages, townships and schools is $145,270,732. But this calculation does not reveal either the extent of governmental expenditures or the total tax burden. State taxes, with the exception of the general property tax, cannot be allocated to local units; some services are self-supporting in whole or in part and are financed by revenues other than general 4For a detailed discussion of school costs in Wayne County see Don Miller; "School Organization in the Detroit Metropolitan Area", Michigan Local Government Series. 19 taxes; and no estimate is included for the burden imposed by the Federal government. Public utilities have been included solely to indicate the extent of governmental operation. They presumably do not add to the tax burden or the cost of government. The total yearly cost of local government in Wayne County is in excess of $145,000,000 even during a depression period-an impressive total. The average per capita cost is $76.39 a year, the equivalent of about $330 a family. It amounts to $42.93 per $1000 of assessed valuation. Government is fundamental to civilized existence. Its cost in proportion to benefit is probably less than for most commodities and services purchased by individuals. Government is always bought at the cost of production. There is no middle man's or retailers' profit, no selling expense, no exhorbitant overhead for high priced executives. If it is desirable to reduce the cost of government, it can be done by reducing or elminating services or reducing or eliminating waste, or both. Since the public benefits by services and not by waste it might be assumed that efforts would be concentrated upon the elimination of waste and that services would be curtailed only as a last resource. Some waste is caused by duplication of services; some by obsolete methods and organization; some by useless or incompetent employees. If waste because of duplication and inefficiency exists, it can be blamed to the inertia of citizens who prefer to accept the accustomed rather than to adopt the new. The per capita costs of government give a rough index of its burden and are shown in Table IV. Such per capita costs have certain limitations in use. Due to the relations between the villages and the townships, the per capita cost for each is not a true index of the cost of either. If it were possible to allocate accurately the costs to each of these units, the township costs in most instances would be lower and the village costs higher. However, combining both compensates somewhat for this overlapping. As has been suggested previously, all townships in Wayne County are not of the same type. Grosse Pointe Township is thoroly urbanized-actually a city in all respects, whereas the western eight townships are rural units with small cost of operation. The per capita cost for village and township government is $85.21. The cities other than Detroit average $73.02 per capita. Detroit is lowest with $59.15. This would indicate that the cost of government varies inversely with the size of the unit, altho this is subject to qualifications. Were it not for Grosse Pointe Township and its five villages, the township costs would be remarkably low. The cities adjacent to Detroit imitate its metropolitan services and thereby increase their costs. The average of all units indicates that Detroit has the most economical government on a per capita basis. The average per capita cost for all units of government, including county government and roads, bring the average to $76.89 per capita for the entire county. Due to the recent economies, the costs at this time (January, 1934) are even less than shown. However, all capital costs have been eliminated, or otherwise the costs would be increased somewhat. As pointed out previously, the costs represent duplicate payments, but contra, do not include all the tax burden due to the impossibility of allocating some state taxes. It is noted that the cost of schools is influenced greatly by debt service, which ranges from $8.25 to $10.75 per capita. This is due to the demands made by an ever increasing population requiring schools to serve it. When the population becomes more stable, schools will show a lessened cost. Table IV again indicates that for schools, the larger units are able to furnish educational services at the lowest per capita cost. 20 TABLE V Cost of Government —Wayne County Villages. Maintenance Only Excluding Debt Service. Fiscal Year Ending In 1932. GROUP 1. 1930 Cost of Per Capita GROUPU 1. Population Government Cost Grosse Pointe Park........................ 11,174 $ 336,713 $29.95 Grosse Pointe Village...................... 5,173 274,616 53.09 Grosse Pointe Farms........................ 3,533 265,662 75.19 Lochm oor............................................ 961 44,990 46.82 Grosse Pointe Shores........................ 621 66,820 107.60 Total........................................ 21,462 $ 988,801 $46.07 GROUP 2. Plym outh............................................ 4,484 $ 55,009 $12.27 W ayne.................................................. 3,423 45,359 13.25 Northville.......................................... 2,566 31,200 12.51 Garden City........................................ 2,081 29,433 14.14 Flat Rock............................................ 1,231 21,297 17.30 Belleville........................................ 758 7,504 9.90 Total......................................... 14,543 $ 189,802 $13.02 GROUP 3. Hamtramck........................................ 56,268 $ 1,450,879 $25.79 Highland Park.................................... 52,959 1,426,471 26.94 Dearborn.............................................. 50,358 1,714,866 34.05 Total......................................... 159,585 $ 4,592,216 $28.18 Detroit........................................1,568,662 $42,404,867 $27.03 The costs of government relate to ability to pay-which has little relation to the assessed values because there is no uniformity among the assessing units even within Wayne County. However, it is clear that an area which contains considerable wealth pays more for its government than areas of less tax paying ability. Statistics showing this trend do not respond readily to tabular treatment because of the many factors involved. However, village governments fall into groups and will illustrate the trend. The Grosse Pointe Township villages represent an area of considerable wealth, the highest type of residential development in the county. The second group consists of those villages which are separated from Detroit both geographically and industrially. These are rural communities with but average taxpaying ability. A third group made up of cities of similar size may be used for comparative purposes. Among these are Hamtramck, an industrial development, settled mostly by industrial workers; Highland Park, with a similar industrial development, but with a higher type of residential development; and Dearborn, with an average residential development, but containing the Ford factories. Table V illustrates the trend mentioned. The Grosse Pointe villages have an average per capita cost of $46.07. The more isolated villages have an average per capita cost of $13.02. This does not mean necessarily that the Grosse Pointe villages are extravagant; perhaps they are furnishing more services on demand of their citizens. The cities in group 3 show a similar trend, with Dearborn about $7.00 per capita in excess of the other two 21 cities. It would be expected that Hamtramck's costs should be less than those of Highland Park but there are other factors involved which are beyond the province of this report. The per capita maintenance costs of Detroit are about the average of cities of 50,000 population indicating that a large city does not necessarily mean higher costs. Possibly the reason for this similarity is the effort of the smaller cities to furnish metropolitan services to communities which do not actually need them. There are also the factors of health, crime, welfare, and similar problems, intensified by proximity to a large city, but it is doubtful if these are of significant importance. 22 CHAPTER III THE WASTE OF MONEY AND RESULTS FROM TOO MANY GOVERNMENTS DOING THE SAME THINGS The following is an effort to point out the important relationships of the major units of government as they exist in Wayne County. It is not concerned with an appraisal of government as a theoretical concept, but is an inquiry into the overlapping character, parallelism, and general plan of government in a metropolitan area. The various functions of government are not described in detail. Rather, indication is given of the field of service covered, and when data are available, costs are shown, principally to indicate the importance of the function. The classification of major services is that already used in calculating the cost of local government; and is based essentially upon the organization of the County government. With respect to the Federal government, mention is made only of those functions which duplicate or supplement either State or local services in Wayne County. In general, the Federal government is concerned but slightly with local government. Some activities are directly useful to the local units, such as police protection and food inspection, but the service units are necessarily separate and with little studied cooperation. As might be expected the State cooperates more fully with the local units. Even with the State government, the analysis of duplicate or supplementary functions is somewhat selective, accenting those services which affect local government in Wayne County. Many other State activities are confined to the poorer or the rural counties. The analysis is concerned principally with the governmental units within Wayne County. Here, the relationship of services is traced with some care, altho space does not permit a complete presentation of the work of some departments. In general, the services supplied by the City of Detroit are the model by which those of other units are measured.' This is because of the excellent development both of services and their administration in Detroit since the adoption of the charter of 1918. Inquiry into departmental organization is made only to trace interrelationships and parallelism, so that conclusions can be formed as to a government for the metropolitan area which would be more logical and economical. This section is therefore preliminary to those following which discuss a simplified and coordinated government for Wayne County. Inter-relationships of departments are sometimes difficult to trace, but duplications due to lack of a satisfactory definition, offer the greatest obstacle. If two departments do exactly the same work, so that one could be eliminated without the loss of an essential service to the public, then there is a direct duplication. There are few such departments in the County government or within the other units. In general, duplication exists only in a modified degree. A more expressive term is parallelism, indicating the development of kindred functions by two or more units of government. The elimination of this parallelism would produce a more satisfactory service if the separate development was reduced or removed. Even the combina'For a study of the development of these Detroit services over a period of more than a century see Lent D. Upson: "The Growth of a City Government", Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research, 1932. 23 tion of a number of similar functions under one authority, as might be done with the assessment and collection of taxes, would not necessarily produce economy, because the smaller units are already economical; but the combination might produce much better service for the same money. With this preface there follows an enumeration of the important governmental services within the county and the units of government concerned with each. Federal and State services are included when they influence the character of local services. POLICE Federal Government Customs Service and Border Patrol - Treasury Department - concerned with smuggling, etc. Secret Service-Treasury Department-concerned with counterfeiting and protection of public personages. Bureau of Narcotics-Treasury Department-concerned with the sale and transportation of narcotic drugs. Bureau of Internal Revenue-Intelligence Unit-Treasury Department-concerned occasionally with criminals involved in income tax violations. Bureau of Investigation-Department of Justice - concerned with white slave cases, interstate stolen automobiles, national bankruptcy act, etc. This bureau is assigned all criminal investigations not otherwise allocated. Bureau of Prohibition-Department of Justice-concerned with prohibition cases. U. S. Marshall-Department of Justice-has actual police powers. Some units of the Federal police system do not possess the power of arrest, but secure warrants served by the Marshall. Inspectors-Post Office Department-concerned with illegal use of mail, obscene mail, mail robberies, etc. Immigration Service and Border Patrol-Department of Labor-concerned with immigration and illegal entry, etc. State Government 1. Michigan State Police-a State police system with two posts in Wayne county, with twenty men assigned to them for local service (January, 1933). A third is located in Ypsilanti. Equipped to handle most ordinary crimes. Militia-During periods of great disturbance to the public peace, when the local police officers are unable to cope with the situation, the state militia can be called upon thru the governor. In Wayne County there is also a post of the Federal army located at Fort Wayne in Detroit. County Government 2. Sheriff-of the 178 persons attached to the Sheriff's office, eighteen members are engaged in police work (January, 1933) divided into ten patrol deputies with radio equipped autos, and eight investigators or county detectives. 3. Investigators-attached to the Prosecuting Attorney's office have been a modern development. In 1925 there were seven; in 1932 the number 24 had been increased to twenty-two. The Detroit police department assigns nine officers in addition to these investigators engaged in the preparation of the difficult criminal cases but to a considerable extent appear to duplicate the work of other police agencies. 4. Traffic Lights, Wayne County Road Commission-traffic control is usually considered a function of police. Outside cities, the Wayne County Road Commission operates all traffic lights, at a cost for 1931 of $83,698. 5. County Conservation Officer-appointed by the State Conservation Officer, but paid by the County. Enforces statutes for the preservation of game, protection against forest fires, etc. The cost of the office for 1931 was $3,500. Cities-Detroit 6. Department of Police-Detroit is the only complete unit in the area with a modern, highly developed police department, doing pioneer work in criminal identification, scientific laboratory, police radio control, police school, etc. In 1931 it contained 3785 employees and had an annual expenditure of $10,915,000 or a per capita cost of $6.98. Cities-Other* 7 Police Department-Each of the six other cities in Wayne County to possesses a department, sufficient for its requirements. In some cases, 12. the departments emulate Detroit standards tho the crime hazards do not justify the expense. The table below gives the trend of costs: 1930 1931-32 Cost per City Population Expenditures Capita 7. Hamtramck............................56,268 $228,695 $4.06 8. Highland Park......................52,959 215,557 4.07 9. Dearborn................................50,358 321,851 6.39 10. W yandotte..............................28,368 77,613 2.74 11. River Rouge..........................17,314 49,754 2.87 12. Lincoln Park..........................12,336 43,735 3.85 Villages* 13 Police Department-There are seventeen village departments, Rockto wood being served by the State police post located there. Inkster is 29. said to be served by a former police chief at a salary of one dollar a year. In general, village police units exist mostly for settling neighborhood quarrels and minor duties, but contend with an occasional major crime. The police expenditures for all villages for 1931-32 were $413,000 or $6.46 per capita. The police departments in the five Grosse Pointe villages differ radically from others in the county, furnishing a service superior in quality to that of Detroit. This is reflected in costs, which amounted for 1931-32 to $267,000 or $12.45 per capita, contrasted to all other villages police departments in the county which expended $145,000, or $3.43 per capita. *This portion of this report shows six cities (excluding Detroit) and 18 villages, which was the organization at the time these data were prepared. During 1933, three villages re-incorporated as cities, so at the time of printing (June 1934) there were nine cities (ten including Detroit) and 15 villages. Elsewhere in the report this change has been made, but it is impossible to change all the data in this portion of the study. 25 Townships 30 Police Department-Police work is not usually a function of townto ships, such service being by the elected constables. Due to peculiar 32. conditions or to public demand, three townships have developed police units-Redford with two men; Dearborn with three; and Grosse Ile with an auto patrol. 33. Constables-The powers of a constable are definitely defined by statute, and include some police powers. In some townships constables have adopted a uniform resembling that of police officers and patrol roads on a fee basis. Radio Stations One broadcasting band has been assigned to the Detroit area, originally to the Detroit police department, but in addition Highland Park and Grosse Pointe Township now operate stations sharing the air as necessary. Summary There are a total of 42 police units within Wayne County, of which 33 are purely local (See page 63). Federal services augment and supplement the service of other units. The State police is the one unit operating thruout the state and is a necessary adjunct to local service in handling crime extending beyond the boundaries of the county. It operates a radio patrol, a traveling police school, and an identification bureau, said to be second in size to that of the Department of Justice in Washington. In connection with city police departments the State police has made the police duties of the sheriff largely unnecessary.2 Similarly, State police patrol has out-moded township constables and done much to reduce but not eliminate the "racket" of speed traps. The development of a police department in the Prosecuting Attorney's office is against the advice of recognized students of police science in this country. Regardless of the results, a prosecutor's police force tends to disrupt the organized law enforcing agencies within the county. It develops animosities among the departments which react to the advantage of the criminal; interferes with the orderly investigation of cases by the regular police organizations; and injects political publicity into criminal investigation. Undoubtedly, a prosecutor needs the assistance of trained investigators in complicated cases, but it is believed that a small number of men assigned by the Detroit department would be sufficient for the work, and would carry the advantage of continuity of employment and coordination of activity. There is no necessity for more than one police radio station in the metropolitan area. The use of three increases the cost of each and prevents maximum service being rendered. The chief criticism of the police work within Wayne County is the lack of coordination between the units. There is full cooperation between departments when demands arise, but no centralized attack on crime within the area. Each department, to a greater or less extent, operates independently to the detriment of the whole. There is no distinguishable difference in population characteristics, industrial development, or crime hazards of Detroit, the six bordering cities, and the neighboring twelve villages. They are actually a unit so far as necessity for crime control is concerned, but responsibility for that control is so divided as to be inimical to most efficient police work. 2See Bromage and Reed: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series. 26 ENGINEERING Federal Government U. S. Army Engineer Corps-concerned with inland water ways, particularly improvements to the Detroit River. Bureau of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture-Federal aid for State roads is handled by this Bureau thru approval of plans, specifications, etc. The actual work is done under the direction of the State Highway Department. State Government State Highway Department-Charged with the maintenance and construction of State Highways. In Wayne County, it prepares plans and specifications but actual construction and maintenance is by the Wayne County Road Commission. County Government 1. County Road Commission-the chief engineering organization of the County. Composed of three commissioners elected for six year terms. The Commission is also the Board of County Park Trustees, and two Super-Highway Comnissions. Also, it has been given charge of the County Airport. Much of the work of the Commission has been done within Detroit during recent years due to the substantial completion of rural county road construction. At present the Commission maintains (including cleaning) the main traffic arteries in Detroit which are State trunk lines.* Beginning in 1931, the township road system was turned over to the County Road Commission at the rate of one-fifth of the mileage each year. The Commission is quite distinct from the other county departments. Due to the method of financing, the budget is not included in the regular county appropriations, and there is little popular control. In recent years, in addition to the weight and gas tax apportionment to the County, there was also a mill tax for good roads amounting to about $3,000,000 a year. The total expenditures for 1931 were $10,500,000. The mill tax levy was discontinued in 1932, reducing the expenditures about one-third. 2. Drain Commissioners-Elected for a two year term. Concerned solely with the construction and maintenance of drains in rural areas. Engineering work is on a contract basis and the major activity of the office is in assessing costs, as the county at large bears little or none of the costs of construction. The operation of the office is controlled by statutes. The cost of the department for 1931 was $60,000. Due to the nature of the organization there is no duplication with other engineering departments in the county, altho the inclusion of the various departments into one department of public works would undoubtedly produce economy and a more satisfactory control. 3. Tract Index Department-A department under the Board of Auditors engaged in abstracting titles. An engineering division prepares maps *This was changed by a contract between the City and the State Highway Department so that after January 1, 1934, the City will be responsible for State trunk lines in place of the County. aSee John S. Worley, et al, "Local Administration of Public Works", Michigan Local Government Series. 27 when necessary, also verifies the plats before recording for the Board of Auditors. In 1932, there were three engineers so engaged. 4. Surveyor-A statutory office which has outlived its usefulness. At present it is attached to the county organization to provide expert engineering services at the request of the courts and to private persons, but the usual practice for litigants is to engage expert witnesses elsewhere. The cost for 1931 was $565 in addition to office rental of $300. 5. County Auditors-The chief administrative body in the county. In some cases, due to the lack of a central engineering department, the Auditors undertake the supervision of engineering projects. The entire building program is handled in this manner. The work is done on a contract basis and there is no engineering personnel for this purpose. Cities-Detroit 6. Public Works-The Department of Public Works is the only centralized engineering department in the area organized to handle any form of engineering work with the exception of architectural work and unusual projects. The Department functions only within the limits of Detroit, and therefore does not duplicate the County departments, altho it does exactly the same type of work. The entrance of the Wayne County Road Commission into Detroit street maintenancet and construction does duplicate the work of the Department but this has been offset in part by a reduction in the city engineering staff. The expenditures for the year ending June, 1932, amounted to $5,400,000 which is a considerable reduction from former years of greater engineering activity. 7. Water Board-All engineering services in connection with the maintenance and construction of water supply is under the supervision of the Water Board, without connection with other engineering departments in the City. 8. Department of Street Railways-A self supporting utility charged with the operation of all rail and bus transportation within the city limits. It maintains its own engineering department, which perhaps is necessary due to the type of work done, for in only a few particulars is it similar to the usual work of the Department of Public Works. 9. Park Department-Maintenance and construction of all pavements in parks or in parkways is a function of the Department of Parks and Boulevards, duplicating services of the Department of Public Works. 10. City Plan Commission-Development of a city plan is under the supervision of the City Plan Commission. Considerable engineering work is necessary. 11. Rapid Transit Commission-Organized for developing methods of rapid transit. The development of the master plan of street widening was a function of this Commission. 12. Public Lighting-A small engineering department concerned with the proper location of street lights and the construction work necessary for a program of rehabilitation of the street lighting system. tThis arrangement was changed by a contract between the City and the State Highway Department. 28 13. Other Engineering Services-There are other engineering services, such as: Building and Safety Engineering, concerned with the inspection of buildings, the approval of plans, and safety engineering. The Bureau of Sanitary Engineering in the Department of Health is concerned with the engineering phases of the disposal of wastes, plumbing inspections, etc. The Board of Assessors has an engineering department engaged in the appraisal of buildings for assessment purposes. Cities-Other* 14 Public Works-Practically all of the six cities have some type of to engineering department. This, in a few cases, is handled on a con19 tract basis as the work is not sufficient to warrant full time services. In other cases, as for instance Dearborn, where a sewerage disposal plant is operated, the office becomes important. In Highland Park the engineer also makes the building inspections. Wyandotte has an extensive engineering department due to the operation of a water plant, a municipal lighting plant, and the other usual engineering services. For the year ending June, 1932, the six cities expanded $1,200,000 which is undoubtedly a reduction from previous years. This figure includes the street cleaning, rubbish removal, and similar services of an engineering nature. Villages* 20 Public Works —All villages have some engineering services, but few to have full time engineering departments. Grosse Pointe Farms, oper37 ating a water system, has full time engineering services required. The usual maintenance services relating to streets, sanitary services, and similar functions are undertaken by all villages. For the year ending in 1932, $750,000 was expended. Townships 38 Engineering Service-All townships have some engineering services to in connection with the maintenance of township roads, with the ex54 ception of Grosse Pointe Township where the entire area is now incorporated. However, these roads are being taken over by the County Road Commission over a five year period after which township control over highways will cease. There are only rare cases where other engineering functions are undertaken by townships. Schools Engineering and Architectural Service-Schools, as separate municipal corporations, have full control over necessary engineering service. In general, this is confined to building construction, but the uniform procedure is to contract for this work, both for the architectural services and actual construction. *See note page 25 as to number of villages and cities. 29 Summary Within Wayne County there are fifty-three local engineering departments, and one State department concerned with local projects. Eight are allocated to Detroit, and of the eighteen allocated to the villages most are in the nature of service departments. For the period 1931 or 1932, the annual expenditures amounted to $17,730,000, of which about 60 per cent was expended by the County. The chief criticism of the present organization for engineering is the lack of coordination, rather than of direct duplication. It is doubted whether there is much actual work being done by any unit which is also being performed by another. However, for the County there is no good reason why the various engineering functions should not all be included in one centralized department of public works organized on the same lines as that of Detroit.4 There is a multiple development of engineering functions in Detroit, but wide difference in opinion as to the feasibility of reducing this number. Undoubtedly, at this time, several engineering offices could be combined as there will be little immediate demand for the services they are organized to render. The resultant savings would be small. Economy would be possible to an appreciable extent only if the engineering services furnished by these departments were discontinued. The present distribution of work between the County Road Commission and Detroit Department of Public Works is peculiar. It results from the apportionment of the revenues from the State to the County as subventions from the weight and gas tax. Detroit is equipped to do the work within the city limits which is now being done by the Road Commission. However, it is doubtful if there would be any special economy in transfer, as the Commission is considered an efficient body. COURTS Federal Government District Court-The Federal District Court sitting in Detroit is independent of the State system, but does relieve the local courts of some cases. State Government Supreme Court-This is the highest court in the State, consisting of eight judges elected for eight year staggered terms on a partisan ticket. County Government 1. Circuit Court-has jurisdiction over all civil cases arising in the County and all felony cases outside Detroit. Composed of eighteen Circuit judges, elected for six year terms, on a partisan ticket, and receiving $14,500 annually of which $6,000 is paid by the State. The expenditures for 1931 amounted to $486,000, of which $137,600 was for juror and witness fees. There were revenues of $93,000 from court fees. Circuit Court Commissioners-Four commissioners, with jurisdiction in landlord and tenant cases, and cases referred by Circuit Court judges. They are elected for six year terms, on a partisan ticket, and receive a salary of $6,500. The expenditures amounted to $92,000 for 1931, with revenues of $27,000. 'See John S. Worley, et al. "Local Administration of Public Works", Michigan Local Government Series. 30 Friend of the Court-Appointed by the Governor upon the advice of the Circuit Court; assists the Court in domestic relation cases, and has administrative duties. The expenditures for 1931 were $150,000. Jury Commissioners-Consists of seven members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate for six year terms, receiving $10 a day for services. Selects jurors for the county courts only. Expenditures for 1931 were $13,000. Probation Officer-Has the supervision of persons placed on probation, the investigation of persons prior to sentence, etc. Expenditures for 1931 were $17,000. Appointed by the Governor upon the advice of the Court. County Clerk-The constitution provides that the county clerk be the clerk of the circuit court-this is the principal function of the office; about 30 clerks receiving $69,300 in 1931 were occupied with court activities. However, there are other miscellaneous duties assigned to this office. Sheriff-Forty-five court deputies or bailiffs, are appointed by and under jurisdiction of the Sheriff. Also, all processes and executions out of the Circuit Court are handled by deputy sheriffs. In 1931, about $200,000 was expended, of which $62,000 was returned in fees. 2. Probate Court-Combines legal, welfare and administrative functions, including certain duties in the administration of the drain laws election laws, disbursement of mothers' pensions, etc. Four judges, elected for four year terms on a partisan ticket, with overlapping terms, each receiving $13,500. The probate court has three divisions (other activities are described under separate headings): A. Probate Court, for the settlement of descedants' estates. B. Juvenile Division, limited to delinquent children under seventeen. C. Wayward Minor Division, for delinquent youths from seventeen to twenty-one years of age. Probation Officer-This probation office is not covered by the statutes, as with the Probation Officer for the Circuit and Recorder's Courts. It has general supervision of the delinquent children under the care of the Probate Court and is divided into four divisions: A. Boys' Probation Department-expending $72,800 for salaries in 1931. B. Girls' Probation Department-expending $41,000 for salaries in 1931. C. Dependency and Neglect Department-expending $27,000 for salaries in 1931. D. Wayward Minor Division-expending $19,500 for salaries in 1931. Psychopathic Clinic-A psychiatric examination is a routine part of case diagnosis. For 1931, salaries amount to $26,000. 3. Common Pleas Court-The justice of the peace courts as applied to Detroit, with slightly increased jurisdiction in civil cases. There are nine judges, each receiving $8,500, elected for four year terms on a non-partisan ticket. The expenditures for 1931 amounted to $249,000 with offsetting revenues of about $95,000. 4. Coroners-Two Coroners elected for two year terms, each receiving $7,500. Hold inquests to determine the cause of death, etc. The expenditures for 1931 were $46,000. 31 Cities-Detroit 5. Recorder's Court-Has similar jurisdiction to the Circuit Court in criminal cases arising within the City of Detroit, and also misdeameanor, ordinance and eminent domain cases. Twelve judges, ten of whom receive $12,500 and two receive $8,500. They are elected for six year terms on a non-partisan ticket. The court is divided into two divisions. A. Recorder's Court-Ten judges, with expenditures for 1931-32 of $256,000. B. Traffic and Ordinance Division-with jurisdiction only for traffic and ordinance violations. Two judges receive $8,500 each. The expenditures for 1931-32 amounted to $220,000. Jury Commission of the Recorder's Court-Selects jurors for the Recorder's Court only. Consists of three members, appointed by the Governor for three year terms, with fees of $10 a meeting. Probation Officer-Appointed by the Governor upon the advice of the Recorder's Court judges. Expenditures for 1931, $174,000. Psychopathic Clinic-Makes an appraisal of the personality of convicted persons in the Recorder's Court. The costs for the year 1931-32 were $35,000. Cities-Other* 6 Police Courts-All cities have a local court, usually a police court but to in general the jurisdiction is the same as a justice of peace court. 11 These courts do not form a separate system of courts. Municipal courts usually pay a salary in lieu of fees. Villages* No village courts. Villages are a part of the township system. Townships 12 Justices of the Peaces-Each township is entitled to four justices of to the peace, one elected each year for a four year term, with remun29 eration solely by fees. The justice of the peace is an inferior court, with but limited jurisdiction. Combined with the legal functions are administrative duties, principally as members of the township board, which goes to the two justices of the peace whose term soonest expires. Schools The Detroit Board of Education, and the Highland Park Board have behavior clinics which seek an adjustment of the problem child. Summary The Court system of the State was not within the province of this study. The effectiveness of the justices of the peace is presented in a report in this Series, and the creation of county courts for petty cases is urged. Still another report recommends the abolition of the office of coroner and the transfer of the duties to the prosecuting attorney. In Wayne County criminal jurisdiction is divided between two courts —consolidation has been publicly discussed from time to time. *See note page 25. sSee Edson R. Sunderland; "The Efficiency of Justices' Courts", Appendix D of the "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government". Michigan Local Government Series. 32 WELFARE Federal Government Department of Labor-Advisory to local relief units of government mostly along the line of guidance. Federal Emergency Relief Administration-A financial agency of the government, at present, with the State, carrying the major burden of welfare relief in Detroit. State of Government 1. State Welfare Department-Has wide supervisory powers in the operation of State and local institutions, prisons, hospitals, schools for the handicapped, etc.; exercises certain control over child caring and placing, etc. The department is under the direction of a Director appointed by the Governor for an indefinite term. The department has assigned three agents to Wayne County, attached to the Probate court primarily for the inspection of boarding homes for children. County Government 2. Probate Court-The chief agency for the distribution of outdoor relief by the County government, thruA. Mother's Pensions-to certain indigent mothers with dependent children. The permissive rate is from $2.00 to $10.00 a week for one child and $2.00 a week for each additional child. The operation of the pension law and the amount of the pension is covered by statutes. For the year ending 1931, the cost was $1,457,000, of which $62,000 was for salaries. B. Care of children-Has supervision and care of problem and neglected children reached thru the Juvenile Division of the Court. The expenditures for 1931, covering only the board and maintenance in private homes or public institutions, were $455,000. 3. Soldiers' Relief Commission-Composed of three members appointed for three year terms by the Probate Judge, each receiving $1,200 a year. Provides welfare relief to soldiers, sailors, marines, and nurses, or to the wives, widows, mothers, or dependent children of such persons. Funds are provided from the County budget. Expenditures for 1931 amounted to $43,000 of which $4,000 was salaries. The work duplicates the activities of other organized agencies. 4. Soldiers' Burial Commission-Appointed by the County Auditors, one Commissioner from each ward in Detroit serving for an indefinite term. There have been few appointments in recent years. Compensation is $2.00 a day for services rendered. The duties are to provide deceased soldiers with a funeral at not to exceed $100. Expenditures for the year 1931 amount to $55,000 of which $1,200 was for fees to the commissioners. This work not only duplicates the work of the usual welfare agencies, but also that of the Soldiers' Relief Commission. 5. Division of Temporary Relief of the Superintendents of the PoorThe Superintendents of the Poor is an administrative board of seven members, composed of four members of the Detroit Welfare Commission and three members appointed by the Board of Auditors for three year terms. The members of the Detroit Welfare Commission serve without pay but the three County members receive $1,500 each, annually. 33 The functions of the Superintendent of the Poor consist principally in the operation of the institutions comprising the County Infirmary. They also have certain functions in connection with the relief of indigents who have resided in a local unit for less than a year. The local unit usually renders aid to those indigents without legal residence and the County reimburses the cost. The largest disbursement is to Detroit, in fact, certain employees of the Detroit Welfare Department are carried on the County payroll as a contribution toward the investigation of temporary residents. The Board of Auditors made a study of the division of the cost of this service with a result that in 1932 on a new basis of adjustment, about $400,000 less than the previous year was paid by the County to Detroit. For the year ending 1931, the expenditures for this activity amounted to $812,000, of which $26,000 was for the townships. Of the total, $165,000 was spent for salaries. 6. Friend of the Court-When a husband refuses to pay alimony as ordered by the Court, he is held in contempt of court and is usually sentenced to the Detroit House of Correction. The County pays Detroit $1.10 a day for maintenance, in addition to a sum set by the Friend of the Court according to the schedule of Mother's Pension which is paid the family in lieu of alimony by the Friend of the Court. The expenditures for the year ending September, 1932 amounted to $341,000 of which $36,000 was for alimony payments. Also, this department is charged with the care of dependent children removed from parents by order of the Circuit Court in domestic relation cases. For the year ending 1931, about $22,000 was spent, mostly to child placing agencies as the department does not maintain any welfare activities. Cities-Detroit 7. Welfare Department-This is the largest welfare distributing agency in the County. It handles the entire welfare problem of Detroit, which has grown to immense proportions. As many as 52,(00 (April 1933) families have been supported, representing a total population greater than that of Grand Rapids. The department is under the supervision of an administrative board consisting of four members appointed by the mayor, serving without salaries for a four year term. The administrative head is the General Superintendent appointed under the civil service provisions of the charter. While the main work of the commission is the granting of outdoor relief it also operates the Receiving Hospital with about 650 beds, city markets, furnishes outdoor medical relief, old age support and a charities' registration bureau. The department has been chiefly supported for the past year from funds supplied by the R. F. C. The expenditures for the year ending June, 1932, were $12,126,000 of which $9,011,000 was for outdoor relief. Cities-Other* 8 Outdoor Relief-All cities have welfare relief programs, altho some to are more extensive than others. In several cities commissaries have 13 been established, altho Detroit disburses all relief thru orders upon merchants. For the year ending in 1932, these cities disbursed $1,370,000. *See note page 25. 34 Villages* The welfare activities for villages are a part of the township activities. Townships 14 Outdoor Relief-Wayne County is organized on the city-township to unit basis for welfare relief. The townships care for all indigents 32 within their limits, including the villages. The township supervisor, who is also the assessor besides various other duties, is the administrative head of this activity. He is elected annually. Only in townships with few if any welfare problems is the present organization satisfactory. The amount raised by the townships for poor relief for the year 1931-32 was $188,000, but disbursements undoubtedly exceeded this amount. Schools Schools have the right to disburse welfare relief to children in school; considerable work is done in the larger cities, especially Detroit. Summary Two systems of welfare organization are permitted in Michigan: (1). The county unit by which the county government is responsible for all relief, and (2), the city-township unit, by which each city and township cares for the out-door relief within its own borders. Wayne County is one of 16 Michigan counties utilizing the second system, and as a result, 32 agencies are engaged in the administration of local relief. In an industrial community, such as eastern Wayne County, this results in a hodge-podge of welfare administration without equity in the distribution of the burden of the relief which totaled for 1930-31 $16,387,000 or $8.68 per capita. There is perhaps more actual duplication of effort in the administration of welfare activities than in any other function of government in this area. Practically all county agencies parallel the work of either the cities or townships, especially the work in Detroit. The only method by which this situation can be avoided is thru a county unit with control resting in a welfare commission, with the Probate Judge a member so as to bring the activities assigned to him into a unified department.o HEALTH Federal Government Public Health Service of the Department of the Treasury-active aid in control of epidemic diseases, veneral diseases, milk contamination, etc. Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture-Has charge of the inspection of meat packing where the product enters interstate commerce. Other plants inspected by the Detroit Department of Health. *See note page 25. sFor recommendations as to the unification of these complicated activities, see Opal Matson, "Local Relief to Dependents". Michigan Local Government Series. 35 Food and Drug Administration of the Department of AgricultureInspects, tests, and approves of various foods and drugs. State Government 1. State Commissioner of Health-Appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate for a four year term. The duties are manifold such as control of epidemics, stream polution, enforcement of plumbing regulations, test and supervision of water supplies, operation of laboratories, compilation of vital statistics, etc. The Department furnishes doctors and others for educational work, and biological products to local units. County Government 2. Rural Public Health Nursing Service of the School Commissioner's Office-The only direct public health effort of the County is the work of three nurses who confine their efforts especially to school health work in the poorer districts where there is little or no public health work by the local school authorities. The primary emphasis is upon school health, but by group work, educational campaigns, etc., the entire county is affected. The expenditures for the year ending 1931 were but $9,000. 3. Contributions on account of Contagious Diseases-The support of the indigent contagious cases is a function of the County. Practically the entire appropriation is given Detroit for hospitalization of patients in the Herman Kiefer Hospital. Some portion is for material relief of indigents isolated because of contagious disease. The expenditures for 1931 amounted to $500,000, representing hospitalization at $3.50 per patient day. 4. Tuberculosis Hospitals-Under present statutes, the care of indigent tubercular persons is a charge against the County, with the State bearing a portion of the expense. The hospitalization is in both private sanatoria and Detroit institutions, altho 70 per cent of the contribution is paid to Detroit. The rate is $3.50 per patient day, of which $1.00 is contributed by the State.t For the year ending 1931, $2,866,000 was spent for this purpose, with a credit of $333,000 from the State. 5. Medical Examiners-The seven physicians attached to this department under the Board of County Auditors hold post mortem examinations, furnish expert medical opinions, give physical examinations in certain cases and verify the diagnosis in contagious disease outside of Detroit. 6. Vital Statistics-Payments to local registration units at the rate of 25 cents for each certificate of death or birth-usually to the local health officer. The amount is placed ordinarily in the general fund. This payment was formerly made to the doctors. For the year ending 1931, $15,000 was expended. Cities-Detroit 7. Board of Health-Composed of four members appointed by the Mayor for four year terms, serving without compensation. It appoints the chief administrative officer, the Commissioner of Health. Detroit presents the single example in the county of a complete, modern health department.7 tThere have been recent reductions in both these amounts. 7For a brief but thoro description of this work see N. Sinai: "Organization and Administration of Public Health". Michigan Local Government Series. 36 Besides the health functions, the Board operates two hospitals, Herman Kiefer and Maybury Sanatorium and also undertakes the public health work for the schools. Expenditures for the year ending June, 1932, $1,278,000. In addition there was an expenditure of $2,365,000 for the operation of hospitals, which has already been reported under the County, as practically the entire cost is reimbursed to the City. Cities-Other* 8 Health Service-The other six cities in the county have health units, to but are organized to meet only minimum health requirements. They 13 in no way approach the organization of the Detroit Department and are supervised by part time health officers with some full time nurses. For the most part, the efforts are confined to the control of contagious diseases. The Highland Park Department, like Detroit, undertakes the public health work of the schools; the other cities have separate organizations. The expenditures for the year ending in 1932 were $95,000 or about forty-four cents per capita. Villages* There is no public health work in villages, the townships being responsible. Townships 14 Health Service-Each township is a health unit under the city-townto ship organization which applies to health as well as to welfare. Of 31 seventeen township health officers, three are laymen, thirteen are medical doctors, and one an osteopathic physician. Grosse Pointe Township has a full time health officer, sharing this honor with Detroit. Remuneration ranges from nothing to salaries of $25 to $1000 a year, in Grosse Pointe $3600 for full time service. The health program in general is confined to the control of contagious diseases, and, as the incidence of such diseases falls heaviest during the school years, the program is largely that of school health work. As rural nursing service of the School Commissioner's office and the other school nurses make daily contacts with the children, the major efforts to maintain the health program now attempted falls upon them. The school health officer and the township health officer need not be the same person. In the eighteen townships there are thirty-three health officers, or an average of two health officers to a township. Due to the work of the nurses and the part time services of doctors, it is said that the present health work is reasonably satisfactory, but inefficient in administration.8 Schools 32 Health Service-As mentioned, the school health work is ordinarily to separate from that of the townships or cities. There are at least 43 twelve school districts which have either a full or part time health service. *See note page 25. eSee: N. Sinai Op. cit. 37 This work of the nurses is said to be excellent and affords an adequate health program among the children. In many townships the school health work is the only real public health work in the unit. In Detroit and Highland Park the school health work is a function of the city health departments. Summary There are about 43 separate health units operating more or less independently of each other, within Wayne County, 37 of which are distinctly local service units. General supervision is limited to that afforded by the State and by the cooperation of the Detroit Board of Health. The health work undertaken by the County consists only of nursing service attached to the School Commissioner's office, which, excellent as it is, must be confined to actual health service in the schools and not to the general problem of County public health. There are but two full time health officers in the County-in Detroit and in Grosse Pointe Township, but Detroit is the only city with a complete, modern, public health program suitable to the problems presented by a metropolitan community. Due to the leadership of Detroit, undoubtedly the work within the county is superior to that of the average county in Michigan. The organization of Wayne County health work on the city-township system is archaic. Health problems do not respect boundaries, but are a community concern and can only be solved by unified action. The county unit system is in effect in about thirty of the smaller counties of the state and is available to Wayne County. It is believed that the delay in its adoption is due to the status of county government. Were Wayne County government centralized and modernized, the health work of the local units could be transferred to the County rather than be maintained as thirty odd units. It is believed that the appropriations now being made for public health in the County are sufficient for a respectable public health program. The work at present is considered good, but it is hindered by the lack of central administration which causes delay, indifference and work at cross purposes. The taxpayers of Wayne County are paying for satisfactory health work, but are getting less than this because of the present city-township organization. LEGAL SERVICES Federal Government District Attorney-Undertakes the prosecution of Federal cases. State Government Attorney General-Supplies assistant attorney generals to aid the local prosecution of cases when necessary. Furnishes opinions and interpretations of statutes upon official request. County Government 1. Prosecuting Attorney-A constitutional officer elected on a partisan ticket for a two year term. Is the chief legal officer of the county, representing the State in all criminal prosecutions in all courts in 38 the county. Also furnishes legal advice to all county officers. The expenditures for 1931, $256,000. 2. County Corporation Counsel-Office created in 1931 to furnish advice to the county authorities on their administrative problems. 3. Friend of the Court-Represents the Court in domestic relation cases. There are six attorneys attached to this office, and four of the staff of twenty investigators are attorneys. The work, however, does not duplicate that of any other legal department in the County. 4. Legal Advisor to the Sheriff-A legal advisor with a salary of $3,700 is attached to the staff of the Sheriff. 5. County Road Commission-As the County Road Commission is a separate entity it has developed a separate legal department engaged mostly in eminent domain cases. When the Road Commission had a large amount of this work there was no duplication of effort. Cities-Detroit 6. Corporation Counsel-The largest legal department within the County engaged solely on civil law is the Detroit Corporation Counsel's office. It also is the only legal department which has tenure of office under civil service. The Corporation Counsel furnishes advice to all city departments and assigns assistants to those requiring full time services, such as police department, street railways, etc. Ordinance violations are prosecuted by the Corporation Counsel. Expenditures in 1932 amounted to $111,500. 7. Department of Street Railways-The Corporation Counsel furnishes an assistant to care for the legal questions involved in the operation of the Department, but claims are handled by a separate legal department of the utility. The volume of the work makes this necessary. Cities-Other* 8 Legal Services-Each city has a regular legal department but none to has an attorney devoting his full time to municipal affairs. The rule 13 is a regular salary for part time services, altho in some cases payment is on a contract basis. Legal services are relatively expensive, amounting to $42,400 for the year ending in 1932. This is 19.5 cents per capita, compared with 43.6 cents per capita spent for public health. Villages* 14 Legal Services-Each village has some legal services, invariably on to a contract basis, and often by a non-resident attorney. The reported 31 expenditures vary widely; Bellevue reports no expenditures. Flat Rock but $40, and the balance range from $400 to $4,600 a year-totaling $31,170 or 48.8 cents per capita. This is about two and one-half times the per capita cost of cities. In general, the legal problems of the smaller units are not numerous and a law liberalizing the present duties of the prosecutor, or a county corporation counsel office to give advice to the smaller units would be an economy. *See note page 25. 39 Townships Legal Services-The number of townships employing legal counsel is unknown, but Grosse Pointe, for example, spent $4,900 for the year 1931-32, which is in excess of that for any other village in that township. Schools 32 Legal Services-Schools are separate corporations and as such retain to their own attorneys working part time on either a retainer fee or a 61 contractual basis. Only in Detroit does the Corporation Counsel furnish legal advice to the Board of Education. Combining the office of school and city attorney in many cases would result in securing a full time attorney for less expense. Summary In the County, the prosecuting attorney under the statutes must furnish legal advice to other departments, but for various reasons, it has been thought advisable to set up the other legal departments shown above. Actually, these offices are a part of the prosecuting attorney's department, altho in some cases, he exercises but little control over them-generally, he can approve or disapprove the more important legal opinions rendered. While there is a difference in opinion on the subject, and altho legal services are not costly in comparison to other functions of government, it is thought that an economy could be affected by a consolidation of the present legal units in the county. It might be possible to reduce the cost of this service by liberalizing the present statutes permitting the prosecuting attorney to furnish legal opinions to all subordinate units of government who would desire the service. SCHOOLS Federal Government Department of the Interior-Office of Education-Concerned mostly with advice, surveys, and dissemination of information. Board of Vocational Education-Responsible for the distribution of the funds appropriated by the Federal government for vocational education under the Smith-Hughes Act. Five cities in Wayne County took advantage of this aid. About $350,000 is granted the state each year for this work. State Government Superintendent of Public Instruction-Charged with the general supervision of schools. This is a constitutional office, elected for a two year term on a partisan ticket. The chief purpose of the department is to provide standards for the schools of the state. There is a substantial bureau devoted to child accounting. To a considerable extent, control by the State is exercised thru the grants from the primary school interest fund to the public school districts. For the year 1931, Wayne County received from the primary school fund $8,876,000 to relieve local school taxes. State Grants-There are several such grants for special purposes, some of which are: 40 Special Aid to School Districts, distributed under the Turner Act. The State distributed about $2,000,000 of which $61,000 was appropriated among twenty-one of the 101 school districts in the County. The largest amount is $14,000 which is given to the Wyandotte School district.t' Aid to Deaf and Crippled Children-The State contributes to Detroit $42,000 for the education of deaf children, and $119,000 for crippled children. Hamtramck receives $1,000 for cripples. Higher Education-The State maintains four normal schools, two colleges and one university-none located within Wayne County These activities are duplicated by the City of Detroit which maintains Wayne University including a Teachers College, Law College, and College of Medicine. The Teachers College receives a subsidy from the County as a County Normal School. County Government 1. County School Commissioner-Elected for a four year term in a partisan election. Charged with general supervision over rural schools and approves the appointment of teachers when not more than five are engaged in one school. The rural nursing service is attached to this office. The present law is defective in not granting sufficient power to the county school superintendent. The expenditures for 1931 amounted to $42,000.9 2. Detention Home-A force of eight teachers are maintained for the education of children kept at the Detention Home. Cities-Detroit 3. Board of Education-The school district within the limits of Detroit differs from all other school districts of the state in its close relationship to the city government, the Common Council exercising a measure of control over the school budget. It not only furnishes education from kindergarden thru the high school with an outstanding technical and vocational training, but also maintains a law school, medical school, a literary college, and a teachers' college as noted above. Cities-Other* Villages* Cities and villages have no control over local education. The local school district is a separate municipality, distinct in every way from other local units of government. School Districts 4 Local School Districts-There are 101 school districts within Wayne to County. The County has examples of all the authorized methods of 104 school organization as indicated below: tThis distribution was changed by Act 236 of P. A. 1933. *See note page 25. 'See F. M. Thrun: "Rural School Organizations in Michigan". Michigan Local Government Series. 41 Average No. Total No. Organized Districts Board Members Members 69 Primary....................................... 3 207 23 G raded............................................ 5 115 2 Rural Agriculture...................... 5 10 1 Township Unit............................ 5 5 6 City Units...................................... 7 42 T otal.............................................. 379 The 101 school districts require 379 board members. Detroit, containing five times the population of the balance of the county, has a board of seven members serving without pay. Summary The school system in Wayne County is the subject of a special study in this Inquiry.1o CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS Federal Government Detention Farm-At Milan (Michigan) about thirty-five miles southwest of Detroit, with a capacity of 600 inmates. Used as a jail for persons awaiting trial and for serving Federal sentences. The two divisions are separate. In the past, those awaiting trial have been held in Wayne County Jail, and those sentenced have been placed in the county jails throughout Michigan and the Detroit House of Correction. State Government Penal Institutions-Except for city "lock-ups" and county jails the State furnishes penal care to local governments. An exception is Wayne County as indicated below. County Government 1. County Jail-Has a capacity said to be 480. The operation of the Federal Jail at Milan has reduced the number of prisoners housed. The jail expenditures for 1931 amounted to $341,000, with revenues from the board of Federal prisoners formerly amounting to about $105,000. 2. Detention Home-An agency of the Probate Court used for keeping children, both delinquent and neglected, pending permanent disposition. The expenditures for the year 1931 amount to $643,000 of which $409,000 was for a new administration building, leaving a net cost of $234,000. 3. Children's Charitable Institutions-The Ford Republic, a charitable home caring for delinquent boys; and the House of Good Shepherd, a charitable home caring for delinquent girls on order of the Probate Court. Such cases are paid for on a per diem basis. loSee Don Miller, "School Organization in the Detroit Metropolitan Area". Michigan Local Government Series. 42 Cities-Detroit 4. House of Correction-A modern penal farm with both cells and barracks maintained by Detroit to care for misdemeanants and felons. It is located about twenty miles from Detroit. While it is used mostly by the city, State, County and Federal prisoners are placed in it and paid for on a per diem basis, unsually at something less than cost if capital charges are considered. The institution is about self supporting. 5. Women's Division of the House of Correction-An elaborate institution of the cottage type adjacent to the men's institution. It is the only woman's prison in the State. Is used for local misdemeanants and by the State for women felons. A per diem rate is paid for County and State cases. Other Cities, Villages and Townships No correctional institutions are maintained except police "lock-ups". Schools No correctional institutions as such. Summary The situation with respect to corrective institutions in Wayne County has several peculiarities: -A large and costly County jail which is only partially used. In another report in the Series" it is recommended that custody of offenders be given to the State Police and that most of the 83 jails in Michigan be abandoned, prisoners to be kept in a few of the more suitable institutions. -A women's prison owned and operated by Detroit, but used by the State to house its women offenders. It is believed that this instiion should be taken over by the State. GENERAL HOSPITALS Federal Government Marine Hospital-A Federal hospital located within Detroit, caring for cases from sixteen government services. State Government 1. University Hospital-Operated in connection with the University of Michigan Medical College. Capacity 1275 beds. Cares for many local children at State expense and for indigent adults at the expense of the localities. County Government 2. Eloise-A county institution, supervised by the County Superintendents of the Poor, providing care for various types of cases. It is located about fifteen miles from Detroit. Altho operated as a unit, it is really a collection of various institutions, maintaining facilities for indigent chronic diseased, indigent convalescents, insane, etc. "lSee Bromage and Reed: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series, p. 71. 43 The expenditures for 1931 amounted to $3,320,000, of which $1,327,000 was for capital improvements. There were credits from the State amounting to $973,000, leaving the net cost to Wayne County of $1,020,000 with the greatest share charged to the cities or townships responsible for the costs of the patients. The average population of Eloise in 1932 was 7,898 persons; 2,562 in the Hospital (insane) and 5,336 in the Infirmary. Cities-Detroit 3. Herman Kiefer Hospital-About 1200 beds used principally for (1) hospitalization of serious tuberculosis cases, (2) contagious diseases and (3) maternity service for indigents. It is one of the largest contagious disease institutions in the country and is supported principally by contributions received from the County. 4. Receiving Hospital-An emergency hospital for accident cases; also provides medical and surgical care for indigents referred by the Department of Public Welfare which has general supervision over the hospital. It has a psychopathic ward for persons awaiting commitment to other institutions, or in need of treatment. The hospital has a normal capacity of 650 beds, but this is often exceeded. A branch hospital at Redford has 45 beds. Cities-Other 5. Highland Park General Hospital-A general hospital operated by the City. 6. Wyandotte General Hospital-A general hospital operated by the City. Much of the original cost was contributed by public spirited citizens. Villages Townships No institutions. TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITALS State Government 1. State Sanatorium for the Tubercular at Howell-This is the only state hospital. In general, care of the tubercular is considered a county function and many counties have sanatoria to which the State contributes seventy-five cents per patient day, the balance being paid by the Counties. County Government No Institutions. Cities-Detroit 2. Herman Kiefer Hospital Tubercular Division-See above. Maybury Sanatorium-A large sanatorium for tubercular, situated in Northville, twenty-five miles from Detroit. It is chiefly used for tuberculosis cases which will respond more readily to treatment. It is entirely supported by contributions from the County and the State. Cities-Other Villages Townships School Districts No Institutions. 44 PSYCHOPATHIC HOSPITALS State Government 1. Hospitals for mental cases at Kalamazoo (2,500), Pontiac (1,700), Traverse City (2,000), Newberry (1,200), and Ypsilanti (recently opened); Ionia (700 criminal insane); and Psychopathic Division of the University Hospital. 2. Michigan Home and Training School at Lapeer-for feeble-minded persons (3000); and Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics at Wahajmega (800). County Government 3. Hospital for the Insane at Eloise, (2562)-After one year the State reimburses Wayne County for insane persons cared for at Eloise, at the same rate as other State institutions. This amounts to about $850,000 annually. 4. Wayne Couny Training School —Developed by Wayne County due to the inability of the State to provide for the care of feeble minded children. This school actually performs a service not undertaken by any other institution in the state-that of taking high grade feeble minded children and training them to return to society. Capacity, about 600, with expenditures for 1931 of $852,000 of which $351,000 was for capital improvements. The reimbursement from the State amounts to about $190,000. Cities-Detroit 5. Psychopathic Ward of Receiving Hospital Cities-Other Villages Townships No institutions. INSTITUTIONS FOR DEPENDENTS State Government 1. State Public School for Dependent Children at Coldwater-A small part of the cost of operation is assessed upon the counties from which the children come. 2. University Hospital-Care of ailing dependent children at State expense. County Government 3. Home for Indigents and Old Persons at Eloise Infirmary-This service has been expanded due to the depression. 4. Boarding Homes-Dependent children are cared for in private institutions at County expense regardless of local residence. In other words care of dependent children is on a county basis as distinguished from care of indigent adults. Until recently Detroit frequently paid for the care of children not legally declared dependents. 45 Cities-Detroit 5. Outdoor Relief-Adult indigent cared for by Department of Public Welfare. 6. Fisher Lodge-a temporary shelter of indigent men. Cities-Other Villages Townships Same as above. INSTITUTIONS FOR THE HANDICAPPED State Government 1. State School for the Blind-for both boys and girls at Lansing with a population of about 200. 2. State School for the Deaf-for both boys and girls at Flint with a population of about 400. 3. Employment Institution-for the adult blind at Saginaw with a population of about 75. 4. Subventions-The State reimburses approved private institutions for corrective and convalescent care of crippled children. County Cities Villages Townships No public institutions, but several charitable agencies, partially reimbursed by the State. The schools of the area, especially Detroit, do an extensive training with the crippled, deaf and tubercular. Summary Care of the delinquent, mentally defective, the handicapped, and the indigent began as a local obligation which has been gradually transferred to the State government, the process being by no means completed. As a result, State responsibility for this large group of public charges presents an irregular and frequently illogical pattern,-complete institutional care by the State for certain groups; partial or complete subsidies to localities for care of some; and entire local responsibility for still others. As a concommitant to this illogical arrangement there exists a hodge-podge process of financial control. For certain types of cases the State assumes complete care and financial responsibility. For other types, the State requires the localities to provide care, but assumes no responsibility for its cost. For still other types, the State assumes partial or complete financial responsibility, but exercises little or no control over the number or character of cases with which the localities may burden it." The group of public charges for which State care has been most complete is that of adult delinquents. An exception exists in the Detroit House of Correction which for more than 75 years has been by statute a State prison. This institution was built by the City and its operation is a municipal responsibility. State prisoners are paid for by the State on a per diem basis, rSee Opal V. Matson: "Local Relief to Dependents." Michigan Local Government Series. 46 the adequacy of which payment is frequently a matter of controversy. The men's prison is of an inexpensive barracks type, the inmates operating a large farm and incidental industries under a minimum of restraint. With a proper examination and classification of State felons it would fit admirably into the State prison system. The women's division is the only prison for women in the state. By contrast with the men's division, it is an elaborate and costly assembly of cottages. Nevertheless, it would be suitable as a State institution, were the commonwealth willing to reimburse the City for even a portion of its original cost. With certain exceptions, the State at large makes use of the State maintained institutions for delinquent children at Adrian and Lansing. In Wayne County, however, there is an inclination to use these institutions only as a last resort, and delinquent children are frequently committed to private charitable institutions at County expense. With respect to mental cases, the care by the State is neither complete nor adequate. There are numerous State institutions, to be sure, but facilities are so limited that Wayne County has felt it necessary to care for many of its psychopathic cases at the Eloise Infirmary and for its mentally backward children at the County Training School. Detroit also maintains a psychopathic ward in the Receiving Hospital. The State reimburses these localities for only a portion of the cost incurred. One State hospital for the care of tubercular patients is now in operation and others are contemplated in which the entire cost of operation will be borne by the commonwealth. Here then, is a responsibility in the process of transference from the localities to the State government. Wayne County maintains no tuberculosis hospital but by reimbursement practically maintains the two institutions operated by Detroit. The State provides complete institutional care for blind and deaf children and there are no local institutions in this field. No permanent institutional care is given cripples but the State is liberal in reimbursing localities for remedial and convalescent care given in approved local hospitals, and makes available the facilities of the hospital of the State University. In fact, the State exercises too little control over the expense that may be incurred by the localities. Care of adult dependents is entirely a local matter-a responsibility of the county, if relief is on a county-wide basis, and of the cities and townships, if on a local basis. Wayne County operates on the latter system. Therefore, in addition to the outdoor relief granted by the municipal governments, each is charged with the cost of inmates committed to the County Infirmary at Eloise. Dependent children are a State charge only if committed to the State Home at Coldwater and even then a fraction of the cost is assessed back to the locality of origin. Wayne County, which is responsible for all legally dependent children, within its borders, makes little use of this State institution, prefering the more modern method of placing its dependents in boarding homes at County expense. Similarly, the County makes little use of its right to have dependent sick children treated at University Hospital at State expense. These children are usually treated and paid for locally. The cities follow a similar policy with respect to ailing indigent children not legally declared dependents. Within the metropolitan area no public service is as disorganized and duplicated as that of welfare. Outdoor relief is administered by 32 agencies of government when experience in effective relief giving, and financial justice in distribution of cost, urge unified control. 47 In the care of delinquent and of mental cases, Wayne County provides necessary institutions with an inadequate State subsidy, altho other counties utilize facilities provided wholly by the State government. Dependent children are often cared for at local expense in spite of the fact that the State makes provision for them. It is not enough that the local governments within the county reorganize their own procedure for relief. It is equally important that the welfare procedure and organization of the State be placed on a logical and adequate basis. TAX ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION Federal Government No agencies for local purposes. State Government 12 1. The Auditor General supervises the collection of certain taxes such as the inheritance tax but his most important tax activity is in respect to delinquent taxes. The delinquent taxes for all Wayne County units (except local taxes for Detroit) are returned to the Auditor General.13 2. Other State offices act as tax collectors as follows: A. Secretary of State for gasoline, motor vehicle, and corporation taxes-a part being returned to the local units. B. State Treasurer for insurance taxes. 3. State Tax Commission-Consists of three members appointed by the Governor for six year terms supervising local assessors with the right to investigate and revise local assessments. Act as assessors of the specific tax on certain public utilities. Recommends the equalization of total county assessments for the apportionment of the State general property tax to the Board of Equalization. 4. Board of Equalization consists of the Auditor General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and the State Tax Commission. County Government 5. The County Treasurer-Principal duties are: A. Fiscal officer for the County responsible for the receipt, custody and disbursement of funds. B. Collects delinquent taxes for all tax units in Wayne County except city taxes of Detroit. Prepares the necessary records for the Auditor General's office, and conducts tax sales. Local units have no control over the collection of delinquent taxes. C. Collects County and State taxes levied within Detroit. This is done under a special statute and is an exception to general practice, resulting in duplication. Other local units are responsible for the collection of these taxes.14 The total expense of the Treasurer's office for 1931 was $634,000. Detroit is charged with $80,000 for the services of the Treasurer in collecting State and County taxes. 21In 1933 the Legislature created certain special taxes which augment the number of collecting agencies, the liquor control tax, the sales tax, etc. The changes which these have made in the State organization have not been indicated. 'sSee Loren B. Miller: "Local Finance and Procedure", Michigan Local Government Series. "4See "Proposed Revision in Tax Collecting Procedure", Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research, Report No. 79, 1924. 48 6. Bureau of Taxation-Wayne County alone of the counties of the State has established the Bureau of Taxation to aid the Board of Supervisors in the equalization of the County tax. Expenditures for 1931 amounted to $14,000. 7. Drain Commissioner-All drains are financed by a special assessment. The greater portion of the staff of the Drain Commissioner is engaged in preparing special assessment rolls transmitted to the local assessing units for collection. 8. Wayne County Road Commission-Special assessments for County roads are made by the Road Commission, altho this is not a major activity as only two men are engaged part time on this work. Cities-Detroit 9. Board of Assessors-Responsible for the assessment of property, both real and personal. Four members appointed by the Mayor for four year terms. It has been urged that there would be more uniformity in policy if there were a single assessor with a number of deputies. However in the use of scientific assessing methods and mechanical preparation of assessment rolls the office is outstanding. 10. City Treasurer-An elected officer with a two year term responsible for the collection of City taxes in the three categories; (1) current, general and personal, (2) current special assessment, and (3) delinquent taxes of all types. He is also custodian of City funds and paymaster. Expenditures for 1931-32 were $735,000. It is believed by some that the office should be appointive in order that the policies would conform to those of the Executive. 11. Fees and Licenses-are issued by numerous departments, such as Building and Safety Engineering, Parks, Recreation, Department of Public Works, Police, Health, etc. There is no central licensing and collecting agency for the city. 12. Board of Review-Under the statutes, all protests of original assessments are heard by a board of review before the tax is spread by the assessors. In Detroit this is an extra activity of the Common Council, or a committee of that body, a simple and effective procedure. Cities-Other* 13 Assessors-Each city has an assessing agency, usually a single assessor to elected for a two year term. In Hamtramck the assessor is appointed 18. by the Mayor. In Dearborn there is a board of three assessors appointed by the Mayor for a three year term. 19 Treasurer-One for each city, usually elected. The functions of all to treasurers are the same-the collection, custody and disbursement of 24 city funds. Delinquent taxes, except for Detroit, are collected by the County Treasurer. 25 Board of Review-A board of review exists in all cities, altho there is to no uniform method of selecting the members. Some are elected at 30. large on the theory that they represent the taxpayers not the city administration; others are formed of members appointed by the legislation body of the city; others are ex officio boards, consisting of three to five members, usually the Mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer, in addition to others. *See note page 25. 49 Villages* 31 Assessor-Each village has an assessor usually elected for a single to year and usually working on a part time basis. The assessments are 48. used solely for the village tax. 49 Treasurer-Each village has a treasurer usually elected for a single to year. Collections are confined solely to village taxes. 66. 67 Boards of Review-Each village has a board of review usually comto posed of three members elected at large. 84. The cost of village assessment and collection of taxes for the year 1932 amounted to $42,000. Townships 85 Assessor-the township supervisor is the assessing officer of the townto ship, spreading township, school, state and other taxes over both vil102. lage and unincorporated areas. In this way the village assessment is a duplication of the supervisor's work. So far as known no supervisor in Wayne County has made any scientific effort to assess property. Township assessment of village property frequently varies from the village assessment of the same property, the township assessment usually being lower. Occasionally the assessment rolls of the township are copies of the village rolls or vice versa.16 103 Treasurer-Each township has a treasurer elected for a single year, to and until recently ineligible for re-election. The treasurer collects 120. school, township, County and State taxes and special assessments. He does not collect taxes levied within a city or village for local purposes. The treasurer's office is the most remunerative of township offices. 121 Board of Review-Composed of three members elected for a single to year to act as a board for review of assessments. Usually a per138 functory activity. Schools School districts —are separate tax units in that they set the amount of their levies, altho they do not collect the taxes. In cities, the levy is sent to the assessors to be spread, and in townships, to the supervisor. The districts receive a pro rata share of the taxes collected. The school boards usually have treasurers for the administrative task of issuing checks, custody of funds, etc. Summary The number of local agencies within the County having a share in the assessment and collection of taxes is at least 128. The existing system is obsolete, and results are often inequitable. There is no coordinated effort by the governments involved, each undertaking its tasks in its own way with more or less regard for the statutory procedure. Assessments are unequal within localities and between localities. Enforcement of tax payment is a local matter and the fee system of remuneration may become a "racket". On the other hand the local unit has no control over the collection *See note page 25.,sSee L. B. Miller, Op. Cit. 50 of delinquent taxes, no matter what the local sentiment may be-the County Treasurer is solely responsible, and confines his actions to that of tax receiver. The leadership in developing modern assessing procedure has been in the Detroit Board of Assessors. This office has not only availed itself of modern methods of assessing real and personal property, but has utilized fully mechanical methods in the preparation of the assessment rolls and in tax billing. The County Treasurers office and some other cities and villages within the County also make full use of mechanical methods. However, the townships and smaller villages have not seen the necessity of this improvement. The work of the local boards of review is often perfunctory. The duplication and disorganization in the existing system of assessing and collecting taxes can only be eliminated by centralizing them in a single County office. Such an office could utilize the assessing methods available with a decided improvement in the fairness of assessments. However, such centralization is desirable only when the County government is reorganized so as to handle these important activities with little political meddling. ELECTIONS State Government Secretary of State-Has certain ministerial duties in notifying the local units of candidates for State positions to be placed on the ballot. Board of State Canvassers-Composed of the Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, canvasses the vote for State positions. County Government County Clerk-Has certain administrative functions in connection with elections; receives instructions from the Secretary of State as to State and National candidates to be placed on the ballot; and undertakes other minor duties. 1. Board of County Election Commissioners-Composed of the Probate Judge, the County Clerk, and the County Treasurer. This is now the chief election authority of the County supervising the printing and distribution of ballots for State and County offices. Board of County Canvassers-Formerly composed of three members selected by the Board of Supervisors with the County Clerk serving as clerk, canvassed the vote and supervised recounts, etc. Abolished in 1932 as an economy measure, the duties being delegated to the Board of County Election Commissioners. Cities-Detroit 2. Election Commission-composed of the Recorder (a judge of the Recorder's Court), the City Clerk, and the President of the Common Council. The administrative head is the Supervisor of Elections. Is outstanding in its development of election routines and as the only full time department in ithe county, and in the State, engaged solely with elections. 51 Cities —Other* 3 City Clerks-The election procedures of the cities are headed by the to city clerks occupied with the work for a small portion of the year. The 8. appointment of election clerks is generally by the city clerks, tho often the council approves appointments. The Boards of Canvassers are usually the legislative bodies. Villages* 9 Village Clerks-The village clerks have the same relation to elections to as do city clerks in cities. Villages are not a part of the city-township 26. election system, but hold elections on village matters at other times than at regular elections. Townships 27 Township Clerks-The election system is based on the city-township to plan as with administration of welfare, health, assessments, and other 44. functions. Usually the township clerks become the chief election officers. Township officers are elected annually, on the first Monday in April. Schools 45 Secretary of School Board-With the exception of Detroit, the school to board elections are entirely separated from the city-township election 144. system, the registration, appointment of inspectors and the election are under the supervision of the school boards. In Detroit, however, the members of the Board of Education (called School Inspectors) are elected at the regular spring election. Only property owners, and parents of children of school age are eligible for school elections, with the exception of Detroit where universal suffrage exists. The usual school election is held at times other than regular elections, usually in June, but also for some types of districts, in July and September. While the costs for elections are low, they are a direct duplication of the other election processes. Summary The cost of conducting elections is not large as judged by the cost of major functions of government, but the existing system is an inefficient and cumbersome method of selecting public officers with responsibility distributed among 144 agencies. Election costs do not indicate the full expense of the activity for only in Detroit is there a full time election agency and complete segregation of expenditures. The following expenditures were reported for the year 1931 or 1932, but do not include any state or federal elections. County..................................$ 16,252 Detroit................................ 315,189 Other Cities........................ 30,466 V illages................................ 6,240 Total..............................$368,147 The figures represent a per capita cost of 19.5 cents but do not include the cost of school or township elections. *See note page 25. 52 LIBRARIES Federal Government No local library. State Government No local library. County Government 1. County Library Board-Composed of two members appointed by the Board of Supervisors and the School Commissioner as ex officio member; serves without compensation. Authorized to advise with the Detroit Library Commission which is actually the operating agency. Branches are maintained in 10 villages and in Grosse Ile Township. Reading rooms or stations are maintained in twelve communities which have not reached the status of villages. Each township is provided in this manner with library facilities. Library service is also provided for certain institutions such as Wayne County Training School, Herman Kiefer Hospital, etc. Expenditures for 1931, $83,000. Cities-Detroit 2. Public Library Commission-In charge of the library system in Detroit. Actually a part of the educational system as the six members of the Commission are appointed by the Board of Education, and the seventh is the President of the Board ex officio. The Commission provides a complete modern library system designed for a metropolitan city. In 1930 there were twenty-five branch libraries and ten sub-branches in addition to the main library. Due to the financial situation there are less than this number of agencies at the present time. Expenditures for the year ending June 1932, $1,029,000. About $100,000 a year is realized from penal fines which are earmarked for library use. Cities-Other* 3. Hamtramck-Library service thru the Tau Beta Community House, a social agency. 4. Highland Park-Library service by a library board. 5. Dearborn-Library service with a branch in the city hall located in the old city of Fordson. The above libraries expended some $86,000 during the year 1931-32. Villages* Townships In general, villages and townships do not provide library service but are served by the County library commission. Schools Schools and libraries are intimately associated. In some cases the larger schools thruout the county provide some local library service for adults. *See note page 25. 53 Summary The library service thruout the county is fairly well organized and the important centers have access to library facilities. The establishment of a county wide library system, would result in wider use of existing facilities, Due to the composition of the County Library Board, only slight changes in the present organization would be necessary to realize this. PARKS AND MUSEUMS Federal Government No national parks in Wayne County. State Government No State Parks in Wayne County. County Government 1. Board of County Park Trustees-The County Road Commission serves also as a county park commission. It operates six parks, comprising about 275 acres. The county park system originated with a grant of land adjacent to Trenton which became Elizabeth Park. Expenditures for 1931, $293,000. Cities-Detroit 2. Department of Parks and Boulevards-Under the supervision of a Commissioner appointed by the Mayor. Operates the most comprehensive park and boulevard system in the County, including about 3,000 acres of parks and 274 acres of parkways. The two largest parks are River Rouge on the extreme western boundary and Belle Isle, lying in the Detroit River. These parks provide recreational facilities for all the urban population regardless of residence. Expenditures for 1932, $1,031,000 with about $600,000 realized from concessions and other sources. 3. Zoological Park-in charge of a Commission of four members appointed for a four year term by the Mayor. The park of 100 acres is located in Oakland County about two miles north of the Detroit city limits. It is a modern zoo with an excellent collection of specimens. There is also a smaller zoo on Belle Isle operated by the Department of Parks and Boulevards. The establishment of the zoo began in 1925. This zoo has been supported by a tenth-of-a-mill tax, modified in recent years so that the expenditures for 1931-32 amounted to $333,000. This is the only department of the city government so supported and is an example of the worst possible method of municipal financing. 4. Playgrounds-under supervision of a Commissioner appointed by the Mayor. Has charge of 80 playgrounds. 5. Arts Commission-Four members appointed by the Mayor operating the Detroit Institute of Arts. This is an outstanding museum, devoted to the fine arts. Expenditures about $124,000 for the year ending June, 1932. 54 Cities —Other* With the exception of some park squares there are no city parks or museums other than those in Detroit. Detroit's facilities are used generally by the residents of the County. Villages* There are no village parks, except in the Grosse Pointe Township where parks and piers have been constructed. These are only semipublic parks as non-residents are excluded. A number of village parks have been transferred to the Board of County Park Trustees. Townships Schools There are no parks or museums. Summary The parks system in Wayne County is divided between the County and Detroit, with the City furnishing by far the most extensive facilities. As a matter of fact parks and other recreational facilities including the Zoo (in Oakland County) and Art Museum are used by all residents of the urban area. It is believed that these should be made a County obligation at such time as the government of the County is unified. The expenditures for parks, boulevards and similar projects for the years 1931-32: Detroit..............................$1,488,000 County.............................. 293,000 Other Cities...................... 61,000 V illages.............................. 12,000 Total..........................$1,854,000 Detroit and vicinity have always given considerable attention to the preservation of shade trees on the streets and boulevards which accounts for a considerable portion of the expense. Also included in the Detroit appropriation is the care of golf courses and similar recreational activities. FUNCTIONS PECULIAR TO DEFINITE UNITS There are certain functions of government which are not duplicated in any measure by other units. These are shown below for the county, cities and other units. County Government 1. Register of Deeds —A constitutional officer elected for a two year term, charged with the registration and permanent file of all instruments affecting the transfer of property. In Wayne County the office has been modernized so far as the statutes permit, using the photostat system and similar devices, so original records need not be copied or retained in most cases. Expenditures for 1931, $182,000, but fees amounted to $131,000, making the net cost from taxes about $51,000. Under the constitution this office can be combined with that of the County Clerk by action of the Board of Supervisors. *See note page 25. 55 2. Tract Index Department-Created in 1921 under the Board of County Auditors to provide a general abstract service. There is a difference of opinion as to the necessity for the County assuming this function. The department is not self-supporting, but provides abstract service to the various governmental agencies without cost. The budget appropriation for 1933 is $188,000 but a deficit will result, according to estimates, ranging from $88,000 to $128,000. 3. Agricultural Agent-A County agent providing technical advice for the rural districts. Annual cost is about $10,000. Municipalities The cities and villages have found it necessary to extend certain services not undertaken by any other unit of government. Some of these services, such as fire protection, is of major importance; others, such as city planning have not received any great attention in the Detroit metropolitan area as yet, except in the matter of highways. FIRE PROTECTION Federal State None. County Detroit 1. Fire Department-In the rating of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, in 1930, Detroit was rated as the first city in the county in fire protection. It is the largest and most comprehensive fire department in the area, including a fire college with continuous course of study in modern fire fighting methods. Fire protection is rated by the National Board of Fire Underwriters, cities being in ten classes, number one being the highest, but the requirements are so high no city has achieved this rating. Detroit is a class two city, the best possible under actual conditions. While the classification essentially is used as a basis for determining fire insurance premiums, it is also a gauge of the efficiency of the fire protection in the broadest sense. The department has approximately 2,000 men and an annual expenditure of $4,400,000. Cities-Other* 2 Fire Departments-All of the other cities have fire departments, to some of which have achieved an excellent degree of efficiency. The 7. ratings, on the same basis as Detroit given above, are: 1931-1932 City Rating Expenditures Hamtramck......................3 $138,976 Highland Park.................2 219,458 Dearborn............................4 218,735 Lincoln Park....................6 27,592 River Rouge....................6 32,174 W yandotte........................5 68,635 *See note page 25. 56 The rating is based on a deficiency scale, so that while a department may be efficient as a unit, the rating would penalize the city for inadequate water supply (based on maximum demands), lack of proper ordinances relating to fire prevention or lack of proper enforcement, location of fire stations, and similar factors beyond the power of the department to correct. The annual expenditures for the six departments are $705,570. Villages* 8 Fire Departments-Each of the 18 villages has a fire department altho to some are on a volunteer basis (Class 10). In the smaller communities, 25. the deficiency rating does not necessarily indicate inefficiency of the department inasmuch as other factors are considered. A low rating does not necessarily mean that the village is without adequate protection for all usual fires. 1931-32 Village Rating Expenditures Ecorse................................ 6 $50,481 Plym outh............................ 7 3,034 Inkster............................... 7....t M elvindale.......................... 6 24,931 Trenton............................... 7 15,992 W ayne................................ 7 4,535 Northville.......................... 7 3,673 Garden City...................... 7 1,784 Flat Rock.......................... 7 731 Rockwood.......................... 9 273 Allen Park..........................10 1,009 Belleville............................ 8 169 Riverview......................... 8 246 Grosse Pointe Park.......... 4 65,541 Grosse Pointe Village.... 5 52,504 Grosse Pointe Farms...... 5 46,286 Grosse Pointe Shores...... 6 7,181 Lochmoor..........................10 818 tExpense not known. The villages outside of Grosse Pointe Township show a group around class 7. Those in Grosse Pointe Township center about class 5. From the standpoint of fire insurance premiums there is little incentive for a village with essentially a residential development to improve its fire protection service beyond class 7. The total expenditures amounted to $279,188 with $172,330 allocated to the Grosse Pointe village departments. Townships School Districts None. BUILDING AND SAFETY ENGINEERING The development of the safety engineering functions has extended to practically all cities and villages in the County. It is a modern development, seeking the safety of the public thru inspections of the original construction, and repeated inspections for proper maintenance of such construction where a safety factor is involved. *See note page 25. 57 In normal times, such departments are self-supporting from fees, but in time of lessened building activity the services are either eliminated or seriously curtailed. In the smaller cities, there is seldom enough construction or maintenance to warrant a full time expert in each bureau of a safety department. There is undoubtedly opportunity for the development of a county wide inspection bureau whose services would be billed to those municipalities using them. Some villages now are contracting with a private company for electrical inspections. COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE Due to the quickness with which garbage becomes either a menace or at least odorous, its disposal has become a major problem in the larger cities. Smaller units seldom furnish this service, permitting licensed public scavengers to do the work, or operating it on a utility basis, or not recognizing the problem at all. Altho there are many methods of disposing of garbage, incineration has been accepted to be the most sanitary, and under general conditions, the most economical. But the location of the incinerator units, and the cost of construction, make a wide-spread application of their use a matter for either county initiative, or at least co-ordinated action by Detroit and its neighboring larger cities, altho there is no indication that this may occur. RECREATION This function has recently assumed considerable importance in municipalities, both because of the intense development of property in all sections of the larger cities, and because of appreciation of the importance of profitable use of leisure time. The following table illustrates the extent of recreation facilities in Wayne County at this time. Recreation is peculiar in that it has not gained a definite relation to other city departments. It is often a separate department as in Detroit-sometimes connected with the schools as in Highland Park, and again, is considered as a part of the park program as is the case of some activities (golf) in Detroit. Recreation Facilities in Wayne County-1932 UQ~~) TCJ~~~~~~> 8.U we 0 W v Q0 M C 6.5 A, - E _ d g - 8 b " Grosse Pointe Twp................ 6 $ 2,000 3 3 1 12 Grosse Pointe Village.......... 4 10,000 4 1 2 4 Hamtramck............................ 64 16,475 5 11 1 2 1 1 Highland Park........................ 30 35,000 9 10 3 5 7 19 River Rouge............................ 16 2,526 3 2 2 1 4 Dearborn.................................. 23 13,767 8 7 6 4 15 Detroit......................................162 297,340 80 120 17 40 5 13 2 91 305 $377,108 112 150 24 57 5 26 4 146 *Includes schools, parish houses, libraries, etc. in which community activities are located. Detroit owns five community buildings. 58 CITY PLAN-MARKETS-RAPID TRANSIT These activities are of but minor importance at this time. The City Plan and the Rapid Transit Commission illustrate functions of the city (Detroit) which could well be assumed by the county were it organized to undertake such activities. BUSINESS ENTERPRISES" AIRPORTS County 1. County Airport-Operated by the County Road Commission. Located about eighteen miles from the center of Detroit which militates against greatest use. Not self supporting at the present time. The budget appropriation for the year 1933 amounts to $85,000 but the estimated earnings are only $28,500, or a defict from taxes of $56,500. Cities-Detroit 2. City Airport-Located about five and one-half miles from the City Hall, within the City limits and on a direct highway leading into the City. It is operated as a division of the Department of Public Works. The expenditures for the year 1931-32 amounted to $70,694 of which $46,675 was returned by earnings, leaving a deficit from operation of $24,000, paid from taxes. Other Units None. STREET RAILWAYS Detroit 1. Department of Street Railways-Operates a transportation system of both street cars and buses. Control rests in a board of three members, appointed by the Mayor for indefinite terms. The chief administrative officer is the General Manager appointed by the Board. Up to the present time, the system has been self-supporting. It supplies service to the following communities: Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Dearborn, Royal Oak, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Grosse Pointe, and Centerline. Other Units None. Private bus service. WATER SUPPLY Detroit 1. Water Department-Control rests in a Board of Water Commissioners of four members appointed by the Mayor for a four year term. The Board appoints all administrative officers subject to civil service. The department up to the present has been self-supporting. It fur-,sUnder this heading is indicated principally the public utilities operated by municipalities within Wayne County, but the term is not all inclusive. Certain other functions which are on a self-supporting basis, or which compete with private business, have also been listed. 59 nishes water drawn from the Detroit River, properly filtered and sterilized. The department furnishes water to a large portion of the metropolitan area as indicated on the accompanying chart 3, page 68. Wyandotte 2. Water Division of the Department of Municipal Service-The problem of water treatment is complicated by the trade wastes discharged by chemical plants above Wyandotte into the Detroit River from which the supply is taken. The department is self-supporting, but this is by means of a contribution of $37,000 for hydrant rental from the City. The rates are fairly high, being slightly over twice those of Detroit. Highland Park 3. Department of Water Supply-Highland Park has a separate water department, furnishing water to the City only, drawing the water from the same intake as Grosse Pointe Farms, in Lake St. Clair. The utility is self-supporting with a charge of $5,000 a year for hydrant rental. Grosse Pointe Farmst 4. Water Department-Grosse Pointe Farms pumps its raw water from the same shore well as Highland Park. Besides furnishing the entire supply to the Farms, it also furnishes the entire supply of Grosse Pointe Village, and about half the demands of Grosse Pointe Shores. The utility is entirely self-supporting. PUBLIC LIGHTING Detroit 1. Public Lighting Plant does not sell power commercially except to municipal public utilities. The distribution of power is as follows: Street Lighting........................................................ 21.6% Public Buildings...................................................... 16.7 *W ater B oard............................................................ 8.1 *Dept. of Street Railways........................................ 53.6 Total...................................................................100.0% *The Water Board and Dept. of Street Railways pay for current consumed. The plant is a modern station with four units generating 20,000 K. W. each. The department also operates a heating plant for the public buildings in the vicinity of the Municipal Court Building. The control is thru a Commission of four members appointed by the mayor for four year terms. The chief administrative officer is the general superintendent. Wyandotte 2. Electrical Division of the Department of Municipal Service is a true electric utility, the only one in Wayne County, selling current to consumers in addition to furnishing street lights to the City. The distribution of power is as follows: tThere are other smaller water systems, such as Wayne, Plymouth, Northville, etc. 60 Residence customers.............................................. 36.7% Commercial customers......................................... 23.8 Pow er custom ers.................................................... 25.4 Street lights............................................................ 14.1 Total........................................................ 100.0% The plant has not only been self-supporting, but since 1928 has contributed $373,000 to Wyandotte City Government, the main items being $110,000 for a nurses' home and $128,000 toward welfare relief. Other Units Served by private utilities. GENERAL GOVERNMENT Each unit of government, Federal, State, County or lesser unit, has certain functions of government which are necessary to its corporate existence. It must have a legislative body, an executive head (altho this is sometimes consolidated with the legislative body as in the commission plans of government), and certain administrative officers to direct general governmental services. There is no need to detail all of the various officers nor to outline their special functions-they are a component of every government. The liberal provisions of the home rule sections of the State Constitution permit almost any type of city government which fancy of the charter draftsmen may dictate. They range from the strong-mayor type in Detroit where all administrative power is centralized in the Mayor, to the weak-mayor type, found in Wyandotte. There is a commission form of government in Highland Park, but in addition to the commission there are four administrative officers elected. In River Rouge, a seven man commission works closely with the mayor who possesses considerable power. The city manager plan is found in Plymouth and to some extent in Grosse Pointe Shores. The county and the township governments, created by the constitution and the statutes, possess no centralization and have little coordination between various services. All these functions of general government duplicate each other, and yet are necessary to independent units. The consolidation of two or more units of government means the elimination of all of the administrative and 'over-head' officials except those necessary for one government. Except for a few cases under welfare administration, the general government functions perhaps represent perfect parallelism among the various units of government. If Detroit can govern 83 percent of the population of the county with nine councilmen, and a few administrative officers, it is doubtless true that a similar organization would meet the "over-head" requirements of the entire area. TYPES OF FUNCTIONS SUITABLE TO METROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION An examination of the foregoing services indicates that it is desirable to distinguish between those which it is practical to administer within arbitrary limits, and those whose influence extends beyond city, village, or township boundaries and into neighboring territory. The first group-those functions which can be controlled within the boundaries of a county, village, or township are more or less self contained. 61 For example, elementary education to some extent, parks, most sanitary services, fire protection to some extent, local courts and libraries. All can be controlled by an existing unit of government and the effectiveness with which they are conducted has only a limited influence upon neighboring communities; the larger the unit which administers such functions, the better the service and the more equitable the distribution of costs. Yet the smallest unit can perform these services well, or badly, or not at all, without hardship to the balance of the area. The second group of functions cannot be confined by artificial boundaries if their administration is to be successful. In this class are policing, public health, welfare relief, education to some extent, sewerage, and transportation in all its phases. If the largest unit of government in a community performs any of these services badly, that neglect has repercussions thruout the whole area. If the smallest unit performs them badly (or sometimes not at all) the largest units feel the effects. Crime, disease and ignorance do not recognize city and village limits in their harm; drainage basins, rivers and geography generally acknowledge no statutory limitations. EXTENT AND FEASIBILITY OF UNIFIED ADMINISTRATION Policing-Undoubtedly, policing is the most inefficient function of government because of the minute parts into which the administration has been divided. The cost of crime resulting from this disorganization and the savings possible with closer cooperation is difficult, if not impossible, to compute-but it is known to exist in substantial sums payable directly and indirectly by the public. It is true that the State Police has developed into a semblance of a coordinating agency, but this fact has not stilled local jealousies and recently State Police has become a weaker rather than a stronger organization. It is true also, that the police of the several units ordinarily cooperate for the mutual advantage of each as requested, but there is no central coordinating agency in the county providing a group attack on crime. As serious as this problem of piecemeal police administration in metropolitan communities is, there are no existing examples of metropolitan police organizations in the United States. Prior to 1870, there was a metropolitan police force for a period of about twelve years for New York Brooklyn and the counties of King, Westchester and Richmond.,8 For a short period prior to the consolidation of Philadelphia (1854) there was a metropolitan police force in that area. Today, the most important metropolitan police organization in existence is the London Metropolitan Police District established by Parliament in 1829 at the instance of Sir Robert Peel, and after a generation of dispute. It has continued in operation for over a century.'9 London is a generic term covering various communities. At the time of the organization of the metropolitan police the central area, including the old City of Londono2 contained about 19 square miles, and 1,219,000 inhabitants. Greater London contained 1,903,572 persons of which over 60 percent lived in the isFor a popular account of one phase of the metropolitan district police see Herbert Asbury, "Gangs of York", New York, 1928, pp. 105 to 117. It presents a rather clear picture of the police problems of that day as compared with those of the present. 'sFor an able history of this distinguished organization, see George Dilnot, "The Story of Scotland Yard," London, 1928. 2oThis square mile of territory is not policed by the Metropolitan Force. 62 / L IVONIA METROPOLI TAN AREA PRESENT POLICE DISTRIBUTION COVa!DO ay LEGEND _ - STATE. COUNTY.& CITY OR VILLAGE POLICE -7, -STATE.COUNTV.& TOWNSHIP POICE - STATE.& COUNTY POLICE - Sr^TE POLICE eL.lET - - POLICI ROADO OADC^AST Chart 2. 63 central area. In 1928, the metropolitan area had 8,202,818 inhabitants, of which about 15 percent were located in the central area. The control of the Metropolitan Police rests in a commissioner appointed by the Crown upon the approval of the Home Office Secretary.21 The present police district covers 692 square miles, equal to Wayne County (620 square miles) with a territory two miles wide added along the northern boundary. The number of officers per 1000 population, ordinarily considered a fair index of police strength, is about the same for Detroit as for London; 2.5 and 2.4 respectively in 1931. The police costs per capita were not dissimilar, considering standards of living-$7.14 for Detroit and $5.13 for London. The advantages to be realized from the establishment of a metropolitan police jurisdiction in the Detroit area can be summarized as follows: Coordinated Effort-A certain amtunt of crime now exists because each police area is more or less self-contained. These independent police authorities do not know the kinds and amount of crime prevalent in neighboring areas, and have no means of communicating such information as they possess. Yet such information is absolutely necessary as the basis of an orderly attack on crime. It indicates the possibility of the operation of an informal modus operandi system -the identification of criminals by the nature, time, or place that crimes are committed, for daily transmittal to component police departments.22 Use of Specialized Services-Within the area the Detroit Department alone has the necessary complement of experts in each field of criminal investigation to handle all types of crime. Detroit ordinarily cooperates with other departments but the service is voluntary and depends greatly on the good will of the Detroit executive, and the willingness and interest of neighboring authorities. Until the police work of the territory is unified there will be no assurance that crime is being met by the greatest available ability. Identification-A criminal identification file to be effective should be as complete as possible both as to finger prints and photographs, and available to all cities in Michigan. A local file has little or no use. The proximity of Detroit to all units in Wayne County makes it the logical center for all finger print identification work, with a supplementary or master file in both Lansing and Washington, D. C. The lifting of a latent finger print is a rather simple science; classifying requires more training; identification is more difficult yet and is for experts attention only. A satisfactory identification system should serve the entire area. Laboratories-Recently the police have secured unusual results in criminal investigation by the use of laboratory methods placing chief reliance on chemistry, ballistics, forensic medicine, handwriting identification and psychological and psychiatrical tests. Useful laboratories are expensive and require a considerable volume of work to justify their maintenance. Also, smaller police units often do not appreciate the usefulness of laboratory methods and evidence is destroyed or left uninvestigated. 2,In a century there have been about as many commissioners as the Detroit Department has had in the past 15 years-10 in all. 22Every veteran policeman operates such a system on his own initiative but might not recognize it by its Latin name. Except in a few California cities formal modus operandi systems have not found the favor in America that they have in Europe, possibly because of the mobility of American criminals both as to territory and type of crime. 64 Police School-To a great extent, recent improvement in modern police departments is due to the general use of police training schools, both for recruits and for regular patrolmen and their officers. Police training schools have reached about as high a degree of efficiency as possible under present conditions governing the selection and promotion of personnel. Further improvement will come thru better instructors, an organized curriculum, adaption of teaching methods to the capacity of pupils, improved selection of recruits, and assignments according to fitness. These are only possible in a large department where civilian assistance is available and financial support can be secured. At present the State Police has a traveling police school, operating for a two week period in the various cities. Detroit has a good school with a teaching staff and modern methods of teaching. Otherwise little instruction is given to the police in Wayne County with the exception of the Wyandotte Department, headed by a former Detroit commissioner of police, who operates a modern tho informal police school for his department. Radio-The use of radio in policing work is a development not found in European countries. This aid to successful policing was initiated and perfected by the Detroit department." For reasons other than efficiency or economy, three police broadcasting stations exist in the Detroit area, each using the same wave length. This condition is inimicable to effective use. Radio control of police cars should be confined to a central broadcasting station operated as a single unit for the benefit of all of the police in the area. At present many of the smaller departments are not using the radio. Mobilization for Emergency-The State police and the Sheriff's deputies are always available for emergencies arising in the smaller units of government. The State police are highly trained which cannot be said of the ordinary deputy sheriff. Policing does not involve the same number of the same type of cases daily, but must meet peaks of crime in emergencies that tax the facilities of an entire area. The mobilization of the police reserve strength for use in any territory not only means more effective policing but under usual conditions, a more economical distribution of police.24 The experience of the London Metropolitan District Police indicates that a plan of metropolitan policing is feasible. Pending the establishment of a unified government in the area, among the duties of which would be policing, there several practical plans of partial integration of police service that would be an improvement over existing conditions: A Metropolitan District Police-With the proper constitutional amendment and a liberal enabling act, a metropolitan district police could be organized for Wayne County in the same manner as the London Metropolitan District Police. A Division of State Police-The State police are capable of assuming direction of police work in the metropolitan area altho the experiment has never been tried. Coordination by State Authority-There are four cities where there is considerable measure of state control of local police-St. 2sUnder former Commissioner W. P. Rutledge and his subordinates, who overcame both technical and practical difficulties. 24See the brief discussion of this point by Paul Studensky, "Government of Metropolitan Areas", National Municipal League, New York, 1930. pp. 126-7. 65 Louis, Kansas City, Baltimore and Boston. Under similar control a deputy state police commissioner could be appointed for the Detroit area whose interests would be solely that of coordinating the various police departments in a manner suitable to local needs but with the necessary power of appointment and removal. Contract for Police Work-It would be both feasible and economical for Detroit to enter into contracts with neighboring municipalities to undertake their police work. However, so far as is known, only one instance of such contracts exists, and that in a small municipality adjacent to Indianapolis.* The Sheriff as Director of Metropolitan Police-Under present laws the sheriff is a logical officer to undertake the coordinating of the separate police departments. The idea is too fantastic to elaborate. A Metropolitan Police Bureau-A metropolitan bureau could be attached to the Detroit Department. Detroit, as indicated is organized to handle all usual types of crime, with the facilities and background to render any necessary aid to other departments. However, it can hardly take the initiative in welding the smaller departments into a unified whole without raising suspicion of its motives. But what Detroit cannot do by itself in welding the thirty departments into a single force can be done either by statute or by ordinance of the County Board of Supervisors or by voluntary action of the departments. Were the County to appropriate a nominal sum of money to the Detroit Department with the conditions that it make its facilities available to the metropolitan departments, a long step forward would be taken. In order to achieve the greatest use of the department for other cities, a deputy commissioner could be appointed from among the neighboring police departments, who would act as a co-ordinator. Health Health service should not be restricted by artificial boundaries because communicable diseases do not recognize them, nor can the usefulness of the various protective inspectional services, such as those applying to milk, meats, food, restaurants, etc. be localized. Detroit is the only city in the metropolitan district which has both a full time health officer and a complete and well rounded program of health services. It would be needless duplication to enter fully into the value of unified health service in the State, as this is the subject of a separate report of this Series.25 Pending a liberalization of the Constitution to permit metropolitan health districts, or other remedial legislation, it is believed that the health work of the county could be centralized in a health commissioner as a separate department of the county government. It is possible for this work to be started immediately, first among the rural units of the county and later extended to all other cities, villages, and townships so that there would be one centralized county health department. This type of organization is no longer a novelty, but is a common development in many statesin fact, it is in use of this state. The law makes provisions for county health units which are used to a limited extent. In another part of the state under the leadership of the Children's Fund of Michigan several health units have been organized, each embracing several counties. *Pleasant Ridge, Oakland County, contracts with Ferndale for fire protection. nsDr. N. Sinai, "Organization and Administration of Public Health", Michigan Local Government Series. 66 A well rounded county health program to handle all health work in the county must await a change in the present county organization to permit centralized control. There are undoubtedly possibilities for a county health department to take over and augment the present health work now being done by the Rural Nursing Service, but a real county health unit reaching into every city needs a stronger county government than is possible under present constitutional prohibitions. Welfare Welfare, like health, is a true metropolitan problem and can only be solved as such. A proposed county welfare program has been presented in the separate report on the subject in this Series.26 The metropolitan district, and in lieu of that, the county, is the smallest unit which can be responsible for effective welfare work. True, the experience of Oakland County switching from the county to the townshipcity unit appears to indicate a trend away from the larger unit but competent observers believe that the fundamental reasons for the change were political. In Michigan at the present time, 58 counties, or over 70 percent of the total, operate with the county welfare unit. Twenty five counties use the city-township system. Fire Protection There is no record of an existing metropolitan district fire service. About 1865 a metropolitan fire district existed for New York and Brooklyn but it lasted for only a short time. There are some county fire departments, but ordinarily such territory is small and lies adjacent to a large city. Jackson County (Michigan) has a county fire department which is a branch of the Jackson City department. There is a township fire department in Royal Oak Township (Oakland County) serving the Hazel Park territory. The reasons for absence of such metropolitan developments are the natural limitations on fires and the willingness of fire departments to interchange standardized apparatus, usually on a rental basis. Crime knows no boundaries but fires are not so democratic. Usually they are self limiting by the character of the development on the boundaries of a large city and in case of a major conflagration all adjacent departments usually join as necessary. The justification of a metropolitan fire district is held to two aspects of the fire problem: Economy-In a study of fire service in New Jersey27 it was found that in Hudson County $3,719,000 was spent for fire service exclusive of water charges and fire prevention. It was found that if each department was organized on a 'standard' basis-that is, the members being paid the average salary paid thruout the State and meeting the minimum requirements of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, the cost would be $3,265,000. But more interesting, if the County was organized on a metropolitan district basis, the cost could be placed at $2,095,000 or a reduction of $1,624,000, a saving of 45 per cent. In Wayne County it was impractical to make as detailed a study as in Hudson County, but a similar condition exists to some extent. 2,Opal V. Matson, "Local Relief to Dependents." Michigan Local Government Series. The report recommends a County commission. 27Local Fire Protection, Services and Costs, Report No. 4, The Commission to Investigate County and Municipal Taxation and Expenditures, Trenton, N. J., 1931, pp. 29-30 and Appendix A. This booklet is excellent popular exposition of the unnecessary costs of fire departments. 67 YI)YLYCIUY UYI OUTSIDE AREAS FURNISHED DETROIT WATER AND PROPOSED EXTENSIONS -SERVICED AREA at: -PROPOSEO Ex TENSIONS Chart 3. 68 TABLE VI Fire Department Costs Wayne County 1931 Population Expenditures Cost Per Unit 1930 1932 Capita Detroit..............................1,568,662 $4,415,594 $2.81 All Other Cities.............. 217,603 705,570 3.24 Total Cities....................1,786,265 $5,121,164 2.87 All Villages.................... 63,842 279,188 4.37 Total................................1,850,107 $5,400,352 2.92 The limitations on the value of per capita costs as a measure of efficiency are too well known to be discussed. But these per capita costs do indicate the type of development of fire services within the Wayne County Metropolitan district. Detroit's department, considered an outstanding fire fighting unit, costs but $2.81 per capita. The other cities of the County with a total population of 217,600 have a cost of $3.24 per capita. Villages, with only 63,842 population, have a cost of $4.37 per capita. These data indicate that the cost of fire service varies inversely with population. Using Detroit figures as a base, the municipalities adjacent to Detroit would save over $200,000 a year if they had the same organization as in the metropolitan city. Naturally, as most of these communities have no high value districts the actual savings would be greater than this. The major savings possible from a metropolitan fire district results from the application of the rules of the Board of Fire Underwriters. When each unit is considered by itself, it must have more apparatus than if it is a part of a unified area.28 Training Schools-Well trained personnel and especially well trained battalion chiefs and other officers are more important than apparatus in fighting fires. Detroit has a well organized and well equipped fire college. Certain other departments have schools, but in general, instruction is only a small part of the general routine and not a specialized service for more efficient fire fighting methods. For the smaller units, a continuous year around fire school should produce better fire fighters, and therefore lower fire losses. While Detroit has the facilities for training firemen, there is no responsibility for giving instruction to men outside the department. Water Supply The Detroit Water Board now supplies water to about twenty-five municipalities lying within a fifteen mile radius of central Detroit. With the opening of the Springwells plant the Detroit department is prepared to furnish water to the entire urban area of Wayne County. The Detroit authorities have twice requested the County to advance funds so that the Detroit water supply could be extended to a number of municipalities not in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis. The water rates charged these outside communities by Detroit are low even at the double rate charged non-resident consumers. Under the Charter the Water Board may: 2sFor a discussion of this phase of fire organization see Mr. Peter Steinkellner, Chief, Milwaukee Department, "Rendering Aid to Neighbors", Proceedings of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, October, 1931. 69 '... determine the rates at which water shall be sold to persons residing without the city; but such rates shall not be more than double the amount charged to inhabitants of the city".29 The double rate is not the same in all cases due to a sliding scale, the charges being based on total consumption. The average rate for the year ending June, 1932, to outside municipalities was 72 cents per 1000 cubic feet, although the range was from $1.29 per 1000 cubic feet in River Rouge to 62 cents for Dearborn. The cities supplied by Detroit resell it to their consumers. These retail rates vary greatly, as is illustrated by the charges in typical cities based on a consumption of 10,000 cubic feet per year thru a five-eighths inch meter, considered the average residential consumption: D etroit.................(City Ow ned)........................................$ 8.90 Highland Park.(City Owned)........................................ 12.50 Hamtramck.......(Purchased from Detroit).................. 14.30 Ferndale............ (Purchased from Detroit).................. 16.36 W yandotte.........(City Owned)........................................ 18.15 Dearborn.............(Purchased from Detroit).................. 20.00 Royal Oak.........(Partially from Detroit)...................... 22.40 This needless lack of uniformity has resulted in agitation for lower water rates in the smaller cities supported by groups which will benefit by the construction and operation of local water plants. Whether the charges by Detroit results in too high rates is a question. The following tabulation of rates to the average householder in six neighboring cities owning their water systems is of interest.s TABLE VII Source of Cost of Residential Consumption City Supply Water Service Total Monroe..........................Lake Erie $28.96....... $28.96'3 Pontiac...................................W ells 16.80....... 16.80 Flint.......................................River 15.00....... 15.00 Jackson..................................Wells 9.00 $4.00 13.00 Ann Arbor............................W ells 12.60...... 12.60 Port Huron............................River 6.75 1.00 7.75 These figures indicate that the rates now charged in the municipalities served by the Detroit Water Board are not excessive. Detroit has the largest supply of filtered water in the world and is prepared to meet the needs of the entire urban area in Wayne County. For neighboring communities to duplicate that supply is a needless waste of capital investment and to some extent of operating costs. If a consolidated government is not provided for the metropolitan area, taking over the task of water supply, two other solutions are available. Continuation of Status Quo.-The Water Board can supply water to outside municipalities, with little assurance that the municipalities will continue the arrangement if and when they can find another source more to their financial or political advantage. To some extent, the Water Board can mitigate the force of present criticisms by a revision of rates to outside municipalities, such rates to repre~~Chap. XII, Sec. 17, "Double rate" means double the rate charged to a large consumer. The nonresident householder does not necessarily pay twice as much for water as a Detroit resident. soAll data is from a study prepared for the Pontiac Department of Water Supply by G. D. Kennedy, "Water Rate Study", April, 1931. There have been some recent changes in the rates shown. *,This high rate is due to an effort to amortize the cost of a water plant bought in 1920, over a thirty year period-a total of $1,337,500 to be met from revenues. 70 sent all essential costs with an additional charge to finance delayed payments. It might be possible for the Board to expand the policy now in effect in Allen Park, Garden City, Inkster and Oak Park, under which the Board reads meters, bills and collects the charges, and undertakes the same responsibilities as in Detroit. A Metropoli'tan Water Supply-Altho the initiative of the Detroit Water Board has nullified much of the need for a metropolitan water district, it is still possible under the State constitution and statutes. Such a plan would contemplate one large water utility, much on the order of the electric utility in this area. This utility would supply water, read meters, bill and collect for water consumed, make repairs and do all other necessary work. It would replace twenty-five independent water departments and permit an economical, efficient and logical organization. In such a plan, Detroit would necessarily have to be generous in sharing its huge water system with other municipalities, for only to a minor extent could they assume any of the present capital costs. Water rates would be modified, zoned, and arranged to the mutual advantage of all consumers. The major problems in such a plan include an equitable distribution of capital costs between Detroit and all other municipalities, assumption of the local debt burden for water mains and the perfection of an organization which would give proper representation to all concerned. The organization of a metropolitan district undoubtedly would have to be done thru the initiative of Detroit. The argument for joining such a district would be the reduction secured in water rates. Such a plan has merit. Water supply is the one outstanding function in the territory which can be immediately undertaken by the metropolitan area without change of laws. Sewage Disposal By international treaty the urban area must shortly undertake the purification of its sewage to end the pollution of the Detroit river. The estimates of cost of this project range from $15,000,000 to $25,000,000 Either Detroit or the County or a Metropolitan government must proceed with this project. The nature of the drainage basin and possible economies in construction and operation urge that the job be done as a unit. Refuse Disposal Incineration of refuse which Detroit must undertake in the near future is equally suitable for the neighboring cities of Highland Park, Dearborn and others. Either these cities should contract with Detroit for the disposal of their refuse, planning locations of incinerators suitable to the requirements of all, or disposal should be an obligation of a unified government. Parks At present the County operates all parks, with the exception of those in Detroit and the semi-public parks located in Grosse Pointe Township. The County or a metropolitan government could well take over the complete operation of all parks as they are all community projects, with the exception of those in the Grosse Pointe Township. Assessing and Tax Collecting Another report in this Series recommends that the assessment and collection of taxes be made a function of the County.32 slLoren B. Miller "Local Finance and Procedure", Michigan Local Government Series. 71 CHAPTER IV FIVE WAYS OF UNIFYING PARALLEL SERVICES OF AREAWIDE IMPORTANCE NOW FURNISHED BY THESE GOVERNMENTS The necessity, in some instances, of providing a unified administration for services of area-wide importance has been generally recognized. Local pride, unequalities in taxation, the apprehension of job holders, and the lethargy of citizens have so far combined as to keep plans to that end in a conversational and controversial stage. But even conversations and controversy constitute progress in government, so much controlled it is by prejudice and emotions, and concerning which new ideas are "first scorned, then tolerated and then embraced". Five methods of securing the unified administration of public services have been seriously discussed-A metropolitan district government for special purposes organized under existing laws. -A consolidation of existing city, village and County governments. -The federated city plan-a consolidation of existing city and village government, but with autonomy in many local matters. -Annexation of neighboring cities and villages to Detroit. -Separate State-hood for Detroit and its environs. These will be considered in the order given: 1. A Metropolitan District Government Organized Under Existing Laws Metropolitan district governments are usually special bodies conducting one or more distinct public services of common interest to several independent units. The jurisdiction of such agencies often includes a number of cities and villages as well as adjacent unincorporated areas, and may even extend beyond state boundaries.' These districts ordinarily have the power to levy taxes, contract debt, own property, and to carry on services for which they were organized. The 1920 census enumerated 29 metropolitan communities.2 Ten of the central cities have 25 separate special metropolitan authorities, or district governments, indicating a tendency to expand the use of this type of government once it is tried. More than half of the 25 district governments are of recent origin-15 being organized since 1915.3 The earliest use of metropolitan district government in the United States was by the establishment of the South Park Commission in 1869 to provide parks in the South Chicago, Hyde Park and Lake sections of Chicago. Now many Illinois communities have park districts not necessarily conterminous with their principal cities. The Chicago Sanitary District was founded in 1889 to remove sewage pollution from Lake Michigan and thus to insure a pure water supply.,The New York Port Authority is an example of this last, established by treaties between New York and New Jersey. aMetropolitan District governments are not to be confused with metropolitan areas-natural communities-of which 96 were enumerated by the 1930 census. sStatistics from Paul Studensky, "The Government of Metropolitan Areas", National Municipal League, New York, 1930. 72 The Sanitary District now operates over an area of 442 square miles embracing 61 municipalities. While the initial objective was to reverse the flow of the Chicago River, the activities of the District have expanded to include sewage treatment, pumping works, construction of docks, terminals and locks in conjunction with the Mississippi waterway and improvement of the South Branch of the Chicago River, electrical power production for street lighting, and the construction of motor drives and bridle paths.' The Essex Border Utilities Commission in Canada offers Detroit a close at hand example of district government. It comprises the eight municipalities of the Border community around Windsor.5 Administrative control is in a board of nineteen members-the mayors of the eight municipalities and eleven elected members, four from Windsor and one from each of the other cities. The Commission cannot proceed with an improvement without a favorable vote by at least three cities, and only those voting favorably can be included in a project. Financing is by assessments on the participating governments. At the end of its first ten years the Commission had completed three major projects-the construction of an intercepting sewer, in which six municipalities joined; the construction of a filtration plant, in which all joined; and the operation of a health service in which six joined. Subject to the restrictions enumerated, the law permits the Commission wide authority in the control of parks, roads, water supply and planning. The organization of metropolitan districts varies and seldom are two alike in their relations to the state and to the communities served, or in method of choosing the administrative authority. A favorite method of selecting the governing body is by appointment by the governor of the state. A majority of the districts are actually federations of the governments served; some are instrumentalities of the state; some are distinct local governments functioning independently of the local units; while others have a peculiar relation to the state and local bodies, which does not permit inclusion in any group.6 The governing bodies of districts are usually composed of either three or five members altho the famous Port of New York Authority has twelve members and the equally important Chicago Sanitary Commission, nine. Usually the members serve without pay, but members of the Chicago Sanitary Commission receive $7,500 a year. The power and methods of financing vary widely, but in general each district may assess taxes and spread the cost of an improvement or service over the properties benefited.7 The Detroit Metropolitan Area A metropolitan area is defined by the United States Census as follows: "The metropolitan district for the census of 1930... includes, in addition to the central city or cities, all adjacent and contiguous civil divisions having a density of not less than 150 inhabitants per square mile and also, as a rule, those civil divisions of less density that are directly contiguous to the central cities, or are entirely or nearly surrounded by minor civil divisions that have the required density." 4Statistics from C. E. Merriam et al "The Government of the Metropolitan Region of Chicago", University of Chicago Press, 1933. sVaries from six to eight member cities for different services. eThe management of the Boston Elevated Railway is an example of this last type. 7See Studensky, Op. Cit. 73 The area of the Detroit metropolitan district, as determined for 1930 has a population of 2,104,764 (of which Detroit contains 1,568,662 or 74.5 percent) divided as follows: Population Units of Government Macomb County...................... 56,101 6 townships and 2 cities Oakland County.................... 177,270 7 townships and 4 cities Wayne County........................1,871,393 11 townships and 7 cities Total..................................2,104,764 24 townships and 13 cities The district of 2,100,000 inhabitants residing in 24 townships and 13 cities located in three counties forms a natural community of kindred interests, typical economic development, and to a large extent of common problems of government. Here are 67 governmental units (excluding school districts but inincluding villages) carrying on the services necessary to a densely populated industrial area. Some of these services are a local significance-street cleaning and refuse collection for example. These services might be performed better by a single unit, but failure to do them well by one unit would be of no particular significance to the others. It is the services of area wide importance that are of concern-policing, public health, welfare, possibly fire protection, water supply, sewerage and transportation. If they are left undone or are done badly by any one of the units, the well-being of all others is affected. Metropolitan Government Acts in Michigan. The Michigan constitution restricts the use of metropolitan district government to certain types of public works, and such use has been made somewhat unnecessary by the initiative of Detroit in undertaking improvements of area-wide benefit. To some extent, satellite communities have relied upon the metropolis to provide for them in providing for itself. The Port District The first legalization of a metropolitan district in Michigan provided for port development alone. An amendment to the Constitution authorizing such a district was adopted at the election of April 12, 1923, by a vote of 226,623 for and 207,926 against the amendment of Article VIII, sec. 30, reading: "The legislature may provide for the incorporation of ports and port districts, and confer power and authority upon them to engage in the work of internal improvements in connection therewith". The enabling act" provided for a non-salaried board of three members, appointed by the governor, for three year staggered terms, not more than two members to be of the same political faith. The grant of authority is general, and permits "acquirement, construction, maintenance, operation, development, and regulation of a system of harbor improvements and railroad and water transfer and terminal facilities.." The district may extend thru part or the whole of a county, as determined by a vote of cities and townships involved. An annual tax of not to exceed $500,000 may be raised and this may be increased to one-half mill (50 cents per $1000 of valuation) with approval of three-fifths vote of the electorate. Similar approval is required on bond issues which are limited to two percent of the assessed valuation of the district, nor more than an eC. L. 1929, Sec. 2290-2325. See also P. A. 1933, Act 67. 74 amount equal to one-fifth of one per cent of the total assessed valuation to be issued in any one year. The plan follows somewhat that of the Port of New York Authority, organized in 1921 by a treaty between New Jersey and New York. The proposal for a port district was initiated by a committee of the Detroit Board of Commerce appointed in connection with the projected St. Lawrence Waterway development. In 1926, the quasi-official Port Commission was appointed by Mayor John Smith for which a series of studies were undertaken, chiefly under the direction of the City Engineer.9 In 1932 the Wayne Board of Supervisors was petitioned to authorize a County referendum on the question of establishing a port district for the entire area or for such governmental units as approved. The Supervisors demurred, not approving all phases of the enactment, and appointed a committee to study a revision of the statute. This resulted in an amendment to the former port act, increasing the control of the Board of Supervisors over the expenditures of the port commission. Other changes were: a three-fifths vote of the electors in the port district, rather than the individual cities and villages; increasing the membership in the commission to five members; increasing the tax limit to two dollars a thousand valuation altho all budgets must be approved by the Board of Supervisors; and while the debt limits were not increased, bond issues must have the approval of three-fifths of the Board of Supervisors in addition to a three-fifths vote of the electorate. The amendment increased the scope of the port commission giving it the power "to lay out, construct, condemn, purchase, acquire, add to, maintain, conduct and operate any and all systems of seawall jetties, piers, wharves, docks, boat landings, warehouses, store houses, elevators, grain bins, cold storage plants, terminal icing plants, bunkers, oil tanks, ferries, canals, locks, bridges, seaways, tramways, cable ways and conveyors, together with modern appliances for the economical handling, storing and transporting of freight and handling passenger traffic and other harbor improvements, rail and water transfer and terminal facilities within such port district.... and the advertisement of the business of the port district.",o All of the proposed port development lies within Wayne County and a considerable part of it in Detroit-about 50 per cent of the total of twenty-two miles of shore line being within the City. Were it not for the benefit accruing to neighboring municipalities and the fairness of an equitable distribution of the cost" of the improvement, a sizable job could be done by Detroit alone. Certainly the County government could undertake the improvement with little injustice, except to the extreme rural areas. As a County project the development should be undertaken only by a centralized and responsible County department of public works-which does not now exist. sPerry A. Fellows: " Detroit River Front, a Report for the Mayor and the Mayor's Port Commission", Detroit, 1928. See also, "The Port of Detroit". Lake Series No. 2, Corps of Engineers, United States Army and the Bureau of Operations, United States Shipping Board. Government Printing Office. Washington, D. C. 1931. 'oP. A. 1933, Act 67. Adopted by the electorate of Wayne County in November, 1933. "It may be argued that this ignores the present financial difficulties of the City. It does, but under any plan of improvement 80 per cent or more of the obligation will rest upon Detroit property owners. 75 Other Metropolitan Districts With respect to other metropolitan districts Art. VIII, Sec. 31 of the Constitution provides: "The legislature shall by general law provide for the incorporation of any two or more cities, villages or townships, or any combination or parts of same... for the purpose of acquiring, owning and operating either within or without their limits... parks or public utilities for supplying sewerage disposal, drainage, water, light, power or transportation or any combination thereof.." This amendment is lengthy and detailed, apparently to assuage the fear of the smaller units of government of being annexed to Detroit in the guise of joining a metropolitan district. The enabling act is also detailed.12 Taxing power of the district is limited to one-half per cent ($5.00 per $1000 valuation). The debt limit is restricted to two per cent of the assessed valuation with the provisos that the debt limit may be exceeded if improvements are financed by special assessments, and that utility mortgage bonds to be retired from earnings may be issued under certain limitations. The tax system is to be that already organized, the district making its tax budget and transmitting it to local agencies for collection. In fact, a separate municipality is to be created with rather broad grants of power. The details of organization would be determined by a charter drafted by a charter commission, and approved by a majority of the electors in voting in the proposed district. This permission to establish a metropolitan district for Detroit and its environs has not been used and may never be. When first seriously considered in 1915 it was thought imperative to the proper development of the Detroit Area.'3 An amendment to the constitution was presented in 1924 but due to opposition of smaller municipalities was not voted upon until 1926 and the enabling legislation did not become effective until 1930. Thus 15 years elapsed between recognition of the need and the granting of the mandate. During this period from 1915 to 1930, the major industrial development of the Detroit area had taken place. Detroit could not wait for an overwhelmingly rural legislature to set up machinery for an orderly development of public works in the urban district. The City went ahead alone. By constructing such improvements as were necessary for a well-rounded development of the section, the Water Board now furnishes service to practically all communities within approximately a fifteen mile circle and has the attributes of a metropolitan district government except that there is neither control nor financial responsibility by the area served.'4 Transportation is furnished numerous municipalities outside the city limits by the Detroit Department of Street Railways. The City is also well on the road toward a solution of the sewage disposal problem for the area, tho handicapped by legislation which prevents any municipality placing a sewage disposal plant within the limits of another without an affirmative referendum vote of the latter.'s Sewage disposal remains a development that might properly be undertaken by a metropolitan district or by the County. 12C. L. 1929, Sec. 2275-2289.,3The proposal was first made in 1916 in a report of a committee of the Detroit Board of Commerce. In 1922 the project was revived being actively supported by Detroit civic agencies including the Board of Commerce, the Citizens League and the Bureau of Governmental Research. I41n 1932 and 1933 Detroit Water Board proposed that the County lend financial assistance to extend service thruout the urban area. '5C. L. 1929-Sec. 2482-2486. 76 Parks may be excluded from consideration since Detroit has developed a zoo in Oakland County, and a system of large parks within the city. Wayne County has developed a series of smaller parks throuout the county. Light and power developments are scarcely metropolitan projects, as the territory is well supplied by privately owned public utilities. The foregoing includes all of the projects permitted in a metropolitan district and it is evident that the need of such a new unit of government has been minimized by the initiative of Detroit. Of even greater significance in militating against the usefulness of the metropolitan district plan are the limitations imposed in the amendment itself. The original proposal to the legislature would have permitted a district to perform any functions of local government upon a vote of the localities affected. As enacted, the amendment restricts activities to public works alone. Accordingly, services of area wide importance, such as policing, public health and welfare relief, must remain obligations of the localities. At least no effective use can now be made of the strictly metropolitan district plan until there is further amendment of the constitution and liberalization of the enabling act. Such procedure is so difficult that perhaps some other plan is more expedient. 2. A Consolidation of Existing City and Village Governments With That of the County City-county consolidation differs from city-county separation in two important respects: first, the dominant city of Detroit would take over functions of the existing Wayne County government and subsidiary municipal governments so that only the government of Detroit remained; second there would be a complete unification of all public services within the County. The plan has much to commend it. Strangely it has been seldom used in this country, and there is little trend towards greater use. In 1852 New Orleans combined three cities into one, and removed any excuse for a county government. About the same time, 1854, fifteen boroughs and thirteen townships united in Philadelphia; county and city offices were combined and the government somewhat simplified. However, the constitution of 1874 was so framed that county officers again came into being altho the city council continued to act as the legislative body for both units. St. Louis, now a separate county, voted in 1926 to annex the balance of the county to form a single city-county of St. Louis, but the proposal was defeated in the out-of-the city area."6 Large cities usually have been willing to unite with smaller unit, but the smaller units are often reluctant to join. The independent existence of satellite cities and villages satisfies local pride, retains occasional financial advantages, and is always a desideratum of office holders-influences that outweigh the advantages of better government. There is at present no constitutional authority for city-county consolidation, and it could only be effected by successive annexations to Detroit until the city became in fact the county. Such a course is improbable to the point of impossibility. The basic reasons for considering such a change are these: 1. A modern centralized government would be practically assured. teThese consolidations are discussed in Paul Studensky: "The Government of Metropolitan Area," National Municipal League, New York, 1930. 77 Complete consolidation would naturally involve the delegation of all governmental activities to the city of Detroit. Among the 10 largest cities in the county, Detroit's government is the single instance of a modern representative, strongly centralized organization without political party domination. Here is found a small non-partisan legislative body elected at large, and a single elected executive appointing all administrative officers, who in turn operate departments manned by a personnel under the merit system. This organization contrasts with the County government which is without an executive head and with 16 separately elected administrators loosely supervised by an elected Board of Auditors, and employees subject to the whims of politics. Contrasted also is the County legislative body of 145 members, many of them appointed rather than elected and controlling a gross budget of $25,000,000 annually. 2. Economy in operation would be attained. Such economies would come, first, because of the elimination of duplicate and parallel services; and second, a small responsible legislative body would exercise greater care in consideration of the budget, as is evidenced by the difference in the conduct of Supervisors as County legislators and as members of local legislative bodies. 3. Public attention would be focused on the consolidated government. At present, county government is neglected, because it touches the citizens only incidentally, because its workings are confused except to the student of government and because its form of organization prevents effective protest. Only when the governments of the area are integrated and brought closer to the public, will really effective and economical government be secured. 4. Area-wide administration of important services would be certain. The existence of only a single local government in Wayne County would obviously result in a single administration of services now distributed among 145 governments. 5. Unified development would be possible. It would permit an orderly development of the entire territory in accordance with one regional plan, something impossible at present. The principal difficulty in any plan of city-county consolidation arises in connection with the selection of the legislative body. Detroit represents 83 percent of the total population of Wayne County. Assuming that the Detroit council would be the nucleus of a legislative body for the consolidated city-county, it would have to be enlarged by representatives from the suburban communities. With nine councilmen elected at large, the metropolis has one representative for each 174,300 population. The balance of the county contains 320,000 people and with the same ratio of representation that prevails for Detroit would be entitled to two representatives. The present Board of Supervisors consists of 145 members with 79 or 54 percent apportioned to Detroit. This same ratio could be maintained in a legislative body of sixteen members if seven were apportioned to the out-county and nine to the city. The Mayor would, assumably be elected at large and have veto power over legislation. Veto power in the county government over ordinances now rests with the Governor and it can be over-ridden by a two-thirds vote of the Supervisors.17 To estimate a budget for such consolidation is even more difficult than in event of city-county separation which is considered later. Any *C. L. 1929-Sec. 1130. 78 constitutional permission should carry with it the elimination of all present county officers and also existing restrictions in the re-organization of departments. For instance, all duties of the sheriff probably would be eliminated, the deputies now required for court work being assigned to the courts, and the process deputies to the police. It is doubtful if the county jail would be continued. With the construction of a federal jail, the county jail has lost about half of its population. The existing county jail would properly become an adjunct to the Detroit House of Correction for the care of short term prisoners. The same situation prevails with respect to many other functions. Yet practically every office in the city or county government has necessary routine work which it is impossible to eliminate. Combination of officers might reduce so-called overhead, but it would not eliminate all the clerical force. It is possible to effect economies in consolidation however by the use of more modern methods, the universal protection of civil service, uniform salary standards, and the adoption of mechanical methods to routine work. The County has paralleled the City in the use of mechanical methods, but the possibilities for universal adoption and elimination of duplicate equipment can only exist when the County ceases to parallel functions of subordinate governments or when these functions are transferred to the County. The economies possible by the city-county consolidation are similar to those under a city-county separation,s but not only should those savings be realized, but in addition there should be others tho incapable of reasonable estimate. Table VIII, shows that for the County as a whole, savings of $1,404,970 or 8.96% over the present, budget, might be possible with more careful budget scrutiny. If the same salary policies existing in the City had been adopted by the County, a total saving of $2,506,589 or 15.99% would result. Salary standards, especially for the lower wage groups, are higher in the County than in the City. The exact amount is difficult to determine, but a sampling of the lower wage groups indicates that they average 17l% above Detroit's standards.19 Making allowance for those salaries fixed by statute, it is estimated that County salary standards are at least 15% higher than those in the City. In event of consolidation undoubtedly the City salary standard would apply. The savings possible by adopting Detroit standards would be about $436,000 in addition to those given in Table VIII. City-county consolidation should permit other savings. The present constitutional officers and all the statutory offices doubtless would be eliminated in any constitutional amendment permitting city-county consolidation. As mentioned previously, eliminating a constitutional or statutory office does not eliminate all the expense now connected with that office, nor is it reasonable to believe that the Council would eliminate wholesale those functions for which no direct need existed. However, in this report it is assumed that Council would do a fairly satisfactory job-equally as good as as it does with similar functions in the City. Table IX, supplements Table VIII, showing a summary of the possible reductions. "For a discussion of the city-county separation budget and the savings which might be effected, see Chap. VI.,9"Comparative Conditions of Employment in the County, City and School Service," Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research, Detroit, Michigan, August, 1932. The county is preparing a salary classification which should indicate accurately the difference in base rates between the Ditroit and County standards. 79 TABLE VIII Estimated Reductions Possible by City-County Consolidation 1932 County Budget. Present Budget Constitutional Offices, Except Clerk and Prosecutor............$ 740,291 Statutory Offices.................................. 165,787 Board of Auditors, functions not included elsewhere............................ 1,013,820 Welfare Functions................................ 2,494,712 Institutional Care.................................. 3,837,204 Debt and Reserves................................ 2,628,806 All Other Departments........................ 535,646 Board of Supervisors............................ 30,890 Courts, including Clerk and Prosecutor........................................ 2,643,503 Total............................................$14,090,659 Revenues.................................................. 3,414,695 T otal..................................................$10,675,964 Tax Delinquency Reserve.................. 5,000,000 Net Budget......................................$15,675,964 Possible Expense in City-County Budget $ 267,653 54,543 468,610 2,494,712 3,837,204 2,628,806 321,543 10,000 2,602,708 $12,685,689 3,414,695 $ 9,270,994 5,000,000 $14,270,994 Possible Economies $ 472,638 111,334 545,210................ 214,103 20,890 40,795 $1,404,970 $1,404,970 $1,404,970 TABLE IX Summary of Economics Possible by City-County Consolidation Detroit-Wayne Co. Total Budget 1932 County Tax Levy (Excluding State Taxes and Good Roads........ $15,675,964 Estimated Tax Levy for city-county Consolidation........................................ 14,270,994 Estimated Tax Levy based on Detroit's salary standards applied to similar positions in Wayne County 13,835,317 Estimated Tax Levy applying in addition to the above, the same emergency reduction as Detroit, a further reduction of 24%........................ 13,169,375 Possible Economies* $1,404,970 1,840,647 2,506,589 Per Cent Economies* 8.96%i 11.74 15.99 The savings indicated by the city-county separation total $818,935. as described in Chapter VI page 111. The savings indicated by the citycounty consolidation equal $1,404,970, or an increase of $586,035. These reductions are more drastic than those shown for the city-county separation but represent budget allowances comparable to the present practice in Detroit. *The principles upon which these economies are based are outlined in Chapter VI, page 108 et seq. 80 The distribution of the gasoline and weight tax money to the County would not be as complicated as with a city-county separation, as the County would remain a unit and share alike with other counties. There might be a difference in the apportionment between the urban and rural areas within the County were the city separated. The estimated reduction indicates the probable extent of parallelism in the county government. The estimate excludes any reducions in the present welfare expenses, the cost of institutional care, debt service and the courts. The total burden of these items which have not been considered as subject to economy thru county consolidation total about 80 percent of the entire County budget. Naturally, with the remaining 20 percent only partial economy is possible. In any plan of city-county consolidation, undoubtedly a complex situation would arise with respect to the taxing of rural and urban areas at a uniform tax rate. If the functions of government were consolidated whereever possible with those of Detroit, then the total City budget would reflect the total cost of city-county government. Some portion of this budget would represent county costs which should be spread upon the County at large. On the other hand, the rural areas should not pay for services rendered only to the urban sections. A solution might be found in a classified tax making varying tax rates for urban, suburban and rural properties.19A It is possible that city-county consolidation would result in the extension of metropolitan services to the entire county, rural, as well as urban, with a resulting increase in governmental cost. There has been no history of a city-county consolidation where the area of the rural territory represented almost 50 percent of the total county. It is impossible to forecast the action of a legislative body, even tho dominated by the metropolitan city. The plan, without doubt, does violence to the cherished ideals of home rule and emphasizes the dominance of Detroit over the balance of the County. It may be that other plans would offer less political resistance, would give the same measure of efficiency in administration, and almost equal economy in operation. 3. The Borough or Federated City Plan-A Consolidation of Existing City and Village Governments, but With Autonomy In Many Local Matters The borough and federated city plans are not identical but are sufficiently similar to be discussed together. Perhaps the best method of doing so is to describe applications of each and indicate the results of such applications to the Detroit-Wayne County situation. New York is organized on the borough plan. There are no examples of federated cities altho the proposed charters of Pittsburgh and St. Louis embodied this principle. New York City For many years experiments were made to perfect a government for the metropolitan area of New York, beginning about 1860 when various functions were consolidated on a metropolitan district basis, and ending with the charter in 1897 prescribing the present form of government for the area. roAClassification of property for taxation is not possible under the present State Constitution. 81 The City consists of five boroughs, each of which is at present a county. A measure of local autonomy is retained by the boroughs by the election in each of a borough president for a four year term. Within the borough, the president administers all public works activities such as sewerage, street maintenance, sanitation and public building maintenance, alterations and construction. This is the extent of borough local government, but the borough presidents exercise considerable power by reason of membership on the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. This Board is composed of the Mayor, as chairman, with three votes on all questions; the Comptroller, as elective head of the Department of Finance, with three votes; the President of the Board of Aldermen (elected at large) with three votes; the Presidents of the Borough of Manhattan and Brooklyn with two votes each, and the three other borough presidents with one vote each. The Board has sixteen votes, of which nine are cast by officers elected at large. The functions of this Board are: 1. To prepare each year the City's budget over which it retains practical control. 2. To pass upon all proposals for municipal borrowings. 3. To investigate and authorize all requests from the various departments for the transfer or modification of the budget allowances. 4. To determine all grants of franchises. 5. To investigate and act upon all larger questions of public improvements. 6. To determine all matters relating to new positions in the city service, all transfers of employees, the elimination of positions and changes in salaries."t Action by the Board of Aldermen on the budget is restricted to reduction or elimination of items, but it cannot increase any appropriation, insert a new item, or change the conditions under which appropriations are made. The Mayor has veto power over any budget action by the Board of Aldermen and it requires a three-fourths vote to override this veto. The Board of Aldermen consists of sixty-five members,21 elected for two year terms, with a presiding officer, the President, elected at large for a four year term. Department heads have a seat on the Board but no vote. The election is by wards, with an unequal representation due to the rapid growth of some sections of the city. This is shown below: TABLE X Representation - New York Board of Aldermen Population Borough 1930 Area Number Served by Population Sq. Mi. Aldermen One Alderman Manhattan........................1,867,312 22.2 24 77,804 Brooklyn..........................2,560,401 74.1 24 106,683 Bronx................................1,265,258 42.7 8 158,157 Queens..............................1,079,129 109.9 6 179,588 Richmond.......................... 158,346 60.0 3 52,782 Total..........................6,930,446 308.9 65 106,622 soW. B. Munro, "Municipal Government and Administration," New York 1925. Vol. II, page 451. 21The aldermen are elected by assembly districts. In 1916 there were 73 districts, but the following year a reapportionment reduced this number to 62. In 1932 the number was increased to 65 as shown. 82 The county governments consist of a Sheriff, a County Clerk, a District Attorney, a Commissioner of Jurors, and a Public Administrator. In addition some counties have a Register (similar to the Michigan Register of Deeds) and others also a Commissioner of Records. The court system is, in the main, organized on county lines. The Court of Special Sessions, and the City Magistrate's Court, both inferior tribunals, are presided over by judges appointed by the Mayor for ten year terms. Other judges are elected for terms varying from four and six to fourteen years. The net effect of borough government in New York City results in three kinds of local governments: "the city government which in part has jurisdiction over the entire city; the borough government which is a local government in respect to certain matters for each of the five boroughs; and the county government, which is a local government for each of the five counties in regard to county affairs. The first is wholly centralized; the second is partly centralized by means of representation in the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and in the Board of Aldermen; and the third is completely decentralized."" Pittsburgh Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is a highly urbanized area of 725 square miles and a population of 1,374,410. It contains the City of Pittsburgh (pop. 669,817), three other cities (varying in population from 15,291 to 54,632), 65 boroughs (villages) and 53 townships-a total of 122 municipalities. Confronted with the necessity for integration of these local metropolitan areas, a charter for a federated city-council was submitted at a special election in June, 1929.23 The charter was defeated because of the requirement that it receive a majority vote in the County "and a two-thirds vote of the majority of the municipalities". It is said that 374 additional affirmative votes properly distributed would have changed the result. The original charter contained eight articles deleted by the legislature which action destroyed many of the essentials of a federated government. These articles provided for a centralized assessing system, a reorganization of the minor courts, the consolidation of the city and county welfare agencies, a department of personnel, a modern accounting system, and a department of research. "In substance, the charter created a metropolitan government to be known as the City of Pittsburgh which was to take place of the existing county government. In addition to the powers of the county government, the metropolitan government was granted the following powers: power to designate and maintain thru traffic streets; power to exercise planning and zoning regulations except where in conflict with ordinances of municipal divisions; power to create special tax districts to finance improvements for the exclusive benefit of such districts; power to levy special assessments upon abutting and non-abutting property materially benefited by a public improvement; power to make and enforce public health regulations; and finally power to create a metropolitan police district."'2 "2Municipal Year Book of the City of New York, Municipal Reference Library, New York, 1916, page 195. 23This charter and that proposed for St. Louis were largely the work of Prof. Thomas H. Reed of the University of Michigan. '4Martin L. Faust, "Voters Turn Thumbs Down on Pittsburgh's Metropolitan Charter", National.Municipal Review, August, 1929, page 530. Dr. Faust gives one side of the charter fight; the other side is presented by Joseph T. Miller, "The Pittsburgh Consolidation Charter," The National Municipal Review, October 1932, page 607. 83 The legislative body was to be composed of seven commissioners; one, the president, to be elected at large, three to be elected from district one, and one each from the remaining three districts into which the county was divided. The term was four years, with a salary of $9,000 for the commissioners and $15,000 for the president. Thus the Board was to be a semicommission form of government wherein the president was actually the chief executive and yet a member of the legislative body. The charter would have continued in effect the elected offices of sheriff, coroner, controller, district attorney, prothonotary (the principal clerk of some courts), clerk of the courts, register of wills, and recorder of deedsa total of eight elected officers, in addition to the legislative body. St. Louis The City of St. Louis is now a separate city-county, surrounded by the rather populous St. Louis County. The City has a population of 821,960, and the two counties have a combined population of 1,035,553 in a total area of 548 square miles. In this area there are 11 cities, the largest of 25,000 population, eight villages and five townships, a total of 24 municipalities. The St. Louis plan for a federation of these municipal governments never got beyond the stage of a constitutional amendment defeated in the November, 1930 election. This lengthy and detailed amendment provided for a government similar to that proposed for Pittsburgh, and permitted a considerable degree of local autonomy. The governing body was to be composed of eleven members, with the presiding officer elected at large, and the balance by districts of which four were assigned to the county and six to St. Louis. There was to be a metropolitan police for county highways and rural districts, special public works districts, a unified water service for the region. unified regulations covering health and traffic, unified control over franchises, and, in addition, the consolidated government was to have charge of planning, sewers, thru highways, parks, recreation, hospitals, and welfare agencies and institutions. To adopt the charter only a majority vote of both the city and the county of St. Louis would be necessary. As in the Pittsburgh plan, amendments to the charter would be much easier than the adoption of the original charter-a device to secure a charter and later broaden its powers.25 Both the Pittsburgh and St. Louis plans held the possibility of further integration and it may be assumed that the authority of the federated governments would have been extended as necessity dictated. Application to Detroit A federation or borough city-county government is perhaps one of the soundest methods of centralizing metropolitan government, since it is effective, establishes the nucleus for further integration, and does least violence to local sentiment. Table XI indicates certain conditions of the cities discussed as compared with Detroit. 2sThe National Municipal Review, August, 1930, page 52. 84 TABLE XI Population Number % Pop. 1930 Area Density Municipal In Major City-County Population Sq. Mi. Sq. Mi. Units City New York.......................3,437,202* 309 11,123.6 23 53.8 Pittsburgh..................... 1,374,410 723 1,985.7 122 48.6 St. Louis................. 1,053,553 548 1,886.0 24 79.5 Detroitt..........................1,888,946 620 3,046.7 43 83.1 Under the federated plan local functions may be assumed to be those of considerable local interest and which create a minimum of confusion when so operated. In Pittsburgh and St. Louis plans such functions as health, welfare, planning, zoning, thru highways, parks, rapid transit or transportation and similar services were not considered local and were delegated to the central government. Policing was also to be included but in St. Louis was limited to districts having thru highways. With respect to rural areas a federated city-county would not abolish the townships or burden them with an urban tax rate. The importance of the township would be minimized by withdrawing from it the conduct of activities having to do with welfare, health, assessing, tax collecting and highways. It might then be possible to federate these townships, forming a rural municipality to participate in the metropolitan government. In economies the federated city-county would compare favorably with those possible under city-county consolidation, and need not be repeated here. Difficulties might arise with respect to representation on the federated legislative body. Cities vary greatly in size in Wayne County, even exclusive of Detroit. Three have populations of about 50,000; one, 28,000; two, 15,000. Detroit naturally dominates the group with its 1,500,000 residents. A district grouping might be arranged to give one representative to each 50,000 or more persons. Thus Hamtramck, Highland Park and Dearborn would have one representative each; Wyandotte, River Rouge and Lincoln Park, lying closely together, and totaling slightly over 50,000, would have one; the villages and townships have about 100,000 population and would be entitled to two representatives-a total non-Detroit representation of six members. The same ratio of representation applied to Detroit would give that City thirty one members, in a legislative body of thirty seven. A smaller legislative body might be desirable, in which case Detroit's interests would be as well protected by electing nine members out of a total of say, fifteen. The action of the voters in both Pittsburgh and St. Louis indicates that the federated cities plans, altho sound, do not meet with the approval of the electorate outside of the central ctiy. It is possible that if such plans were offered in Wayne County, they would meet with the same result, so that again, other plans may offer a solution to the problem of metropolitan government which would meet with less resistance and yet afford about the same results. 4. Annexation of Neighboring Cities and Villages to Detroit At one time annexation to Detroit was of considerable importance in the development of a strongly centralized government-a process that was not only legal, but one that involved no experiments with an untried form of municipal government. However, the last two referendum votes on an*Population 1900 at time of consolidation. The area is as of 1930, with only slight additions since consolidation. tDetroit represents in this case Wayne County as in the case of the other cities tabulated. School Districts are excluded. 85 nexations to Detroit were negative and municipal progress has vitiated many former arguments for annexation. On one hand, Detroit has annexed about as much undeveloped territory as it can digest for some time to come and has little desire to risk additional costs by absorbing either urban or rural territory. On the other hand, neighboring urban communities have developed their permanent improvements and services to meet immediate requirements. Further, these satellite cities now benefit without cost from the improvements undertaken by the larger city, such as sewers, water supply, parks, streets and transportation; from social services such as health and welfare; and from the stand-by services freely available from the police, fire and hospital authorities. Table XII indicates how Detroit has consistently absorbed adjacent territory. TABLE XII Area and Population-City of Detroit Population Area Per Square Year Sq. Miles Population Mile 1930 139.02 1,568,662 11,283.7 1920 79.62 993,687 12,480.3 1910 40.79 465,766 11,418.6 1900 28.35 285,704 10,077.7 1890 22.19 205,867 9,277.4 1880 16.09 116,340 7,230.5 1870 12.75 79,577 6,241.3 1850 5.85 21,091 3,605.2 1830 2.56 2,222 867.9 1820 1.36 1,456 1,070.5 It appears that the annexations have about kept pace with the population growth of the City. The population density per square mile has been fairly constant since 1900, an evidence that if the city had not annexed territory, the population would have spilled over into adjacent areas, to develop into separate cities, such as Dearborn, Highland Park and Hamtramck. Yet Detroit would be in a better financial condition if it had ceased annexing territory after 1921 and 1922, when the City's area was about eighty-five square miles. The attempt to assimilate about two-thirds of that area-fiftyfour square miles to be exact-within a period of five or six years had added to an already difficult burden. Eventually, the results may justify the cost. Certainly those cities that have refrained from annexations have enlarged the growth of satellite cities which contain many good citizens. The exclusion of this suburban group from the government of the metropolis has not helped the cause of good government in Boston, St. Louis, Cleveland, and other cities with large populations and small areas. Impractical as further annexations may appear, such a process would offer mutual benefit to all concerned. The development of urban territory has been entirely in the eastern part of the County, directly adjacent to Detroit, and as near as possible to the River. There is no city of any considerable size further west than the western limits of Dearborn, while the eastern urban limits coincide substantially with those of Detroit. The territory of these incorporated cities and villages, with that of the highly urbanized townships, forms a triangle of about twenty miles to each side, one base resting on the northern limits of Wayne County and one on the Detroit River. This territory could all be consolidated under one government by annexation with advantage to all concerned. 86 The annexation of Hamtramck and Highland Park to Detroit are within the realms of possibility. These cities, surrounded entirely by Detroit would find it advantageous to join with the larger city. Detroit would gain little, but on the other hand it would lose little or nothing, as the territories are now well organized and little capital investment would be required. The pressure of high taxes resulting from furnishing adequate services to these smaller cities may force them to consider seriously a consolidation plan. In the meantime annexation of present cities to form a cohesive whole is more or less a theoretical plan which may never be achieved. And if consummated it leaves the problem of a decentralized county government in no way affected. 5. Statehood for Detroit The most unorthodox plan suggested as a means of integrating the metropolitan governments is that of statehood for Wayne County combined with portions of Oakland and Macomb Counties. In other words, urban south-eastern Michigan would be separated from the balance of the state to form a separate state. Historically, the City-State is not a new concept in government. The ancient sovereignties of the Mediterranean basin were essentially small areas dominated by urban communities. Athens, Sparta, Syracuse and Carthage are a few classic examples. Many medieval cities enjoyed complete or substantial sovereignity-Venice, Florence, the cities of the Hanseatic League, of which Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck continue today as free cities within the German Reich. Recently, Prof. Charles E. Merriam of the University of Chicago26 has frequently urged the creating of states of the great metropolitan areas, such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit. Such action may appear remote, yet is entirely within the bounds of possibility. The advantages to the communities concerned would be numerous: 1. On their own initiative, they could expand the centralized city governments for the administration of the numerous governments now existing within their areas. 2. Control by State legislative bodies in which the rural areas are over-represented would be at an end. 3. There should be a substantial reduction in the total cost of government, since the subsidies paid by city wealth for the benefit of poor rural communities would be discontinued. There should be no corresponding increase in the cost of local government on account of the assumption of State functions. Detroit already supports, in whole or in part what are ordinarily state institutionsEloise for the insane; the Wayne County Training School for the feeble minded; the House of Correction for both men and women offenders; and Wayne University for higher education. 4. City statehood, with direct and adequate representation in Congress would without doubt secure larger participation in Federal bounties, the cost of which is borne largely by the urban communities. What would be the results of such separation upon the balance of the state? Numerous questions would be raised relating to the incorporation and taxation of business enterprises, divorces, extradition of criminals, 26C. E. Merrian and others, "The Government of the Metropolitan Region of Chicago." University of Chicago Press, 1933, pp. 179-188. 87 allocations of debt and properties and particularly the financing of services in the balance of the State. Wayne County is so important a portion of the State of Michigan that it may be questioned whether it could be separated from the balance of the state and still leave the remainder with the means of progressive government. To answer such a question would require study beyond the purview of this report, but shown below are certain relevant data comparing Michigan's position (minus Wayne County) with other comparable states. TABLE XIII Relation of Michigan (Excluding Wayne County) to other States* Ass. 1929-30 Land Value Population 1930 Assessed Area Per Largest State Population Valuation Sq. Mile Sq. Mi. City Virginia................2,309,187 $1,178,222,000 40,262 $29,263 182,929 Iowa......................2,470,939 3,054,120,000 55,586 54,944 253,143 Minnesota..............2,563,953 1,689,821,000 80,858 20,898 464,356 Kentucky..............2,614,589 1,561,489,000 40,181 38,861 307,745 Wisconsin..............2,632,067 4,429,956,000 55,256 80,171 578,429 Indiana..................3,238,503 3,306,285,000 36,045 91,726 364,161 Michigan, without Wayne County..2,953,379 4,257,869,000 56,860 74,883 168,952 The assessed value per square mile indicates roughly the wealth of the real property, but this is subject to qualification. For instance, in Virginia the general property tax is levied for local purposes only with no state control, and naturally is assessed at a low percentage of true value. Iowa assesses real property at 25 percent of the true value, and Minnesota has a classified property tax which results in a 40 percent assessment for the larger cities. Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan have about the same policies with respect to the general property tax and consequently data from these States are fairly comparable. These data, while by no means conclusive, indicate that Michigan with Wayne County excluded still retains sufficient resources to furnish effective government. The constitution of the United States directly provides for such a separation in Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1: "New states may be admitted by the Congress into this Union but no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State, nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress." There is a history of three such separations, from existing States (not territories), altho none involve the separation of a city from the balance of the state. Kentucky separated from Virginia in 1792 and Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820. In both cases the separation was with the willing consent of the parent state. The most recent case is that of West Virginia which separated from Virginia in 1862. Virginia having seceded, the western portion of the State set up a recognized legislature which technically agreed to the separation.27 *Summarized from data in the World Almanac, 1933. 27Thomas H. Reed, "The Method of State Separation," Bureau Report 85, The Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research, 1925. 88 The provision that the State legislature must consent to a separation might appear to present an insurmountable obstacle. Under existing circumstances, yes. However, the time is not remote when perhaps a preponderance of the Staite's population will be found in the cities desiring a divorce. Eventually such preponderance should lead to control of the State government, in which case the "down-state" or "up-state", as the case may be, might readily consent for both political and economic reasons. Already, Wayne county tends to assume more and more a dominant position in Michigan, as shown by the following figures for the past five census periods: TABLE XIV Relation of Detroit's Population to Total Michigan Total Population % Wayne State Wayne County to Census Population County Bal. State 1930............................ 4,842,325 1,888,946 39.0 1920............................ 3,668,412 1,777,645 32.1 1910............................ 2,810,172 531,591 18.9 1900............................ 2,420,982 348,793 14.4 1890............................ 2,093,890 257,114 12.3 Chicago with 44 percent of the population of Illinois (1930) and New York City with 55 percent of the total population of New York are farther along the road to control of their own destiny. If the present rate of growth is sustained, Wayne County should contain about 50 percent of the state's population in 1940, and have a preponderance by 1950. As is shown in another section of this study, the voting population in Wayne County differs but slightly from that in the balance of the state. Thus, within a decade Wayne County should be in a position to secure reapportionment of the state legislative bodies which is fundamental to any city-state separation.2" Unified Service and the County Government Several of the foregoing plans offer a practical means for unifying services of area wide importance. But unification is only one-half the problem. Under several of the foregoing schemes the county government continues. It is therefore desirable to examine this government and to determine whether a plan can be suggested that will remedy its weakness, and at the same time provide for the integration of services that is so much desired. **The last reapportionment amendment was submitted on Nov. 8, 1932. The total state vote was 1,186,506, of which 56.1 percent was negative. In Wayne County which would benefit most from the amendment, the vote was 382,198 of which 36.4 percent was negative. The negative vote of 138,530 in Wayne County is difficult to explain. 89 II[ z 0 Ch o LA Z.01m i~ IN U V) CL 0. m ii! 03I I_ 90 CHAPTER V THE NEED OF A MORE WORKABLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WITH A RESPONSIBLE LEGISLATIVE BODY AND AN EXECUTIVE HEAD Previous chapters have undertaken to outline the lack of unified administration and of parallelism of public services among the units of government operating in Wayne County-which constitute the principal problem of government in the metropolitan area. This chapter will deal with the organization of the government of the County itself, the defects of which constitute a metropolitan problem of major importance. Every unit of democratic government has a structure to facilitate the determination and execution of policies of government which are necessary to its existence; a legislative body, an executive (altho sometimes consolidated with the legislative body as in the commission plan of government) and certain officers for administration. The effectiveness of this structure can be measured by its conformance to certain standards determined by both theory and practice. So far as the structure of the county government is concerned, its weaknesses have been conceded not only by all students of county government in Michigan, but by county officials themselves. The late William Gutman, for many years an outstanding member of the Wayne County Board of Auditors, said publicly: "The county government, as now established and administered, is fundamentally wrong. We have too many officials, all independent of one another, and who, consequently, do not co-ordinate the activities of the county. As a consequence, we have too much duplication of work, too much of conflict, too many boards and commissions, answerable to nobody in particular, too little of concentration of endeavor, and too little, or may I say, no real supervision or control of the county's many activities.' The Legislative Body Fundamental to any reorganization of the County government is a legislative body which will be truly representative, amenable to public opinion and competent to deal with the complex problems of government. Representation on the present legislative body of the County, the Board of Supervisors, is provided by the Constitution for township supervisors, and by the provisions of the Home Rule Act as amended, for all other members.2 In Michigan this assembly is one of the strangest legislative bodies in American Government in that all its members are either ex officio or are appointed by ex officio members. Detroit has 79 members of which only 12, the Mayor the 9 Councilmen, the City Clerk and the Treasurer are elected by the people. The remaining 67 members are divided into two groups: 31 are city department executives or members of administrative commissions; and 36 are lay members appointed by the Mayor or Council. A somewhat similar system of representation is found in the other cities of the County.,From an address, "Ramshackle Government in Wayne County" Detroit Citizens' League, December, 1921. 2Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 7, and C. L. 1929, Sec. 2263. 91 The Board now numbers 145 members. Due to its brief sessions' the group has not and probably cannot be organized for effective legislative action. Practically all work is done thru committees and the powerful Ways and Means Committee, advised by the Board of Auditors, often assumes the characteristics of the real legislative body. This committee consists of 25 members, of which 15 are from Detroit (the Mayor, 8 Councilmen, City Clerk and 5 members of the administration), 7 from the other 6 cities of the County (Lincoln Park has 2 members), and 3 rural supervisors. The units of representation on the Board are the township and the city. The supervisor of each township has membership regardless of the population of the unit. City representation is on a sliding scale, the population required for each representative increasing with the size of the city. In consequence there is a large inequality in representation shown in Table XV: TABLE XV Representation on Board of Supervisors Governmental Unit 1 Gratiot.................. 2 Melvindale.......... 3 Plymouth............ 4 Grosse Ile............ 5 Plymouth............ 6 Canton.................. 7 Sumpter.............. 8 Taylor.................. 9 Huron.................. 10 Van Buren.......... 11 Romulous............ 12 Lincoln Park...... 13 Livonia................ 14 River Rouge........ 15 Dearborn............ 16 Redford................ 17 Brownstown........ 18 Wyandotte.......... 19 Monguagon........ 20 Northville............ 21 Dearbornt............ 22 Highland Park.... 23 Hamtramck........ 24 Ecorse.................. 25 Nankin................ 26 Detroit.................. 27 Grosse Pointe.... Total............ Type City City City City City City City City City City 9 of Government Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township Township 18 1930 Population 73 4,053 4,484 1,473 1,554 1,583 1,640 2,102 2,532 2,666 2,979 12,336 3,192 17,314 3,738 3,834 4,051 28,368 4,835 5,135 50,358 52,959 56,268 13,972 17,357 1,568,662 21,428 1,888,946 Population Members Represented Board by One Suprs. Supervisor 1 73 4 1,013 4 1,121 1 1,473 1 1,554 1 1,583 1 1,640 1 2,102 1 2,532 1 2,666 1 2,979 4 3,084 1 3,192 5 3,463 1 3,738 1 3,834 1 4,051 6 4,728 1 4,835 1 5,135 9t 5,595 8 6,619 8 7,033 1 13,972 1 17,357 79 19,856 1 21,428 145 13,027 sThe regular sessions of the Board of Supervisors provide for a 3 day meeting in April, 10 days in June and 15 days in September-a total of 28 days. Most of the sessions last about one-half hour or less. Each supervisor is paid $5 per diem. tDearborn has one more supervisor than permissible under the statute, due to adding the representation of Dearborn and Fordson at the time of consolidation. 92 Of the 27 units of government represented, 20 have one representative for each 5,000 or less persons. Gratiot Township has one representative for 73 inhabitants. Grosse Pointe, likewise a township, has one representative for 21,400. Under the present plan of apportionment the Board grows constantly in size altho it is already too large. At the beginning of 1932, it was composed of 137 representatives. Then Plymouth became a city and Melvindale voted to re-incorporate as a city, increasing the number of members to 145. Whereas, Plymouth village as a part of the Plymouth Township was represented by the township supervisor on the basis of a representative for 6,000 persons, upon incorporation as a city, the township has one representative for each 1,200 persons. Among the smaller cities the unit of representation ranges from 1013 persons for Melvindale to 7033 for Hamtramck. Outside of Detroit the average for cities is 4711. For Detroit the average is 19,856. A summary of these data appears in Table XVI. TABLE XVI Summary - Representation Board of Supervisors Members Population 1930 Board Represented by City Population Supervisors One Supervisor Hamtramck.............................. 56,268 8 7,033 Highland Park........................ 52,959 8 6,619 Dearborn.................................... 50,358 9* 5,595 Wyandotte................................ 28,368 6 4,728 River Rouge.............................. 17,314 5 3,463 Lincoln Park............................ 12,336 4 3,084 Plymouth.................................. 4,484 4 1,121 Melvindale...................... 4,053 4 1,013 Total.................................... 226,140 48 4,711 Townships................................ 94,144 18 5,230 Total.................................. 320,284 66 4,852 D etroit......................................1,568,662 79 19,856 Grand Total......................1,888,946 145 13,027 In the event all villages incorporate as cities, this peculiar principle of representation permits a possible expansion of the Board by 44 members, or from 145 to 189. The five Grosse Pointe Villages are now represented by one supervisor but could increase their representation to 15 by re-incorporation of each village as a city. Such action would destroy the small majority of 13 now held by Detroit and place the City, representing 80 percent of the county assessed wealth and about 83 percent of its population, in a minority position to the remaining 20 percent of the wealth and 17 percent of the population. The existing majority of 13 votes is already to some extent a fiction. Perhaps due to the method of selection, Detroit representatives are frequently absent from meetings or do not uphold policies of the elected *One more than the city is entitled. 93 City members. Also, certain important actions of the Board can only be undertaken by a two-thirds vote, a majority which the Detroit members can seldom muster.4 Such incorporation of the remaining villages as cities is easily accomplished under the Michigan statutes and has many advantages. Substantially the same form of government continues but the village is freed from township taxes and the duplicate assessing office is eliminated. The disadvantages are that the city must take over the welfare functions-ordinarily of slight consequence-and provide a police court., If Detroit were granted the same basis of representation enjoyed by the smaller cities and the townships, that of one supervisor to each 4852 persons, the City would have 307 members in the Board of Supervisors in place of 79. There are practical objections to such representation, for the existing board of 145 members is too large and unwieldy to exercise satisfactory administrative control over the County government. What then is a suitable size and organization of a legislative body for Wayne County? In another report of this Series6 it is recommended that county boards "should be reduced to five, seven or nine members elected at large or from large districts". The operation of Detroit's City Council and the similar bodies in its neighboring municipalities confirms the wide experience that small legislative bodies offer the most practical solution of problems of local legislation.' However, the State Constitution provides for township representation on the Board so until a fundamental change is made in this respect, any discussion of practical reform must be confined to the body as now constituted. One solution would be legal recognition of a steering committee, such as the Ways and Means Committee, granting it extensive authority. To the Board of Supervisors might be reserved the right to approve or disapprove but not to amend actions of this Committee, as is now the case in consideration of the budget. However, rather than this makeshift proposal, and pending more fundamental reorganization, it is suggested that a practical proposal would be a system of plural voting whereby representation in the Board of Supervisors would be confined to elected officials only-mayors, councilmen and township supervisors. Each representative would cast sufficient votes so that the total would equal the representation granted to the unit. Under this plan each member would be a directly elected representative, the present plan of apportionment would be continued, and a minimum change of statute would be required. It is not conceded that the present apportionment of membership is equitable or satisfactory, but its change awaits amendment to the statutes. The statute permitting plural voting could provide that the representation of a city be apportioned to the members of the council and to the mayor in any manner desired, or that the votes be apportioned so that each 4For a discussion of representation on the Board of Supervisors —thruout the state and in othlr states, see Bromage and Reed, "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series, pp. 41-47. sFor a statement of the advantages and disadvantages of villages incorporating as cities see a memorandum prepared by the Michigan Municipal League, Ann Arbor, 1930. 6Bromage and Reed: Op. Cit. p. 58. 7The proper constitution of local legislative bodies remain the most vexing problem of local government and concerning which there is no unanimity of opinion. Results with the existing plan in Detroit (small body elected at large) have been more satisfactory than with a large body elected by wards. Perhaps some form of proportional representation would be more desirable, but the scheme has been declared unconstitutional in Michigan, Watters v. Upjohn 211 Mich. 514 (1920). 94 councilman would cast an equal number of votes and the mayor would cast the same or larger number. The latter provision would eliminate fractional votes. The basis on plural voting with existing representation would be as follows: TABLE XVII Plural Voting-Wayne County Board of Supervisors Present Total Votes per Members Representation Council Elected Rep- Plural City Board of Sup's and Mayor resentative Voting D etroit.................................. 79 10 7.9 10 Hamtramck........................ 8 6 1.3 6 Highland Park.................. 8 5 1.6 5 Dearborn.............................. 9 8 1.1 8 W yandotte.......................... 6 7.9 6 River Rouge........................ 5 7.7 5 Lincoln Park...................... 4 7.5 4 Plym outh............................ 4 5.8 4 M elvindale.......................... 4 7.5 4 Total............................127 62 2.0 52 Townships.......................... 18 18 1.0 18 Total.............................145 80 1.8 70 Under a plan of plural voting, the membership of the Board of Supervisors would be that shown in the last column-70 in place of the present 145, a reduction of at least 75 members-an over large body but a more suitable number than at present. It would possess the advantage that it would be truly representative since each member would be elected by the votes of his own government unit. In the event representation did not equal to the total of the councilmen plus the mayor, membership on the Board could be limited to the actual nulmber of votes to be cast. Thus, in Plymouth, four of the five members of the council would have a vote, while in Detroit, the 79 votes could be distributed, seven votes to each councilman and 13 to the Mayor, or eight votes to each councilman, and seven to the Mayor, or any similar method. Some difficulties might be encountered with plural voting. The principal one that can be foreseen would arise from the absence of one individual responsible for a large number of votes. This is serious, but could be obviated by permitting proxies. Such procedure is not usual in legislative assemblies-an approximation of it is found in the "pairing" of votes in the United States Senate. Or group representation might be used, the votes of each city being cast as a unit. Only experience would indicate the proper procedure. The exact operation of any governmental organization can seldom be predicted in advance. The legislative matters confronting a board of supervisors are usually simple-the most serious business is the passage of a budget, the determination of the building program, salary standards, etc. which are a part of the budget process. A body composed of ex officio members, all elected by their several units is more democratic, would permit of a smaller body, and allow more frequent meetings than the present organization. And regardless of difficulties the proposal does less violence to the principles of representative democratic government than the existing composition of the Board of Supervisors. 95 The ideal plan would be a small legislative body of say not more than 20 members, perhaps less. Such a change is dependent upon amendment of the constitution. Executive Control Experience with various types of local government has demonstrated that responsible executive control is essential for efficient and economical administration. For thirty years the trend in re-organization has been in that direction-as is evidenced by the wide acceptance of the strong mayor and city manager plans of city government in several states. A successful example of centralizing executive responsibility is found in the Detroit charter of 1918, an excellent type of the strong mayor plan, under which the city has achieved leadership in effective and honest government among the larger cities of the country. Only three administrative officers are elected-the mayor in whom full executive responsibility is placed including power of appointment of all subordinate administrators; and two other officers, the treasurer and the clerk. There is a growing opinion that these two offices should also be made appointed by the mayor. In contrast to the centralization of authority in Detroit,. is the extreme decentralization of the county government. There exists sixteen elected administrative officers,@ each responsible for the conduct of an important department of the government and each recognizing no superior except the electorate. This independence might be curbed to some extent by the Board of Supervisors, but this body is too large and too unwilling to exercise the full authority conferred upon it by the statutes. The impractical nature of a county government that consisted of a dozen or more separate governments received the attention of the Legislature early in the history of Wayne County. An administrative authority was created, called the Board of County Auditors, and was given powers superior to any other office in the County. The first act was adopted in 1844, and during the ensuing years, the powers and duties of the Board have varied in accordance with political exigency.9 At present the Board might be the most powerful authority within the county if" it chose to exercise the power granted to it. For various reasons this body has never asserted its full authority. The Auditors have actual administration of many services performed by the county government. Their control over elected officers comes thru the supervision of the budget estimates, and the right to determine the number of employees and salaries paid for other offices in the county. Also they have the appointment of all employees not specifically allocated to other county officers. The Board has undoubtedly been the greatest force in the County for economy and efficiency. So far as it has gone, it has done admirable work, but there are certain inherent defects which prevent the Board from becoming the executive head of the county government. Outstanding are: eSee page 97 'The Constitution of 1850 (Art. X, Sec. 10) gave to the Board of County Auditors in Wayne and eight other counties, "... the exclusive power to fix the compensation for all services rendered for and to adjust claims against their respective counties, and the sum so fixed and defined shall be subject to no appeal." It is said that the objections of one of the members of the Constitutional Convention to this provision forced a change in the Constitution of 1908 granting these powers to the Board of Supervisors. (See, Constitution 1908, Art. VII, Sec. 9.) 96 -The Board is composed of three members elected for four years with terms staggered so that there is continuity in office. This device prevents the electors from registering their approval or disapproval of the Board policies as a whole. -The Board as an elected body is required to exercise an authority over officers who receive their mandates from the same source-the people. Such authority might be exercised in theory, but the practice is usually modified by the fact that re-election calls for the good will of other elected officers and their employees. -Due to the size of the Board of Supervisors, the powerful Ways and Means Committee has been created to carry on ordinary deliberations. Thus, the Board of Auditors reporting to the Ways and Means Committee loses much of its effectiveness, and does not have the prominence in the public mind to which authority granted entitles it. While the Board of Auditors was created to correct the lack of centralization in the County government, very definite practical barriers operate against its full utility. Naturally, the greatest obstacle is the election of sixteen other department heads with direct responsibility to the electors. Elected Administrative Officers There are sixteen elected administrative officers, but as some of them are individual members of a board or an administrative group, there are eleven elected administrative offices, as follows: Term of Number Office Office Elected (years) 1. Board of County Auditors.......... 3 4 2. Board of County Road Comm'rs. 3 6 3. Coroners....................................... 2 2 4. Drain Commissioner.................... 1 2 5. School Commissioner.................. 1 4 6. Surveyor................................... 1 2 7. Clerk*....................................... 1 2 8. Prosecuting Attorney*................ 1 2 9. Sheriff*....................................... 1 2 10. Treasurer*..................................... 1 2 11. Register of Deedst...................... 1 2 T otal.......................................... 16 The election of sixteen administrative officers, supervising eleven administrative departments, places a political complexion on much of their work, and violates an accepted cannon of administration that the successful politician is seldom a successful administrator. The details of efficient administration have little appeal to the public, and elected officers are frequently in office for too short a period to develop administrative practices. The truth of the adage: "for policy determination, elect; for administration, appoint" has been too well established to require argument. *Constitutional Officer. tConstitutional Officer, but can be combined with County Clerk. 97 Much of the success of the County government has been due to the continued re-election of administrative officers, some for 20 years or longer. The offices of sheriff and prosecuting attorney are changed regularly. The weakness of electing sixteen administrative officers is aggrevated by the system of partisan elections. The primary seldom produces wide spread interest by the voters, and the incumbent in office benefits accordingly. In the general election following the primary, the merits of the individual nominees are obscured by interest in the two principal parties. The unsuitableness of partisan politics as a means of selecting administrative officers scarcely needs discussion. 98 PROPOSED ORGANIZATION WAYNE COUNTY PLAN NO. I-NO CONSTITUrIONAL CHANCG Chart 5. CHAPTER VI THREE WAYS OF REORGANIZING THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT WORKABLE There are three feasible methods of reorganizing and simplifying the County government, to make it a more workable, responsible unit: -Simplification by use of existing laws and some new ones. -Separation of Detroit from the balance of the County. -Home rule for counties to permit small legislative body and a county executive. 1. Simplification by Use of Existing Laws and Some New Ones This plan for a simplification of the County government by statutory changes is advanced only because there has been much public discussion of the subject and a special committee of the Board of Supervisors has proposed certain legislation to that end. The plan proposed here goes considerably further than previous proposals. It would facilitate shortening the ballot, and would establish departments to study those problems of government which are common to the many units within the County. It would offer an improved interim government pending the development of a strong central county government with a county executive, to which could be entrusted those major functions of government now distributed among numerous units. Chart No. 5 and Table No. XVIII accompanying, give in broad outline possible changes subject only to legislative action. TABLE XVIII Possible Disposition of Existing County Officers by Statutory Change Present Office Proposed Sheriff' Retain, being a Constitutional office. Treasurer Retain, being a Constitutional office. Clerk Retain, being a Constitutional office. Register of Deeds Combine with Clerk's office, now permissible under the Constitution. Coroners2 Replace by a Medical Examiner attached to the Prosecutor's office. The county morgue would be continued as a function of the building maintenance department. Drain Commissioner3 Assign to a Department of Public Works. School Commissioner4 Now elected, but could be made an appointive office.,It might be possible that by statute the Sheriff could be reduced to a Court Officer and jail warden. 2See Bromage and Reed: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series. sSee recommendation John B. Worley et al: "Local Public Works Administration". Michigan Local Government Series. "See F. M. Thrun: "Rural School Organization in Michigan." Michigan Local Government Series. Chap. IV. Dr. Thrun suggests that with the creation of an effective county school board, the school commissioner should be appointed by it. 100 Road Commissioner' Library Commission School Examiners Tax Commissioner' (Bureau of Taxation) Board of Canvassers Training School Commissioners Normal School Board Concealed Weapons Commission Election Commission Park Trustees7 Chemist MAedical Examiners Soldier's Burial Commission' Purchasing Agent Accountant Now composed of three members elected for four year terms, but could be the nucleus of a Department of Public Works. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, with the School Commissioner ex officio. Could be a single commissioner appointed by the School Commissioner, and attached to his office, or, this work could be turned over to the Detroit Library Commission on a contractual basis, which is substantially the present arrangement. Now appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Duties, such as exist, could be a responsibility of the School Commissioner. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors, but could be assigned to a Department of Finance. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Unnecessary. Removed in 1932-33 budget. Appointed by Board of Supervisors in addition to ex officio members. Would be replaced by Welfare Commission. Ex officio. Unimportant, and could be a responsibility of the School Commissioner. Ex officio-Continue. Ex officio-Continue. Now the Road Commission. Could be a bureau in a Department of Public Works. Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Duties would be undertaken by the proposed Medical Examiner. Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Duties would be undertaken by the proposed Medical Examiner. Really a part of the general police functions of the Prosecutor. Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Duties could be a part of a proposed Department of Welfare. Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Would be attached to the proposed Department of Finance. Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Is the professional administrator of the Board. Would be transferred to the Department of Finance. sSee John B. Worley Op. Cit. eSee Loren B. Miller, "Local Finance and Procedure". Michigan Local Government Series. 7See John B. Worley, Op. Cit. 'See Opal V. Matson, "Local Relief to Dependents". Michigan Local Government Series. 101 Agricultural Agent Superintendent of the Poor9 Tract Index Dept. Board of Auditors Soldier's Relief Commissiont All Courts Appointed by the Board of Auditors. Actually engaged in adult education among farmers. Would be attached to the School Commissioner's office. A board of seven members, three appointed by the Board of Auditors, and the four members of the Detroit Welfare Commission. Would be replaced by a County Welfare Commission. A division of the Board of Auditors. Could be made a division of the Register of Deeds office, which would be a part of the County Clerk's office. The work continues the functions of the Register of Deeds. An elected board of three members, serving with over-lapped terms for four years each. Would be replaced by a one man board, a Commissioner of Finance, with a secondary title, Board of Auditors. Appointed by the Probate Judge. Would be function of a County Welfare Commission. A State function not covered by this report. To remain as at present. TABLE XIX Proposed New Departments or Commissions Department of Public Works'~ A single commissioner, to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors for an indefinite term. To have charge of all engineering functions of the county as follows: a. Roads b. Drains c. Buildings d. Parks e. Airports Welfare Commission" To be composed of Probate Judge, Chairman of Board of Supervisors and the School Commissioner and two civilian members to be appointed by them or by the Board of Supervisors, and to have entire charge of all welfare activities as follows: a. Soldier's Relief b. Mother's Pensions c. Out-door Relief d. Institutions *See Opal V. Matson, Op. Cit. 'ojohn B. Worly, Op. Cit. recommends a commissioner or three elected members. "lSee Opal V. Matson, Op. Cit. 102 School Commissioner12 A single commissioner, appointed by the Board of Supervisors (or in event of the establishment of a County School Board, by that body) to have entire supervision of rural schools supported by a more liberal school law giving more authority than now possessed by the School Commissioner, the following to be included: a. Rural Schools b. Rural Libraries c. Agricultural Agents Health Commission's A single commissioner, appointed by the Board of Supervisors or a commission to be composed of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, the County Superintendent of Schools and five additional members, including at least one member of the County or district medical society and one member of the district dental society, appointed by the Board of Supervisors. This Board to appoint a County health officer and to be responsible at present for: a. Rural Nursing Service b. Vital Statistics c. Rural Health Service Finance Commission A single commissioner to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors to replace the present Board of Auditors, and to have entire charge of the finances of the County, in much the same manner as the Controller of Detroit, and with such correlated duties as might be assigned, including the following: a. Budget b. Accounting c. Purchases and Supplies d. Tax Equalization Civil Service Commission A new activity with no counterpart in the present country organization. Necessary work could be undertaken by a personnel officer appointed by the Board of Supervisors, the work of examining applicants to be undertaken by the Detroit Civil Service Commission. County Executive The State Constitution does not permit a centralized administrative authority within the county government, but the Board of Supervisors could create an office of County Executive to be appointed by it to correlate the various offices and to act in a general supervisory capacity. The utility of such an office would depend entirely upon the attitude of the Board and the capacity of the person appointed. In general such extra-legal appointments are ineffective. This function is discussed more fully below. I2See F. M. Thrun: "Rural School Organization In Michigan," Michigan Local Government Series. 1sSee N. Sinai "Organization and Administration of Public Health". Midhigan Local Government Series. Chap. IV. 103 The above is an outline of a simplified organization of the county government possible without constitutional changes. It is not ideal and there is little hope of permanent improvement in it. But it could be made effective by State legislation and it is believed to be superior to the organization now obtaining. It is suggested only in event of substantial delay in securing a constitutional amendment permitting fundamental changes in the county structure. The success of the plan would depend upon the elimination of statutory salaries for County officers, the granting of the authority to fix all salaries to the Board of Supervisors, and the introduction of some form of merit system in county employment. Civil service protection for county employees is basic to any effective county organization.* Under present conditions employees trained by years of experience for highly technical tasks are dismissed on the sole grounds of political expediency. This is inimicable to the success of any government, and inefficiency and extravagance must continue to exist when major duty of employees is concerned with the re-election of their superiors. Civil service has to some extent come into disrepute because of difficulties in its early administration. Yet so fundamental a change in the employment methods of governmental organizations could not have come into existence fully developed. A real merit system no longer serves to perpetuate inefficient, incompetent and super-annuated employees in service. Rather it is a personnel service designed to recruit, select, appoint, and dismiss employees; to adjust them to compatible positions; and to act as a coordinator between the administrator and the employee. These modern personnel departments protect against removal for political, personal or religious reasons, but offer no protection against the removal of dishonest, incompetent or superfluous employees. It would be unnecessary to develop a service in the County for recruiting, examining and certifying county employees. This work is too highly technical and expensive for a unit of government having a maximum of 5,000 employees. Provision could be made to delegate these functions to the Detroit Civil Service Commission, possibly on a contract basis. The County would require only a director of personnel, responsible for the routine of checking payrolls, examination of requests, etc. Removal charges could be referred by this Director, and heard by a board appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Assuming that these factors of compensation and employment control could be incorporated in a general reorganization of the County government the essential resulting changes would be: A shorter ballot.-At present there are sixteen elected administrative officers (excepting the thirty-five judicial officers who are not covered by these suggestions). This number would be reduced to four, the minimum permitted under the Constitution. Removal of Overlapping Agencies.-In place of several agencies engaged in overlapping activities, all similar activities would be coordinated into single departments. This re-organization would reduce twenty existing departments to ten. Elimination of the Board of Auditors.-The three auditors would be displaced by a single financial officer, the administrative duties of the *There has belen a serious effort to obtain a civil service law for Wayne County. The first measure was declared unconstitutional on technical grounds (Act 390, P. A. 1927). In 1928, a second act was passed correcting the defects of the first, but was vetoed by the Governor. Again in 1933, a measure was sent to Lansing but never reached the printing stage. 104 existing Board departmentalized, and final control transferred to the Board of Supervisors. The existing Board of Auditors has a long history in Wayne County government. In addition to its financial control it has served as a necessary coordinating agency for numerous miscellaneous functions. Due to the personality of some of the members of the Board and particularly to the ability of some of its appointed administrators, it has achieved a considerable measure of success. There is little question but that the purely financial duties of the Board could be successfully transferred to an appointed fiscal officer. In fact, intrusting auditing duties to a board is unique in local government. The suggestion for the departmentalization of the numerous administrative functions of the Board of Auditors and the appointment of these departmental heads by the Board of Supervisors may raise doubt in some minds. The Board of Auditors is the closest approach to a county executive and can be held responsible for the administration of a considerable portion of county services. Yet the Board of Supervisors is the logical body to guide the administration of the County and it is believed that responsibility should be placed there. The commissions and commissioners suggested for the most part, are new only in the sense that they do not exist at present. The services they would administer are not new except for health and civil service. These officers should be able to conduct existing functions with no more personnel than at present, but would insure direction and coordination now lacking. The health and civil service authorities would be new and much needed developments." The disadvantages of this possible reorganization are evident. It would leave four elected administrative officers directing four separate principalities. It would not provide for any principal executive comparable to the mayor or city manager in city governments. Until such an executive head exists, there can be no effective county government. It would grant extensive appointment power to the Board of Supervisors which might be abused. It might be possible to develop a county executive or manager under this plan by delegation of administrative authority by the Board of Supervisors to an appointee. Such extra-legal schemes when attempted in city government have seldom been successful. Or a chief executive might be developed within the existing Board of County Auditors which now has considerable administrative and appointive power. It is believed that the present Board could be converted legally into a one man board, with additional authority delegated by the Board of Supervisors. The Auditor (or Commissioner of Finance) would thus become in a way a county mayor. However, grafting a county executive into the existing structure can hardly constitute a genuine reform. The possibilities of obtaining a simple and efficient county organization solely by legislative action are limited. Diffusion of authority is so deeply imbedded in the State Constitution, that reorganization without constitutional amendment would be a makeshift. Realization of this has prompted the author of another report in this Series to urge a large measure of home rule for counties so that the voters may revamp the existing inflexible structure.'s Without such permission it will be impossible to provide the modern structure necessary for a metropolitan county.,aThe case for a county public health service is presented by N. Sinai, Op. Cit. lsBromage and Read: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series. Chap. I. 105 2. Separation of Detroit from the Balance of the County It is possible to separate Detroit from the balance of the County under the present provisions of the State Constitution. If this were done, it is assumed that eventually the Constitution would be amended (perhaps applicable to Detroit alone) to permit the consolidation of the city and county governments within the Detroit area. The uselessness of two independent governments within the city limits would be too obvious to be continued for long. The concept of a city forming a single county is rather old in Michigan, the Constitution of 1850 providing: "..The legislature may organize any city into a separate county, when it has attained a population of twenty thousand inhabitants, without reference to geographical extent, when a majority of the electors of a county in which such city be situated, voting thereon, shall be in favor of a separate organization". (Const. of 1850, Portion of Article X, Section 2.) This section was to apply solely to Detroit as it was the only city then in the population group specified. In 1850 Detroit had a population of 21,019; Monroe with 2,813 was next in rank, followed by Kalamazoo with 2,507. A similar section was repeated in the Constitution of 1908, the population requirement raised to 100,000, and with a restriction added that the city and the balance of the county must vote separately and affirmatively on the subject. The Constitution of 1908 reads: ".. When any city has attained a population of 100,000 inhabitants, the legislature may organize it into a separate county without reference to geographical extent, if a majority of the electors of such city and of the remainder of the county in which such city may be situated voting on the question shall each determine in favor of organizing said city into a separate county." (Const. of 1908, Article VIII, Section 2). At the time of the constitutional convention, there were two cities to which this provision might be applied, Detroit and Grand Rapids. Thus, opportunity has existed for nearly a century to form a separate county of Detroit, but there has been no demand for the separation. The history of city-counties in other states does not inspire any great enthusiasm for this plan as a means of meeting the problem of duplicate governments. There are four' municipalities in the United States organized as city-counties:17 TABLE XX Independent City-Counties Population at Time of Population City Date Organized Organization 1930 Baltimore.................................... 1851 169,054 804,874 San Francisco.............................. 1856 45,500 634,394 St. Louis...................................... 1875 330,700 821,960 Denver......................................... 1903 133,859 287,861 NOTE: The independent cities of Virginia are not considered. Denver presents a typical picture of city-county consolidation, since it has been held by the courts to be a county in itself. Baltimore and St. seThe City and County of Philadelphia are coterminous, but practically all county offices are retained and there is little consolidation of governments. "7Paul Studensky: "The Government of Metropolitan Areas," National Municipal League, New York, N. Y. 1930. 106 Louis are cities lying in no county. In the consolidation in Denver the following dispositions were made of County officers: Former County Organization City-County Consolidation County Commissioners superseded by City Council Sheriff Commissioner of Safety County Treasurer City Treasurer County Assessor City Assessor County Clerk City Clerk County Attorney City Attorney County Surveyor City Engineer Supt. of Schools City Supt. of Schools District Attorney Retained Justices of Peace Retained Judge Retained The savings by consolidation amounted to about 10 percent of the total city and county budget.'1 In Virginia from very early times, when a town reaches the status of a city it automatically becomes separated from the county in which it is situated and assumes all county functions within its limits. Virginia cities are not large and there is little analogy to the Detroit metropolitan situation with its half dozen cities of over 10,000 population. The population limitation of 100,000 set up in Michigan's constitution permits a city-county separation applicable in Wayne County to Detroit only. However a proposal has been made by the "Out-County Supervisors Association"'l for the separation of Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck and Gratiot and Grosse Pointe Townships from the balance of Wayne County. To accomplish this under the above provisions, City annexations would be necessary for which there has been no enthusiasm. What advantages would accrue to Detroit by its separation from the balance of the County-assuming the voters in the remaining territory would consent? Board of Supervisors.-In place of a Board of Supervisors its legislative functions would undoubtedly be assumed by the Common Council. Elimination of Certain Offices-Detroit as a separate county, would have no functions to assign to certain existing county officers such as the Drain Commissioner, the Road Commission and the School Commissioner. All services duplicated by the County could be eliminated either by permissive statutory or by control of the budget. Consolidation of Certain Offices-Economy would result by consolidating the work of certain county offices with similar city offices, such as the treasurer, board of auditors, tax commissioner, purchasing agent, superintendents of the poor, and the sheriff-assuming that this were done.,sStudensky, Op. Cit. pp. 207-208. 'sDetroit News, January 11, 1933. 107 Vith Detroit a separate County, there would remain a Wayne County with a population of 326,000,-which would make it the second largest County in the State. The following data compare this new Wayne County with the next three in importance. TABLE XXI Comparison of Counties with Wayne Less Detroit 1931 Assessed Area 1930 Assessed Population Valuation County Sq. Miles Population Valuation Sq. Mile Per Cap. Wayne, less Detroit........ 480 326,284 $748,336,237 697.7 $2,293 Kent.................................. 860 240,511 339,695,989 279.7 1,412 Genessee.......................... 655 211,641 239,452,158 323.1 731 Oakland............................ 886 211,251 320,000,000 238.4 1,415 Wayne County without Detroit would still be a heavily populated county capable of furnishing adequate service without an excessive tax rate. The new county would not be impoverished if the chief city were removed. City-county separation is entirely feasible from the standpoint of financial capacity of each area to develop along present lines. However, there are definite disadvantages to the plan, which have doubtless deterred Detroit from moving in that direction: Retention of Constitutional Officers.-While the constitution makes possible the separation of Detroit from Wayne County, it does not provide for a consolidation of city and county governments. A new county government would be superimposed upon the existing municipal structure. As a result Detroit would be compelled to elect certain constitutional county officers-a sheriff, clerk, treasurer and prosecuting attorney. Until there were statutory changes the city would elect a drain commissioner, school commissioner, register of deeds and surveyor. Some of these constitutional and statutory officers would be necessary; others would simply duplicate existing city positions. Duplication of Governments.-Formation of Detroit as a separate county would in no wise aid in a solution of the problem of duplicate unconsolidated governments within the metropolitan area. The important services of policing, health, welfare, engineering and education would be distributed among as many governments as before. There might be some financial benefit to the city, but the outstanding problem would be untouched. Other Objections.-There are numerous other objections-the difficulty of responsibility for existing county institutions; the receipt of Detroit County of a predominant share of the state apportionment of the gas and weight tax; the physical separation of Highland Park, Hamtramck and Grosse Pointe Townships from the county of which they would be a part; and of greatest significance-the necessity of securing a favorable vote of the electorate in both the areas affected by the separation. Estimated Savings. Since any merit in this separation proposal is financial, the results to each unit must be surveyed with care. To estimate the relative cost of operating two units of county government within the existing area of Wayne 108 County is in the realm of pure speculation. The financial policies of the respective county governments cannot be known, constitutional and statutory offices would have to be retained for the time being, even if useless, in the new Detroit County; and consolidation of similar city and county services would be gradual. Any financial estimate prepared on such an intangible basis must of necessity be a matter of conjecture and subject to challenge from any informed quarter. Yet, since possible economies are the only justification for a citycounty, some calculation of probable savings must be attempted. It is done with these assumptions which by their number and nature will indicate the difficulty of forecasting the fiscal affects of changes of the organization of government: -That the city-county would exercise the same careful scrutiny over items in the budget of the new county as it does of items in the city budget. -That the Board of Supervisors for the balance of Wayne County would exercise more care in preparing a county budget than at present, inasmuch as the reduced area would pay 100 per cent of county costs rather than 20 percent as at present. -That the cost of all items pertaining to a single area, such as parks, would be allocated to the area in which they are located. -That the cost of certain other items would be prorated either on a population basis allotting 85 percent to Detroit, (the actual percentage is 83.04 percent) or an assessed value basis using 80 percent for Detroit. -That the savings would result from an activity not being needed under a city-county separation. -That items which have been the subject of controversy in the past can be eliminated.* -That in the case of courts the per capita cost of courts in Oakland County ($1.22) may be used as representing the cost of this service in the new Wayne County, and that the remainder of the present cost would be chargeable to Detroit County. -That the existing debt may be allocated to each of the new counties in proportion to assessed valuations. -That for welfare, institutional care and similar services no savings would result altho some might be realized by a closer administration of these activities. -That an item of $630,000 included in the budget to guarantee delinquent county drain bonds would be apportioned to Detroit altho correctly a charge against the balance of Wayne County, and for which a credit should be applied if the bonds are paid by special assessments in the future.* -That charges incident to the apportionment of County owned properties between the two new counties can be ignored as well, an evaluation of the costs of dividing records, inaugurating new records and other necessary details of a separation.t *It might well be urged that these items are either incidental or are not re-occuring. tA competent authority on Wayne County government estimates that the cost of dividing records would cost millions of dollars. In the office of the Register of Deeds alone there are over 6,000,000 instruments which would have to be read, segregated and copied. 109 -That present laws would continue with respect to the distribution of weight and gas tax. It is estimated that Wayne County will receive $3,131,8562o from the State as its portion of the weight and gas tax. In the proposed budgets, this apportioned to each area is on the basis of 87.2%21 of the automobiles being registered from Detroit. This would result in a credit of $2,730,000 to the Department of Public Works of Detroit, reducing its budget by this amount. There would be offsets for the cleaning and maintenance work of trunk highways, amounting to about $200,000, now done by the Wayne County Road Commission. -That the distribution of State funds under the Horton act2 to aid districts overburdened by Covert roads (special assessment) but as counties differed greatly in this burden progressive steps were set up by which the money should be expended. The sum allocated to Wayne County is estimated at $3,131,856. It is proposed to expend this sum as follows: Relief of "Covert" Road obligations: D etroit...............................................$885................................ 5,000 Balance of county............................................... 845,825 Total.................................................................................... $1,730,825 Retirement of general county bonds: D etroit............................................................................................$200 000 Balance of county.................................................................. 50,150 T otal........................................................................................ 250,150 Reduce taxes for township highway bonds............................ 30,957 Balance apportioned between cities and villages:................ etro it............................................................................................$930,0 33 D etroit...................................................................................$200000 Other cities and villages........................................................ 167,260 C ounty............................................................................................ 22,631 T otal......................................................................................... 1,319,924 This tabulation gives to Detroit, on the present basis of apportionment, $2,015,033 or 64.3 percent of the total. This is a substantial amount, but it does not coincide with its proportion of population, assessed value, or registered automobiles. The apportionment if Detroit were a separate county is open to conjecture. -That the operation of the McNitt Act2" will be continued. This eliminates the township road system over a five year period, the Road Commission taking over one-fifth each year. For this purpose the State appropriated $2,000,000 for 1931 and will progress by steps of $500,000 until $4,000,000 a year is reached in 1935, which sum will be continued thereafter. The Wayne County Road Commission expenditures for township roads for the current year will be $275,000, toThe apportionment of the weight tax (C. L. 1929, Section 4651) and the gas tax (C. L. 1929, Section 3594) is complex and confusing. The estimate is from a communication from the County Road Commissioners to the Board of Supervisors dated Sept. 20, 1932. Reported in Proceedings of Wayne County Board of Supervisors, 1932, page 282. 2tThe estimate of the registered automobiles is by the Michigan Automobile Club giving for 1932, 388,946 cars for Detroit, and 446,429 for Wayne County. The use of this ratio is not exactly correct, as the apportionment is not on a registered car basis entirely, but it is reasonably accurate. 22The estimate is from a communication from the County Road Commissioners dated Sept. 20, 1932, to the Wayne County Board of Supervisors. This is in substance a summary budget of the disposition of the funds received by the County Road Commission. Reported in Proceedings of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, 1932 pp. 284-287. "sAct. 130, P. A. 1931. 110 no part of which is to be expended within the city.24 The jumble of county road funds makes it difficult to define the exact relationship of Detroit to the balance of the county. It is only possible to indicate the existing conditions and the adjustments that would be necessary in the event of a city-county separation. On these premises, Table XXII represents a possible budget for new Detroit and Wayne Counties, which is believed liberal and possible of attainment. TABLE XXII Estimated Budget Under City-County Separation In Wayne County-Based on Wayne County Budget for the Year 1932-33 Detroit Wayne Estimated Percent Distribution Constitutional Offices (except Appropriation County County Savings Detroit Wayne Saving Clerk and Prosecutor)..........$ 740,291 $ 293,415 $ 201,876 $245,000 39.6 27.2 33.2 Statutory Offices.......................... 165,787 30,570 114.430 20,787 18.4 69.1 12.5 Board of Auditors; functions not included elsewhere.......... 1,013,820 367,363 366,327 280,130 36.2 36.2 27.6 Welfare functions...................... 2,494,712 2,177,819 316,893........ 87.3 12.7.... Institutional care........................ 3,837,204 3,441,718 395,486........ 89.7 10.3... Debt and Reserves...................... 2,628,806 2,105,045 523,761........ 80.0 20.0.... All other departments.............. 535,646 133,400 187,313 214,933 24.9 34.9 40.2 Board of Supervisors................ 30,890........ 13,500 17,390.... 43.7 56.3 Courts (inc. Clerk and Pros. Atty.).............................. 2,643,503 2,188,548 414,260 40,695 82.7 15.7 1.6 Total.......................................$14,090,659 $0,737,878 $2,533,846 $818,953 76.2 18.0 5.8 REVENUES.................................. 3,414,695 2,882,200 532,495.................... Net Total..............................$10,675,964 $ 7,855,678 $2,001,351 $818,935 73.6 18.7 7.7 TAX RESERVE........................ 5,000,000 4,000,000 1,000,000.................... Net Budget..........................$15,675,964 $11,855,678 $3,001,351 $818,935............ Gas and Weight Tax receipts $ 3,131,856 $ 2,730,978 $ 400,878 TABLE XXIII Economies Possible Thru City-County Separation-Detroit from Wayne County (Based on Data in Table XXII) Balance ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR EACH AREA Detroit Wayne Co. Assuming the budget show in Table XXII is possible of achievement, the following savings would result: Present Budget for each area....................................$12,448,553 $3,227,410 Estimated Separate Budgets........................................ 11,855,678 3,001,351 Savings..........................................................................$ 592,875 $ 226,059 Percent Savings........................................... 4.76% 7.00% ESTIMATED BUDGET, WITH SALARY REDUCTIONS Assuming that the same salary reduction were made in the County as in Detroit: Present Budget for each area........................................$12,448,553 $3,227,410 Budget, with 24% salary reduction.............................. 11,324,256 2,866,831 Savings..........................................................................$ 1,124,297 360,579 Percent Savings........................................... 9.03% 11.17% ESTIMATED BUDGET, WITH $5,000,000 TAX RESERVE ELIMINATED If, in addition to the salary reductions, the $5,000,000 included in the current county budget as a reserve against delinquent taxes, were eliminated, then the savings would be: Present Budget for each area......................................$12,448,553 $3,227,410 Budget, with above savings........................................ 7,324,256 1,866,831 Savings.........................................................................$ 5,124,297 $1,360,679 Percent Savings.......................................................... 41.16% 42.16% 24Proceedings of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, 1932, p. 283. For a dear discussion of the present program of the Wayne County Road Commission, and the interrelation of the various funds, see "Meeting the Depression", (mimeographed) December 9, 1932, Wayne County Road Commis. sion, Detroit, Michigan. 111 PROPOSED ORGANIZATION WAYNE COUNTY PLAN NO. 3 -CONSTITUTIONAL CANGE Chart 6. Table XXIII summarizes the savings possible under various conditions. If the same budget policies were followed as at present in the County, a city-county separation might result in a saving of five percent for Detroit and seven percent for the balance of the County. If, however, a 24 percent reduction in salaries were imposed as in Detroit, then the savings would be approximately nine percent for Detroit County and eleven percent for Wayne County.25 An item of $5,000,000 was included in the Wayne County budget for 1933 as a reserve against delinquent taxes. There is a difference of opinion as to the necessity for such action, in view of the mandatory nature of much of the County budget.2e Regardless of the divergent points of view, the item represents a forced loan from those taxpayers who pay their taxes to those who do not, in order that County functions may be continued without other financing. Other units of government in the county have not been able to adopt this plan. If the Constitution were amended to permit of county home rule with complete consolidation of city and county services, some further reductions could be made by elimination of offices, altho certain work assigned to such offices must of necessity be continued under any plan of government. From the standpoint of economy, there is small doubt that a city-county separation would reduce the tax burden, the extent of the reduction depending upon the legislative policies in each area and the constitutional and statutory limitations imposed. Doubtless, Detroit would eventually secure a consolidated city and county government and eliminate all semblance of duplication between city and county functions. The greatest objection arises from the creation of a new political unit which as far as the government of the metropolitan area is concerned would still further complicate the present complex situation. Separation would do nothing to bring about a unified administration of services now scattered among many units of government. Reorganization should result in coordination of the governments in Wayne County, not in a wedge to separate them still further. 3. Home Rule for Counties To Permit A Small Legislative Body and A County Executive The preceding chapter has discussed at length the weakness in the structure of the county government-the ponderous legislative body, the absence of an executive head, and the numerous administrative officials that are elected. These features have long been recognized as defects that defeat effective government. Remedy is difficult. The character of county government is determined not only by statutes but the system of representation on the legislative body and numerous administrative offices are prescribed by the constitution. Only by amendment to that basic law will it be possible for the state legislature or the public to materially change existing conditions. 2sThe economies under a city-county separation are similar to those under a city-county consolidation, which are outlined in Chapt. IV, page 80. It was suggested there that the Detroit salary standard was lower than the county, which might result in estimated savings of $436,000 which were not included in the computations. A committee of the Board of Supervisors on Salary Standardization estimated that if their standards were accepted as submitted an estimated saving of $500,000 would result, but this would not be possible to achieve as it would require drastic reductions for some employees. 26it is not included in the budget for 1933-34. 113 Taking heart from the "home rule" provision of the Constitution of 1908 and the subsequent enabling act which permitted cities to formulate their own types of government, repeated efforts have been made to secure the same privileges for county governments. Resolutions authorizing a popular vote on a county home rule amendment have been introduced at almost every session of the legislature for a generation, and earnest efforts were made to secure passage in 1921, 1923, 1927, and 1933. In several instances such a resolution passed the Senate and was defeated in the House. The text of such proposed amendment have varied from time to time but the purpose has remained the same. The most recent proposal, is that appearing on initiatory petitions to secure a vote on an amendment to the constitution, and read as follows:27 "Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Michigan is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section, to be known as Section la, providing for alternative forms of county government and for county home rule, to read as follows: 1-A. (a) The legislature, in addition to providing for the general organization and government of counties, shall by general law provide other plans of county government alternative thereto but no such alternative plan shall become effective in any county, unless approved by a majority of the qualified electors thereof voting thereon. (b) The board of supervisors of any county, by a two-thirds vote of its members elect, may submit at any general or special election a plan of county government for such county. A plan of county government may also be initiated by petitions filed with the county clerk, signed by a number of registered electors of the county equal to ten (10) per cent of the vote cast in the county for all candidates for governor at the last preceding general election at which a governor was elected. The residence address of each signer shall be stated on the petition including the street address and house number in cities having the same. The petitions from each city and township shall be separated from those from other cities and townships and before being filed with the county clerk there shall be attached thereto the certificate of the city or township clerk as to which signers are duly registered electors therein. When petitions containing sufficient signatures have been filed with the county clerk requesting that any plan be submitted to the electors, then the county clerk shall immediately certify to such effect and such plan shall be submited to the qualified electors of the county at the next general or special election occuring in not less than forty (40) days after the filing of petitions containing sufficient names; provided that if no general or special election is to occur within six (6) months after such filing, then the county clerk shall call a special election to be held not less than sixty (60) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days after such filing. Amendments to any plan of county government adopted under this subdivision may be submitted in the same manner as herein provided for the submission of plans of county government. Any plan of county government or any amendment thereto, which shall be submitted under this subdivision, shall be published by the county clerk at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county not 27A somewhat different proposal appears in Bromage and Reed: "Organization and Cost of County and Township Government," Michigan Local Government Series. A compromise amendment was defeated at the special legislative session of 1934. 114 less than twenty (20) days nor more than forty (40) days before the election at which the same shall be submitted for adoption or rejection. No such plan or amendment shall become effective in any county unless approved by a majority of the qualified electors thereof voting thereon and if approved, the county clerk shall file two printed copies thereof in the office of the Secretary of State within thirty (30) days after such election and such plan or amendment shall thereupon become effective unless otherwise provided therein. If more than one plan, or if two or more conflicting amendments are submitted at the same election and each approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon, then the one receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes shall be adopted. (c) Any plan of county government enacted by the legislature under subdivision (a) hereof, and any plan of county government proposed and adopted under subdivision (b) hereof, or any amendment thereto, may eliminate any constitutional county office and may provide for the number and manner of selection of the board of supervisors and of all other county officers and employees, for the powers, duties, terms and compensation of all county officers and for the creation, abolition and/or consolidation of county offices, provided that any plan or amendment proposed under subdivision (b) must provide for the exercise by appropriate officers of the county of all duties and obligations now or hereafter imposed by law on counties and county officers, and provided further that nothing contained in this section shall affect circuit judges and judges of probate. With the adoption of this or a similar amendment it would be incumbent upon the legislature to enact enabling legislation to provide alternate types of county government. If such enabling legislation were not adopted, or were unsatisfactory, a county could provide its own charter in the form of an ordinance presented by the board of supervisors or initiated by the people. County reorganization would thus be provided in three ways: 1. Enact a series of alternate charters prepared by the legislature, and which could be presented to the electorate for choice. This plan has been applied in Michigan to Fourth Class cities and to general village governments.28 2. Permit a county reorganization by ordinance of the board of supervisors, such ordinance to be approved by the electorate, and subject to amendment by initiative and referendum. 3. Reorganization by ordinance initiated by the people. Under any of the foregoing methods neither the legislature or a board of supervisors could prevent county reorganization if a majority of the voters wished it. It would be possible to correct the three outstanding defects of county government enumerated at the beginning of this chapter. A responsible legislative body for the county could be secured by utilizing29 one of the following types: 1. A small board of supervisors of five to nine members elected at large. asThere was apparent intent to provide a series of charters for cities of various classes, but only that for fourth class cities was provided, and it is seldom used. There is no classification of cities in Michigan. tsBromage and Reed, Op. Cit. 115 2. A small board of supervisors of five to nine members elected at large by proportional representation.s 3. A small board of supervisors of five to nine members elected by supervisorial districts to be laid out by the county board. 4. The retention of the township-city unit of supervisorial representation, with some system of accumulative voting. As to a county executive, this could be secured by establishing31 the office of1. A county manager to be appointed by the board of supervisors, to serve at its pleasure; the manager to have power to appoint and remove all the principal officials and employees of the county except those directly concerned in the administration of justice, and to prepare and submit the budget; or 2. A county Mayor or president elected at large by the people of the county with powers and duties corresponding to those of the manager. As to which plan would be most effective, there is no categorical answer. There is no example of an elected chief executive of a county, altho many cities are so organized. There are some county manager plans in existence notably in North Carolina, Virginia and California. North Carolina has some instances of a presiding member of the legislative body acting as chief executive. The exact type of chief executive is not nearly as important as the measure of control granted to him. It is assumed that any reorganization of county government would provide for the elimination of elected administrative officers, for the appointment of such officers by the county executive, and for the consolidation of services by departmentalization along the following lines,31 1. A Department of Public Works, to include the functions now performed by the road commission, 'the drain commission, and the surveyor (the county to receive the fees of this office), as well as care of county buildings and grounds. 2. A Department of Finance, to include the financial functions now performed by the clerk, board of auditors, or finance committee of the board of supervisors, the treasurer, and the county assessor subsequently recommended. It is in this department that a centralized purchasing agency of the county should be set up. 3. A Department of Records. Logically, the court activities of the County Clerk should be a part of the court system, and the recording of instruments by the register of deeds could be made a part of the department of finance. However, it might be found desirable to develop a department of records which would include the clerical functions of the county clerk and the register of deeds. 4. A Department of Welfare with an advisory commission,32 to have charge of outdoor relief, mothers' pensions, child welfare, the county infirmary and all other county institutions (except the jail). moTo achieve proportional representation, it is necessary to further amend the State Constituiton. It has been declared unconstitutional in Wattles vs. Upjohn, 211 Mich. 514 (1920). s3Bromage and Reed, Op. cit. 32Cf Opal V. Matson: "Local Relief to Dependents," Michigan Local Government Series. 116 5. A Department of Health with an advisory commission.33 6. A Department of Corrections, having charge of the Jail and eventually all correctional institutions.34 7. A Department of Parks under a commissioner to have charge of all parks within the county and the Detroit zoo. 8. A Department of Personnel under a director. Char't 6, page 112, illustrates a form of county government possible under a home rule provision. It shows an organization of the county which is both logical and possible of attainment with the minimum of disturbance to the present order. Naturally, this is not the only possible plan, but a re-organization of the county should follow the general plan presented in this chart. It is to be contrasted with the plan shown in chart number 7, page 90. showing the present situation. Economies The savings possible under a centralized administrator type of county government are more difficult to estimate than for either city-county separation or city-county consolidation.3' Not only would all the estimate savings be possible under these last two plans, but under centralized control, still further economies would result. The existence of a county executive and a responsible legislative body would make for savings, and with the gradual transfer of those municipal services which should be performed on a county-wide basis, overhead and parallelism would be eliminated. Townships The necessity of maintaining both county and township government in Michigan is a controversial question which has been discussed at length in previous reports in this series.36 It is certainly doubtful whether township government serves any useful purpose in a highly urban area such as Wayne County.37 The proposed constitutional amendment permits the abolition of townships only by a gradual transfer of their functions to the county. Because of certain financial aspects it was deemed unadvisable to provide for their outright abolition. 1. The abolition of townships, providing for the exercise of the powers of the township board by the county board, of the township clerk by the county records department or county clerk, of the township treasurer by the county finance department or county treasurer, of the township board of health by the county health department, of the supervisor as an assessing officer by a county assessor in the department of finance, and of the supervisor as a welfare agent by the county department of welfare. 2. The retention of townships with the gradual transfer of their functions to the county. 33Cf N. Sinai: "Organization and Administration of Public Health", Michigan Local Government Series. 34Cf Bromage and Reed: Op. cit. 35See Chapt. IV, page 80, and Chapt. VI, page 111 for details of these savings. 36Cf. W. F. Ramsdell, "Township Government and the Exploitation of Wild Land Resources". Michigan Local Government Series. 37Cf. Bromage and Reed: Op. cit. 117 Summary The foregoing has represented three possible plans for the reorganization of the county government. All are practical solutions which could apply to all or nearly all of the counties of the state. The first plan, strengthening of the existing structure by statutory change, has already been attempted for Wayne County and in a lesser way for other counties. The second plan, separation of cities from their counties upon reaching a certain size has a precedent in Michigan in the separation of city from township government, a procedure common but not universal in other states. The complete reorganization of county governments with a responsible legislative body and executive has been proposed for all counties in another report of this series.38 All of the foregoing plans would be helpful to a greater or lesser degree in simplifying and reducing the cost of government in Wayne County as distinct from the services performed by the other local governments within the county. None would serve in itself to integrate the services of area wide importance, now distributed among the numerous governmental units in the county. A satisfactory solution of the problems of government of the metropolitan area depends not only upon improvement in the government of the county, but the establishment of some means of unifying the administration of certain services, either thru the county government or otherwise. asBromage and Reed. Op. cit. 118 CHAPTER VII A SOLUTION FOR BOTH PROBLEMS - A SIMPLIFIED AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES OF AREA-WIDE IMPORTANCE BY THEIR TRANSFER TO THE COUNTY Among the main problems of government in the Detroit metropolitan area, two are outstandingHow can municipal services of area-wide important be unified, and How can the government of Wayne County be simplified and made responsible? Five possible plans for the integration of area-wide services have been discussed. -A metropolitan district government for special purposes organized under existing laws. -A consolidation of city and village governments with that of the county. -The federated city plan-a consolidation of existing city and village governments, but with autonomy in many local matters. -Annexation of neighboring cities and villages to Detroit. -Separate statehood for Detroit and its environs. All of these plans would result in unification of administration of important services to some degree. Several of them would be particularly effective-the federated city plan or the consolidated city county government proposal, as examples. The first of these would afford a unified administration of important public services. The second would give this same unification and at the same time merge the county government with those of the cities, villages and townships. But it is doubtful that any such consolidation should be seriously considered until existing defects in the structure of the county government are eliminated. The utilization of either of these plans is a matter of political expediency and full weight must be given to the reluctance of localities to surrender any measure of local autonomy, even if better and less costly government would result. With respect to the structure of the county government three possible plans have been suggested: -Simplification, by use of existing laws and some new ones. -Separation of Detroit from the balance of the county and a consolidated city-county government. -Home rule for counties with a responsible legislative body and a county executive. Altho all of these proposals have merit, only the third requires serious consideration. The first plan is makeshift; the second, adds another important government to those of the area, and would deter rather than help unification of services. The proposal of home rule for counties would permit the organization in Wayne County of a government with a small responsible legislative body and the appointment or election of a county executive. It would make possible a modern county government. With such a government in exist119 ence it would be possible and practical for it to assume the conduct of important municipal services as rapidly as public opinion would consent-and thus gradually bring about a unified administration of activities of area wide importance even to the point of city-county consolidation. A reorganization of the county government holds out the promise of solving both of the major problems of government in the metropolitan area. What indications are there that the local governments would consent to a transfer of certain services to the county government? First, a charter could be drafted that would permit the county to undertake these services if it wished. Should the county undertake to supply certain services to the whole area, it is doubtful whether any municipal unit would continue the expense of providing that service locally. Second, there are certain services, now responsibilities of the municipal governments, that so obviously could be done better by a suitable county government, that their transfer should be immediate and with a minimum of political opposition. Probably one of the first local services to be transferred would be that of the assessment and the collection of taxes-certainly the latter. Both of these subjects are discussed at length in another report of this Series.' The arguments for the centralized assessment of property for purposes of taxation need not be repeated here. The existing confusion in the collection of taxes whereby practically each of the principal units of government is responsible for the collection of its own taxes during a certain period of the year, after which it delegates its authority to the county government, and the situation whereby the major city collects its own city taxes but delegates the collection of state and county taxes to the county government-and incidentally pays a special charge for this service-creates a situation for which there is little defense. The proposal that the administration of public health activities be centralized in a county department of health has similarly been made in another report of this Series.2 The statutes already provide for such centralization and a number of Michigan counties are operating under this plan. In fact, within a year Detroit officials have seriously considered the transfer of hospital and health work from the city to the county. If the county government were so organized that it could be trusted with so important a function of government it would be reasonable to expect that this responsibility would be given it. It has also been recommended in another report of this Series3 that the welfare work of the county be centralized in a single department. The confusion in welfare work thruout the state as well as in Wayne County is marked. The State statutes make provision for conducting outdoor relief on a county-wide basis, and two-thirds of the counties are doing so. Even in those counties in which relief is on a city-township basis, many welfare activities are a county responsibility. The metropolis has seriously considered a transfer of relief to the County government-a move requiring a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Supervisors. Acceptance of the proposal is only a matter of time, and is being expediated by the difficulties of administering State emergency relief thru numerous local units. In the field of public works, the Wayne County Road Commission has already undertaken the widening of major Detroit thorofares and is respon-,Loren B. Miller: "Local Finances and procedure," Michigan Local Government Series. 2N. Sinai, Op. cit. 3Opal V. Matson, Op. cit. 120 sible for their maintenance and cleaning. It would require no stretch of imagination to vision the County permanently assuming this obligation at least for highways in the master plan. Port facilities, sewage disposal and to a certain extent garbage and refuse disposal, should be developed as a metropolitan unit and not in a piecemeal fashion. It has been publicly suggested that the County assume responsibility for sewage disposal and it is the logical unit for port development. Detroit has probably reached its limit in the extension of water supply and has publicly asked the county authorities to assume this obligation in out-of-city territory. The transfer of other important services, such as policing, education, street cleaning, fire protection, etc. would naturally depend upon the education of the public as to the savings and the improvement in area-wide service that would result. In summary, county home-rule which would permit the organization of a centralized and responsible county government in Wayne County, would facilitate the placing of that government on a sound and economical basis, and would permit the delegation of important municipal services to it in so gradual a fashion as to do no violence to public opinion and local pride. With the gradual assumption of new duties by the county government the municipalities would decline in importance. It is conceivable that eventually so few activities would remain, that a consolidated city-countv government would be a logical development. 121 I