Proceedings of the ... Annual Convention of the Illinois Municipal League

1. Each utility serving an urban community should be treated as far as practicable as a monopoly, with the obligations of a monopoly; and its operation within the city should be based as far as practicable upon a single comprehensive ordinance or franchise grant uniform in its application to all parts of the city and to all extensions of plant and service.

2. Every franchise should be revokable by the city upon just compensation being paid to its owners when the city is prepared to undertake public ownership.

3. The control of the location and character of public utility fixtures, the character and amount of service rendered, and the rates charged therefor should be reserved to the city, subjected to reasonable review by the courts or a state utilities commission where one exists.

4. The granting and enforcement of franchises and the regulation of utilities operating thereunder should be subjected to adequate public scrutiny and discussion and should receive full consideration by an expert bureau of the city government established and maintained for that purpose, or in case the maintenance of such a bureau is impracticable, by an officer or committee designated for the purpose.

5. Private investments in public utilities should be treated as investments in aid of public credit and subject to public control, and should be safeguarded in every possible way and the rate of return allowed thereon should be reduced to the minimum return necessary in the case of safe investments, with a fixed and substantially assured fair earning power."3

Model City Charter and Municipal Home Rule, p. 46.

VILLAGES

REGISTERED AT THE

FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

OF THE

ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE

Held at the University of Illinois, December 6-7, 1917