11
NEWS FROM OTHER STATES
From the Secretary's Desk
W AYNE C O U N TY , M ICH IGAN
A retirement plan for all Wayne
county, Mich., employees, prepared by
a special committee of the Wayne coun
ty board of supervisors, has been re
ferred to the ways and means committee
for special consideration.
Main features of the plan are as fol
lows:
All employees are to contribute 5
per cent of pay up to $3600 per year.
Any employee may retire at his own
option after he has attained the age of
65 and completed 10 years of service,
or after he has completed 30 years of
service regardless of age. The amount
of pension provided by the county is
limited to $1800 per year or one-half
pay, whichever is the lesser.
Upon retirement, the following
benefits will be provided: (1) the
amount of pension provided by the
employee’s contribution plus (2) a
basic pension of $120 per year plus
(3) a membershop service pension
equal to 1^135 of average yearly pay
for 5 years before retirement times
years of service after the plan is
adopted plus (4) a prior service pen
sion of 2/135 of average yearly pay
for 5 years before retirement times
years of service before adoption of the
plan.
A minimum provision provides
that no employee shall receive less
than $3 per month for each year of
service, up to 20 years.
Seattle Votes Veterans Preference
Amendment
Veterans’ preference was voted re
cently through a charter amendment by
the citizens of Seattle. In order to re
ceive preference, the veteran must have
served in the armed forces while the
United States was actually engaged in
war and must have been a resident of
the state at the time of entry into
military service.
Merit System for Idaho
A draft of a proposed merit system
law has been filed in Idaho and will be
voted on at the general election in N o
vember, provided that approval of 14,-
000 qualified voters is secured by July 6.
The proposed measure would establish a
state personnel department administered
by a director and personnel board which
would be empowered to make rules
and regulations governing classification
of positions, pay schedules and merit
system examinations. Employees of the
Idaho departments of Public Assistance,
Public Health and Unemployment
Compensation, who are paid partially
from federal funds, are at present em
ployed on a merit basis as in Oregon.
Colorado Civil Service Upheld
The Colorado State Civil Service has
been greatly strengthened in a decision
by District Judge Joseph J. Walsh.
In a written opinion, as clean-cut and
decisive as it is sweeping, Judge Walsh
declared that “ the fundamental object
of the civil service amendment was to
see that governmental positions were
filled upon a basis of merit and fitness
to serve, and in furtherance thereof, the
civil service commission was authorized
and empowered to pass and enforce rules
for the attainment of that end.”
On the rules clause, which curtails
political activity and which had been
sharply criticized, Judge Walsh said:
"The Court can find nothing unreason
able with respect to the rule on politi-
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