In April, Franklin County voters will vote on a measure asking whether the county should adopt an alternative form of government for itself — a charter. Adopting a charter would allow the residents to institute whatever system of local government best suits them, and would give the county more independence from state authority over local issues. The future of Franklin County would be well served by the adoption of charter government.
Only three counties in Missouri have charter government: Saint Louis (adopted in 1950), Jackson (1970), and Saint Charles (1992). (As an independent city, Saint Louis city is not considered here.) According to the state Constitution, only counties with more than 85,000 people may consider a charter. The three counties that have adopted one have all experienced economic growth, population increases, and government stability since they adopted charter government.
There are numerous examples in state statutes of laws that govern county issues but exempt charter counties. For example, statute section 50.327 — setting salaries of local, elected officials — applies to 111 of the 114 counties in Missouri. If it were to adopt a charter, Franklin County could instead pay its elected officials as much, or as little, as the taxpayers wished. There are many other such examples where Franklin County’s essentially local issues are subject to state control. Charter government would change that.
Just because a charter would allow major changes to government in Franklin County does not mean those changes would be required. If the measure in April is passed, a commission of 14 residents — seven Democrats and seven Republicans — would be appointed to create a county charter. This would be a very public and open process, and could involve as much or as little change to the current system as the people want. If the citizens of Franklin County wished to receive the benefits of increased local control without making major changes to their overall government, a charter would allow them to do just that.
According to an article in the January 2, 2008, Washington Missourian, opponents of charter government are arguing that a charter will force the replacement of certain elected officials by appointed bureaucrats. This is false. The charter process does not require currently elected positions to be replaced by appointed officials. While Saint Louis and Jackson counties indeed chose to replace most of their elected officials with appointed positions when they adopted a charter, Saint Charles decided to maintain primarily elected officials. Saint Louis now has two countywide elected officials, and Jackson has three. Saint Charles, though, has eight countywide officials — almost the same number they had before they adopted a charter.
The people of Franklin County will be free to pick between the two models, or determine whether something else best suits them. If the voters of Franklin County wish to continue to elect the circuit clerk, recorder of deeds, county clerk, sheriff, auditor, assessor, treasurer, collector of revenue, and prosecuting attorney, they would still be free to do so under a charter form of government.
If Franklin County wishes to position itself in a manner best suited to embrace the economic growth offered by the expanding Saint Louis metropolitan area, while at the same time preserving the rural nature and small-town charm that defines the county, its government must have the flexibility to address that challenge. The increased freedom offered by the charter form of government may lead to more economic opportunities and growth for the people of Franklin County.
In deciding which type of local government to create, Franklin County has the examples of the three other charter counties in Missouri, as well as a strong base of local experience demonstrating what works for the county’s taxpayers. The citizens of Franklin County can best position their home for the future by adopting a charter form of government.
David C. Stokes is a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute, a Missouri-based think tank.
