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2 <br /> <br /> ~pponents say: In actual practice the distinction <br />is impossible to maintain. In most administrative <br />decisions the manager is, in effect, laying down pol_icY. <br />He cannot, nor is he expected to, go to the council for <br />detailed instructions. Administration is his province, to <br />be sure, but when he uses his own judgment in <br />administrative tasks he is directing municipal policy along <br />a certain route. Furthermore, the council finds it <br />difficult to stay out of the administrative sphere. It is <br />responsible for all aspects of municipal government; it has <br />merely delegated details to the manager. <br /> <br /> Instead of producing a separation of policy and <br />administration the manager plan may result in a diffusion <br />of .responsibility. The manager can lay the blame for poor <br />administration of obstructive policy while the can claim <br />that good policy is being subverted by administration. <br /> <br /> Proponents reply: It is no easier for the voter to <br />fix responsibility for administrative acts in any other <br />form of city government. In addition, it is easier to <br />remedy where the manager plan has been adopted. Even <br />though the distinction between policy and administration <br />cannot be completely settled by reference to a definition <br />there is, nevertheless, an important distinction between <br />the two that is essential to good administration and <br />popular control and only the manager plan fully recognizes <br />it. <br /> <br />2. EXPERTNESS OF ADMINISTRATION <br /> <br /> PToponents say: The manager plan recognizes the <br />.need for the expert in administration. Ordinarily the <br /> manager is a man with both training and experience. Even <br /> when he is not-brought in from outside the city the nature <br /> of the position is one that attracts a man of managerial <br /> ability in the community. <br /> <br /> Opponents say: There is no assurance that the <br />council will pick a good man for the job. If it does not,. <br />the whole system will fail because it depends so much on <br />one man. <br /> <br /> Proponents reply: It is true that the success of <br />the manager plan, like any other plan of government, is <br />dependent on the quality of those who administer it. By <br />and large, however, the quality of the manager is likely <br />to be far above the quality of administrators chosen under <br />other plans. Furthermore, if.a bad manager is selected <br />this will soon be known and the council may remove him at <br />will. The manager plan tends to make a career of city <br /> <br />-22- <br /> <br /> <br />