Don C. Sowers

Sowers was born on February 17, 1883 in Spring Hill, Kansas. He was the son of James W. and Electa Sowers. ==Early work as a physicist==

The same year that Sowers graduated from Baker University, he became an observer Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institution. He worked as an observer there until 1910. His work saw him travel to the West Indies, South America, the Pacific Ocean, India, New Zealand. His work on this 1910 expedition resulted in his election to the Royal Geographical Society of England, a rarity for an American. ==Transition to economics and sociology==

In the 1910s, Sowers refocused his work on economics, sociology, and public policy. He attended Columbia University, located in New York City. He received a Ph.D. from Columbia in economics, sociology, and public law. For the remainder of his life, his work primarily focused on the management of municipalities, states, public schools, and universities. While attending school in New York City, he worked on a review of the New York City Police Department's detective bureau; worked a study of the segregated budget of the New York City Department of Public Work for Manhattan; worked on writing municipal budget of Hoboken, New Jersey; worked on a feasibility study of grade separation to eliminate grade crossings along the New York Central Railroad system; and published reports of in-depth research on the fee system for New York City public officials. ==Work in Oregon (1914–16)==

In September 1913, Sowers began working at the University of Oregon. In 1914, Sowers became a professor became a professor at the university, teaching the subjects of municipalities and public accounting. He also served as the head of the university's School of Commerce. In these years, Sowers also worked as a municipal management consultant. He conducted municipal management studies for cities in the states of Oregon and New York. This included studies for the Oregon cities of LaGrande, Lebanon, Medford, Salem, and the New York capital city of Albany. Sowers also was involved in writing the municipal charter of the Orgeon cities of Florence and Oregon City. Sowers was influential in many American cities overhauling their governments in the early 20th century to a council-manager forms of government that vested many government operations under the oversight of a professional city manager. Sowers played a direct hand in advising many cities in restructuring their management systems and installing city managers. ==Work in Ohio (1916–22)==

In 1916, Sowers moved from Oregon (where he had been working as a university professor) to Ohio in order to take a position as the assistant director of research for the city of Akron, Ohio. The following year, he was promoted to director of the city's Bureau of Municipal Research. In 1919, he was appointed the director of a state legislative committee-commissioned study in Ohio that was tasked with conducting a survey of state governmental agencies and departments in order to identify opportunities to centralize and consolidate functions, and remove duplication. In 1921, he served as the secretary of the Ohio Board of Administration. ==Work in Colorado (1922–1942)==

In 1922, Sowers joined the faculty of the University of Colorado (Boulder). He soon became director of the university's Bureau of Business and Government Research. He held this position until his 1942 death. until his death in 1942, Sowers served as secretary of the Colorado Municipal League. In 1929, he served as president of the American Municipal Association (today known as the "National League of Cities"). In 1936, Sowers wrote an article in opposition of a ballot initiative that would limit property tax in Colorado. Sowers characterized the initiative as a cynical ploy by property owners to capitalize off of Great Depression-motivated anti-tax sentiments among the public in order to pass a limitation which in actuality would cause a regressive shift of the state's tax burden away from property taxes to (among other things) sales tax. The measure was ultimately roundly defeated by Colorado voters. Late in his life, Sowers served as secretary of the Colorado State School Board Association. ==Opinion survey work==

Sowers conducted and authored many public surveys and studies. This included a long-running survey of Colorado state government revenue collection and spending. ==Writing and editing career==

Sowers wrote several books, was the editor of Colorado Municipalities Magazine and also wrote many articles. Subjects his works covered including public education spending, state government policy, histories of public finance, and restructuring of governmental organization. ==Personal life and death==

Sowers married Helen Smith in 1914. Together, they had several children. One daughter and two sons of theirs survived to adulthood. ==References==