The municipality is ... Municipalities of Moscow. Head of the municipality

Municipal power is a special kind of political institutions. They do not belong to the state authorities, but they are called to effectively manage the lives of citizens.

What is the municipality

"Municipality" is a direct transcription from the German Munizipalitaet, formed, in turn, from the Latin municipium - a city that has the right of independent management. This term is firmly established in the Russian language, becoming a convenient designation of the territories on which the work of local authorities is concentrated.

Abroad under the municipality is often understood as such authorities (for example, the mayor's office). The legal definition of the term in Russia was implemented in 2003 with the adoption of the law "On general principles of local self-government." There were introduced such concepts as "municipal formation", "district" and "district". Along with the federal interpretation of the term, in Russia there are also its interpretations at the regional level. In some cities, municipal authorities are legal entities. The main source of income of local authorities - taxes, taken from residents of a managed city or county. The municipality may own its own enterprises, funds and property.

Head of the municipality

The administration of the municipality, according to Russian laws, exercises an official with special rights. It owns a certain amount of authority, which allows solving problems of local significance. The head of the municipality is elected in elections by citizens or a local representative body.

His activities are accountable and controlled by citizens. Its main function is the representation of the municipal unit in interaction with other local administrations, public authorities, individuals and companies. It is also entitled to sign and publish legal acts adopted by the representative body of the local authority. The head of a municipal formation may be removed from office by a court decision if during the hearing it is established that the work of a person did not comply with the main moral principle - the absence of conflicts with the law.

Structure of the self-government system in Moscow

Moscow is a city of federal significance. The work of the self-government system of the Russian capital is regulated by local laws. The municipalities of Moscow are intra-city entities (districts, settlements). The boundaries between them are established taking into account history, local traditions, geographic features, as well as socio-economic specifics of the territories.

Issues of local importance are being addressed in municipalities, but their discussion should take into account the interests of the entire city economy and all citizens of Moscow. By the way, in the legal practice of the local authorities of the capital, the words "municipal" and "local" are used as equivalent terms. Deputies of local districts of Moscow often interact with residents of the territories entrusted to them and on the basis of meetings held form topical management issues. Now in the capital there are more than 140 municipalities.

Features of municipalities in Moscow

Among the most important issues related to local government in the Russian capital are the preservation of cultural heritage sites, the fight against illegal retail outlets and work on the greening of the city. On the "metropolitan" standards of self-government, new territories joined to Moscow in 2012 (former municipalities of the Moscow region) moved. In particular, the deputies of local authorities were given the right to exercise control over repair work in apartment houses, in courtyards, and to authorize the construction of garages. Most projects related to the construction of facilities are now being coordinated with municipal deputies.

An important role of local government officials and play in the resolution of issues that relate to government. The municipality is also the subject of political development of a city or a district. In the election of the mayor of Moscow, which took place in 2013, there was a rule that a candidate should get the support of at least 110 deputies from 110 metropolitan municipalities. Some experts believed that this mechanism allowed to weed out those applicants for the post of mayor, who are not familiar with the realities of Moscow.

Budgeting of municipalities

The formation of the budget of local authorities is very similar to a similar process at the federal level. However, there are differences. The budget of the municipality is made up of two main parts - a list of expenses and a list of cash receipts. If the deficit is expected, then the sources of its compensation are noted. In Russia there are three main levels of municipalities: settlements, districts and urban districts.

Each of them has its own budget, but in the process of its formation, subordination may be involved - the district requests lists of expenditures for each of the settlements, and then, summarizing them with its budget, forms a consolidated financial plan. Municipalities receive income from taxes and fees, municipal property, enterprise profits, as well as gratuitous transfers.

Incomes of municipalities

Monetary funds of local budgets are in municipal ownership. That is, federal or regional government bodies do not have access to them. In addition to the above sources of local government budget revenues, cash receipts can consist of subventions, subsidies, and financial flows arising in the course of mutual settlements. In general, the revenues of municipal budgets can be formed from three main groups of sources. First, it is, as already said, taxes and fees (they are dealt with by representative bodies of municipalities in accordance with the regulations of federal laws). Secondly, these are the so-called regulating revenues-federal, regional taxes and other types of payments, from which the local budget receives a certain percentage in the course of fees (most often this is UTII, company property tax , land tax). Thirdly, there are so-called "non-tax" payments that make up own revenues of local budgets.

The participation of society in the work of municipalities

Effective work of local authorities is largely determined by the degree of involvement in it of ordinary citizens. They need to know what a municipality is. This is an indicator of the development of society. Residents of cities and counties should actively join the decision-making processes of local authorities. If this does not happen, then social tension begins to grow, people can begin to protest against the work of local authorities. The solution of key issues related to the development of municipalities, as experts believe, should occur in public hearings.

Interaction between citizens and the government in this key will, first of all, avoid conflicts of interest. Very often, the emergence of difficulties in the sphere of communication between municipal governments and residents is due to the poor quality of information work of the first. An important component of effective public hearings is preliminary preparation, clarification of citizens' sentiments regarding the issue being solved.

The challenges facing municipalities

The powers of the municipality, guaranteed by law, are supplemented by a whole range of goals and tasks that local authorities are required to perform. They can be divided into several categories. First, it is the implementation on the ground of federal policy (for example, the implementation of presidential decrees). Secondly, it is the improvement of the work of municipal services. Thirdly, it is the stimulation of economic development in the areas entrusted to local authorities (for example, creating jobs, supporting entrepreneurial initiatives). In each of the marked categories there are more localized tasks. For example, in the course of improving the economic model of a municipality, questions can be resolved on the effective expenditure of budgetary funds, and at the same time, work is carried out to attract private actors and entrepreneurs to local politics of subjects that are not directly related to power. Some experts believe that the main responsibilities of the municipality are the implementation of socially significant initiatives and raising the standard of living of citizens.

Foreign experience

How does municipal government work abroad? Let us turn to the example of neighboring Finland. In the country of Suomi, the municipality is the most important institution of civil society, one of three levels of government (along with central and regional). The main unit of local authority in Finland is the so-called commune. They are very different in size. For example, Helsinki, where more than 588 thousand people live, and the small Baltic island of Sottung with a population of 120 inhabitants, are legally equal communes. In addition, there is no difference in rights between rural and urban municipalities.

For the country is characterized by a gradual process of unification of communes: if, for example, in 2001 there were 441, then in 2012 - only 336. The municipalities of Finland are united in the Association of Authorities in the regions and in the regions, which plays a significant role in the development of the country. It is significant that the Finns do not have heads of municipalities: their functions are performed by hired managers. They can keep their post, even if the composition of the council of the local government changes.