| What is a municipio? - draft |
The basic unit of Mexican government is the municipio (municipality, city/county
combination), 2438 of
which existed in 2006. Municipios are usually formed by a major town and
usually with a minimum of
25,000 surrounding inhabitants (in Veracruz). The name of the town usually
becomes the name of the
municipio, which can at times be confusing.
Article 115 of the 1917 Mexican constitution proclaims the autonomy of local
governments according to the principle of the "free city" (municipio libre ),
stemming from the middle ages.
Although they are authorized to collect property taxes and user fees,
municipalities have historically lacked the means to do so, and relied mainly on
transfers from state governments for most of their revenues. A 1984
constitutional amendment to Article 115 expanded municipalities' authority to raise
revenue and formulate budgets. Further federal programs have now transferred
reliance on revenue to many federal sources of revenue, thereby undermining
the previous strangle holds by state governments in exchange for federal
strangle holds. (see Wikipedia)
Every 3 years or so, depending on whether someone goes to jail or dies, a king
gets chosen in Catemaco.
He is called Presidente Municipal Constitucional . He (no women elected yet)
gets one term only, but
repeatable after a 3 year hiatus. He also gets an amazing clout of political power.
Technically he shares
the power of office with a sindico unico and 4 regidores. The closest I can get
to translating these
functions is city attorney and department heads. In addition, a presidente will
appoint a secretary and
treasurer.
The entire government structure is referred to as ayuntamiento (city hall).
Elections are along party lines. By law the winning party gets the presidencia
and the sindico unico
position. The regidores offices are proportionally assigned to all parties, including
the winning one. The
total number of regidores are assigned by the state according to latest census
figures.
To be elected and be part of the ayuntamiento government, candidates must be a
Mexican citizen, a 5 year resident of Veracruz and can´t be a religious minister,
among other requirements. Judicial and legislative powers are reserved to the
state, but they are often circumvented by a presidente's clout.
Some of the state authorized departments distributed to regidores are:
Potable Water and Drainage
Public Lighting
Public Sanitation
Graveyards
Slaughterhouses
Streets, Parks and Gardens
Municipal Police
Tourism
plus anything else the state authorizes.
combination), 2438 of
which existed in 2006. Municipios are usually formed by a major town and
usually with a minimum of
25,000 surrounding inhabitants (in Veracruz). The name of the town usually
becomes the name of the
municipio, which can at times be confusing.
Article 115 of the 1917 Mexican constitution proclaims the autonomy of local
governments according to the principle of the "free city" (municipio libre ),
stemming from the middle ages.
Although they are authorized to collect property taxes and user fees,
municipalities have historically lacked the means to do so, and relied mainly on
transfers from state governments for most of their revenues. A 1984
constitutional amendment to Article 115 expanded municipalities' authority to raise
revenue and formulate budgets. Further federal programs have now transferred
reliance on revenue to many federal sources of revenue, thereby undermining
the previous strangle holds by state governments in exchange for federal
strangle holds. (see Wikipedia)
Every 3 years or so, depending on whether someone goes to jail or dies, a king
gets chosen in Catemaco.
He is called Presidente Municipal Constitucional . He (no women elected yet)
gets one term only, but
repeatable after a 3 year hiatus. He also gets an amazing clout of political power.
Technically he shares
the power of office with a sindico unico and 4 regidores. The closest I can get
to translating these
functions is city attorney and department heads. In addition, a presidente will
appoint a secretary and
treasurer.
The entire government structure is referred to as ayuntamiento (city hall).
Elections are along party lines. By law the winning party gets the presidencia
and the sindico unico
position. The regidores offices are proportionally assigned to all parties, including
the winning one. The
total number of regidores are assigned by the state according to latest census
figures.
To be elected and be part of the ayuntamiento government, candidates must be a
Mexican citizen, a 5 year resident of Veracruz and can´t be a religious minister,
among other requirements. Judicial and legislative powers are reserved to the
state, but they are often circumvented by a presidente's clout.
Some of the state authorized departments distributed to regidores are:
Potable Water and Drainage
Public Lighting
Public Sanitation
Graveyards
Slaughterhouses
Streets, Parks and Gardens
Municipal Police
Tourism
plus anything else the state authorizes.
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