| What is a municipio? |
The basic unit of Mexican government is the municipio (municipality, city/county
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 "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)
Catemaco Municipio
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.
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 "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)
Catemaco Municipio
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.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
