The modern political system in Russia is represented by several levels of government. The distribution of functions between them is enshrined in law, including in the Constitution. The representative of the interests of the population closest to the people is the municipal level. These are persons and groups of persons elected in a particular territory who are in charge of the affairs of the municipality.
Power levels
Three branches of government can engage in law-making activities in the country. The existence of the federal, regional and municipal levels is enshrined in the Constitution. Preparation, planning and adoption of national regulatory documents are the functions of the highest branches of government. These include the State Duma, the Office of the President, the Government and other structures. The regions have their own elected and appointed authorities, which provide management and control in certain territorial entities. These include not only regions, but also republics, autonomous regions. The total number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation is 85.
Finally, the third municipal level is representatives elected by the people that carry out activities to develop documents of local importance, interact with other structures, and distribute finances from their own budget.
Their main goal is to improve the life of the population, to help people in solving their problems.
Story
The origins of local government originated in Russia with the advent of zemstvos. This happened in the 60s of the XIX century. A little later, urban reform took place , separate power structures appeared in cities. In zemstvos, in turn, the area of action extended only to the countryside. In a large country, such reforms were necessary because managers appointed from the central regions could not know the problems that existed in the territory for hundreds and thousands of kilometers. Life in the countryside was very different from life in the capital. Because of this, there was a misunderstanding, a lack of submission to the laws of the capital.
Under the new rules, authorities in the provinces began to be elected from local residents (for the most part - landowners). There was a rather complicated electoral system. The administration was entrusted with the management of business affairs, including the organization of education, hospitals, and tax collection. Implementation of the reform was very slow; by the beginning of the 20th century, local elective bodies had not yet appeared in all the provinces of the country.
Current state
In 1993, after the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the concept of municipal authority underwent significant changes. She ceased to be classified as state structures. New features and competencies have appeared. A municipality means not only a rural settlement, but also an urban one, as well as a separate district or district within the city. It has the right to manage its own budget, organize tax collections, and own property. The duties began to include the maintenance of public order.
A couple of years later, a law was issued that directly related to local authorities, clarifying their powers, especially elections. This document was released later, in 2003, in an updated form. Today in the country there are more than 20 thousand municipalities.
Definition
The municipal level is the lowest of the three, it demonstrates the will of the people. At the same time, the elected bodies are obliged to act within the framework of the law and coordinate their actions with the higher authority. Only some issues self-government bodies are able to solve independently. The definitions of “local” and “municipal” in Russian law are used synonymously.
The population of the region where one or another local authority operates is actively involved in voting and participating in the development of new acts and laws. The municipality must have its own charter, the existence of which is enshrined in law at the federal level. It lists officials, the powers are distributed between them, the procedure for adopting regulations and everything related to the local budget is indicated.
Functions
Bodies at the municipal level identify and resolve certain issues of local importance. To solve these problems, budget money can be allocated, which comes partly from taxes, and partly through state subsidies. Among the functions is the development of landscaping projects. The duties of local authorities include ensuring order in the streets, organizing cultural events for the population. The powers also include the distribution of finances from one’s own budget to various needs.
There are many objects related to municipal property. These are repair and construction enterprises, educational institutions, some trading companies and warehouses, hospitals, and sports organizations.
The functions of the municipal level of power include the management of these facilities, as well as monitoring their activities.
Role
The existence of a municipal level in a country is one of the hallmarks of democracy. It is under a democratic regime that the people are able to dictate their conditions and influence the political system as a whole. This influence is carried out through local authorities, which are an important intermediary in this chain. Thus, the top authorities will learn about pressing domestic political problems and plan further reforms, introduce new laws, and distribute budgetary allocations to the needs of the regions.
Elected bodies must be guided by local traditions and customs, take into account the interests of peoples and nationalities living in the territory. Equally important is the history of the region. The experience of previous years is taken into account when developing new projects, plans for the development of the district. Local governments are aimed at establishing social stability, a calm environment in society.
Municipal Budget
Local authorities have the power to collect taxes from the population. Among them, collecting money for the use of land (for example, for sections of a garage cooperative or garden). In addition, these are taxes on advertising, inheritance, property and licensing. In addition to tax fees, there are other ways of getting finance to the local budget: various fines, income tax from entrepreneurs, state duties. Partially, federal taxes are distributed between the budgets of municipalities: a certain percentage of excise taxes on alcoholic beverages, agriculture and others. There is a special system of assistance to local authorities in the form of state subsidies and subsidies, there are also special loans for such needs.
The main item of local money expenditures is the enforcement of federal regulations and state requirements. Significant amounts go to the maintenance of budgetary institutions: schools, hospitals, kindergartens. The remaining expenses are directly related to the solution of local issues and the content of the organization itself. Money from the budget is distributed to salaries of employees of the municipality, the maintenance of bodies providing security, the development of housing and communal services and local media, landscaping, and the holding of elections. Finance also goes to the development of the transport system and the improvement of the road surface. In the event of a budget deficit, local authorities may request a loan from commercial organizations or proceed with the sale of property.
Interaction with other levels
State and municipal levels of government interact with each other. Normative acts adopted by local authorities are registered and recorded in a special document, the maintenance of which is assigned to the federal authority. These acts must not contradict the legislation, neither federal nor regional.
The territorial proximity of the regional and municipal levels affects their close relationships. The municipality must take into account the views of the authorities of the region, but at the same time deal with its own range of issues. Often at these levels there are conflict situations associated with the distribution of finances in different budgets.