Municipal Power Research Articles

Municipal Fiscal Performance

This research aims at verifying whether mayors’ and councilors’ Human Capital has influence on the fiscal performance of Brazilian municipalities. The existing literature attributes the fiscal results of municipal management to mayors. However, taking into consideration the Human Capital Theory, we sought to verify the influence of the legislative municipal power on this issue. The sample was comprised of Brazilian municipalities from 2013 to 2019. The quantitative descriptive methodology with longitudinal section and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the phenomena discussed in this research. The fiscal performance was measured based on the Fiscal Autonomy Index (IAF), general IFGF, IFGF autonomy, IFGF personnel, IFGF liquidity and IFGF investment. In order to measure the Human Capital, the following information was considered: one’s education level, age and occupation in public administration before inauguration. The results showed that mayors’ and councilors’ Human Capital has influence on fiscal performance in general terms.

Проблемные вопросы реализации государственных полномочий, переданных органам муниципальной власти

The article is devoted to the transfer of state powers to municipal authorities and the problems that arise during the implementation of this procedure. The author demonstrates the difficulties that arise when delegating such powers to local selfgovernment bodies on specific legal relations. According to the author, the significance of the above-mentioned issues lies not only in the inadequate financial implementation of the powers transferred by the state and in the mixing of subjects of competence, but also in the fact that this takes place in the conditions of new constitutional and legal realities, when municipal power, like state power, becomes part of a single public authority. In this regard, the author suggests ways to overcome the problems that have arisen during the transfer and implementation of state powers by municipalities.

Introduction: Hog Reeves Are Part of the State , Too

Abstract: Historians of the early American republic pay the least attention to the most powerful form of government in that period: local governments. Social historians and legal historians are building a historiography of municipal power in the early republic, however, and this essay introduces a forum to expand our understanding of local governance. Focusing on nightwatchmen, overseers of the poor, justices of the peace, and sheriffs, this essay and forum flesh out the contours of the local state between the Revolutionary and Civil War eras.

Constitutional foundations of local self-government in Ukraine

The constitutional foundations of local self­government in Ukraine are norms-principles reflected in more than 20 articles of the Constitution of Ukraine. Norms establishing the legal, organizational, material and financial foundations of local self-government provide for the establishment of a democratic decentralized management system, based on independent territorial communities, local self-government bodies, which are entrusted with the decision of all issues of local importance. Real effective local self-government is possible only in the presence of certain conditions that have objectively developed in society, and which collectively form the basis of local self-government. The basics of local self­government create the foundation, that is, the foundation on which the entire system of local self-government is built. One of the fundamental foundations of local self-government is the participation of citizens in the social and political life of the state. The topicality of the topic is due primarily to the fact that at the current stage of democratic transformation of our country, local self­government is the basis of civil society. Local self-government is one of the most important institutions of a democratic state. Its development is a central scientific problem of municipal law and a "cornerstone” in municipal science for many decades, since its inception. The 1996 Constitution of Ukraine created the legal basis for the development of local self-government as a special type of public power. The article analyzes the constitutional principles that established the status of municipal power, their influence on further legislation and practice of local self­government. The constitutional principles of local self-government are analyzed. The approaches available in modern jurisprudence regarding the definition of the concept of "basics of local self­government” have been considered. Arguments are presented in favor of separating the organizational- legal, territorial, and material-financial bases of the activity of local self-government bodies.

The Value of Local Self‑Government in the Process of its Interaction with the State: Constitutional and Legal Aspect

The local self-government reform in Russia in recent decades has gradually diverted this institution from the essence of its creation, embedding it in the vertical of state power under the image of public power. The 2020 constitutional amendments have only accelerated this process. The paper attempts to substantiate the need to preserve municipal power in the form that it was originally inherent in, being a prototype of the theory of a free community or at least dualism. The paper is based on the theoretical advances of scientists and the author’s insights, as well as on a number of issues of local importance, including land, tax, urban planning and other public relations. The author has attempted to show the need for local self-government at the present time, if the necessary vector of development is given to it by organizational and legal means. The increasingly expanding practice of delegating state powers and the introduction of a single-level system of territorial organization of municipalities plays a negative role in the issue under consideration. In order to overcome problematic trends, it is proposed to implement the existing institutions of municipal law in a new way, which will give positive results and for which there is a real demand from the population. Thus, people are reluctant to participate in various events related to mandatory face-to-face attendance, but actively vote for options for improving public space, do not want to be deputies of rural settlements, but help each other in difficult situations and go out on clean-up days, etc. The subsequent transformation of local self-government should be based on the needs of citizens, not the state.

Единая система публичной власти в Российской Федерации

The article is devoted to the unified system of public power in the Russian Federation. In it, the author considers the unified system of public power as a system of systems consisting of a system of state power and a system of municipal power. The purposes, tasks, components, purpose, principles of functioning of each of the systems are analyzed.

Exploration of carbon reduction in new municipal power systems

In response to China’s goal of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”, a large number of new energy sources are connected to the power grid, and Chinese cities are also accelerating the construction of new power systems led by new energy. Taking Lishui City as an example, this paper constructs a low-carbon emission reduction evaluation system to evaluate the carbon reduction effectiveness of the new power system. This paper first introduces the basic technical characteristics of the new power system, and introduces in detail the key technologies involved in the construction of the new power system in Lishui. Then, the projects implemented by Lishui City in promoting the new power system and the current achievements were briefly summarized. After that, a new electric carbon traceability model of Lishui power system was constructed to carry out carbon traceability and carbon tracking for the municipal power grid. Finally, a low-carbon emission reduction evaluation system was constructed, and a number of evaluation indicators were proposed to evaluate the carbon reduction effectiveness of Lishui’s new power system, and the zero-carbon evaluation index was calculated through the historical data of Lishui, and the results showed that the new power system in Lishui City achieved remarkable results in carbon reduction and emission reduction.

Experimental research of photovoltaic-valley power hybrid heating system with phase change material thermal storage

The widespread integration of high-ratio distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems in buildings calls for flexible load management to align with municipal power peaks and PV variability. To address the timing and demand mismatches between PV generation and building energy needs, energy storage systems are used to manage PV excess, aid in grid peak shaving, and support building heating. This research develops a Photovoltaic-Valley power complementary phase change energy storage heating system, designed to consume photovoltaic and valley power for the decentralized heating of individual rooms, thus optimizing distributed energy utilization. A CPCM of magnesium chloride hexahydrate, EG, and calcium hydroxide, designed for indoor heating, was created with a phase change temperature around 117.9 °C and an enthalpy of 106.2 kJ/kg. An experimental platform was established to test the system and its control strategy, showing that the PV-powered phase change energy storage heater effectively keeps indoor temperatures above the thermal comfort minimum of 18 °C. As the PV guarantee rate increases, the system improves indoor temperature regulation and significantly reduces fluctuations. Operating costs are over 30% lower than those of traditional heating networks and natural gas systems, underscoring substantial energy savings and emission reductions. This research provides an integrated approach for optimizing building PV consumption, managing grid peaks, and regulating indoor temperatures with phase change energy storage heating systems.

Going Local, Going Mainstream? Ethnographic Study of Two French Cities Governed by the Rassemblement National

Abstract The government actions of populist radical right (PRR) parties have predominantly been scrutinized at the national level, leaving a critical aspect – their territorial foothold – largely unexplored. Through a comparative ethnographic study of two medium-sized French towns governed by the Rassemblement National since 2014, this article delves into how seizing municipal power has influenced the party's efforts towards mainstreaming. We examine the party's strategy, aimed at institutionalization, which relies on a blend of rhetoric emphasizing proximity, pragmatism, and non-partisan administration while preserving fundamental ideological elements of the radical right. This amalgamation of mainstreaming and radicalism, adaptive to different contexts and audiences, is termed ‘adaptable ideology’. Our study makes significant contributions to two pivotal aspects of the literature: understanding the mainstreaming trajectory of PRR parties and exploring the recent, localist turn in the study of this political realm.

INCLUSION OF THE POPULATION IN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH POLITICAL PARTIES

Overcoming apathy, absenteeism and inattention of the population to problems of local importance is one of the most urgent tasks of the modern system of municipal government. The exclusion of the population from the process of implementing municipal power violates the constitutional essence of local self-government, on the basis of which citizens must independently resolve issues of local importance. The low level of citizens’ involvement can be overcome by political parties, which currently need to be incorporated into the changing system in a timely manner, turning into a modern mechanism for popularizing direct participation of citizens in the management of the local community.

An Analysis of the Linkage between the Genoese “Compera” and Municipal Decision-Making in the Twelfth Century

In recent years, domestic academics have paid more and more attention to the origins of the Western state, and the Republic of Genoa, as one of the medieval maritime overlords in North Italy, deserves to be studied in depth for its mode of statehood and expansion. In the twelfth century, the Republic of Genoa used for the first time in its financial system an instrument similar to the public debt of modern times in order to solve the problem of municipal funding in the military and financial aspects. This financial instrument, called “compera”, was closely linked to municipal taxation, and often developed along with the implementation of municipal military and financial policies, eventually forming a lasting linkage with municipal decision-making. In essence, the underlying logic of this linkage is expressed through the interaction between the expanding taxing power of municipalities and their frequent fiscal indebtedness. More importantly, the linkage mechanism also stimulates the further monopolisation of public power by the urban elite aristocracy in the process of its operation.

The functions of a Municipal Law as a branch of law: debatable issues of theory

In article problems of the theory of functions of a modern Municipal Law are considered. The basic essential and meaningful, objective and subjective, internal and external aspects of modern Municipal Law. It is noted that among the basic tasks that are currently faced domestic science Municipal Law, is the formation of a coherent and comprehensive knowledge of the system of municipal law of Ukraine, its legal aspects and patterns of development and operation of its norms and institutions. A holistic conception of the Municipal Law of Ukraine in the unity of its static and functional, material and procedural elements are important theoretical and methodological basis for the development and improvement of the system of national municipalism, current municipal legislation and municipal law-making and law enforcement activities.
 However, if the theory of problematic issues of Municipal Law as in law, its genesis, sources, norms and institutions are reflected in the works of ukrainian researchers, the problem functions of this area of law remains almost unexplored. Understanding the nature and content of the functions of Municipal Law makes it possible to understand the importance of this area of law to regulate social relations and answer questions about the role of Municipal Law in society and the state.
 Characteristic signs of functions of a Municipal Law are analyzed. The functions of municipal law should be considered exclusively in the focus of the subject and method(s) of municipal law. Therefore, they are inextricably linked with the functions of municipal power and the functions of municipal human rights.
 Based on the above and other characteristics, the functions of municipal law as a branch of law should be defined as the main directions and types of influence of municipal law on social relations that arise in the process of recognition, formation, organization and exercise of municipal power, as well as the implementation and protection of municipal rights a human’s.

South Africa's Persistent Social ills Post-1994 and the Deterioration of the African National Congress (ANC): Is the Country Heading towards a Failing State?

This article investigates the increasing and continuous social ills that millions of South African individuals have faced since the ushering of a democratic government in 1994. It claims that the African National Congress (ANC) is yearly losing its grip on its power to run the country and alter the current development hurdles. This is against growing dissatisfaction with the ruling party of poor service delivery, corruption, state capture, and maladministration, among other dynamics. Post-1994, the realities of changing society and putting in place the bold development aspirations of a newly democratic country put more spotlight on the institutions and fiscal arrangements that could, mindful of ecological constrictions and economic ambitions, deliver much-needed essential services to people experiencing poverty. However, lessons from this are that irrespective of some achievements; the country has continued to witness significant challenges, particularly the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality in an era where the ANC continues to lose power and grip in many municipalities. However, it is argued in this article that the ANC might not necessarily lose control in the next decade, nor will South Africa become a failed state. Nevertheless, it will face the uncertainty of more fighting and losing more grip as parties such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) gain more political ground yearly. The article is based on a qualitative research approach through secondary data sources, including journal articles, books, chapters in books, credible newspapers, and online sources.

The subject of municipal law as a branch of law: debatable issues of theory

The article examines the problems of defining the subject of municipal law as a branch of Ukrainian law. The phenomenology of municipal law is studied in the context of its genesis, development and understanding of the subject of municipal legal regulation. It is proved that the subject of municipal law as a branch of national law should be considered social relations that arise in the process of recognition, formation, organization and exercise of municipal power, as well as the realization and protection of municipal human rights. The article provides a doctrinal analysis of approaches to interpreting the content of relevant social relations. The issue of the principles and forms of implementation of municipal law was raised.
 It is stated that the urgent task of the modern municipal legal doctrine is the search for the main characteristics of the subject of municipal legal regulation, that is, the generalized criterion that allows to attribute the social relationship to the number of proper municipal legal relations. Municipalism and community organization at the municipal level - the municipal system - should act as such a characteristic.
 For the first time, it was proposed to introduce the category «municipal system» into scientific circulation. According to the author, the municipal system is a system of social relations and principles related to the exercise by territorial communities of their functions and powers as the primary subject of local self-government, as well as the implementation of historical, socio­economic, spiritual-cultural, ethno-national and other features and traditions of their municipal life, which are recognized and protected by the Constitution and other acts of positive law. It is a kind of system-conglomerate structure, a synergistic combination of the principles of local self-government and heterogeneous elements and processes of municipal life (human rights, freedom, democracy, power, territory, property, etc.). It is claimed that the municipal system is one of the basic criteria for the formation of the subject of modern municipal law.

How clientelism undermines state capacity: Evidence from Mexican municipalities

Does clientelism perpetuate the weak state capacity that characterizes many young democracies? Prior work explains that clientelistic parties skew public spending to private goods and under-supply public goods. Building on these insights, this article argues that clientelism creates a bureaucratic trap. Governments that rely on clientelism invest in labor-intensive, low-skilled bureaucracies that can design and implement relatively more straightforward distributive policies. Although such bureaucracies are useful to win some elections, they lack the administrative capacity to sustain economic and human development. Empirically, the article examines the wage structure of municipal bureaucracies as a proxy for the personnel’s education and skills in Mexico between 2012 and 2018. During this period, turnover in the party in power in municipalities was frequent, a situation that also allows investigating how resilient the bureaucratic trap is to increased competition. The results show that all political parties invest in labor-intensive, low-skilled bureaucracies. However, the bureaucratic trap has a different grip on the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), a quintessential clientelistic party, compared to other parties. After an electoral turnover, PRI’s bureaucracies have a larger proportion of low-wage personnel compared to the bureaucracies of other parties. Moreover, after an electoral turnover, the PRI allocates more resources to social assistance, subsidies, and internal transfers that are more conducive to clientelism. The overall size of the bureaucracy and the total wage bill are not affected in the same way, suggesting that there is indeed a trade-off between hiring lower and higher skilled employees. While prior work has proposed other clientelism-induced negative equilibria, this article offers a more direct path from clientelism to state capacity. The results help explain why more fiscal resources, political competition, and demand-side strategies to fight vote buying are insufficient and underscore the importance of civil service reform to tame clientelism.

DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

The educational environment, as a significant social provider, is the result of a collection of protagonists, who, in turn, as demanders of education, have responsibilities that are often not properly assumed. The present article brings to the question the democratization of school management. It presents the high level of difficulty that this action brings with it, considering the experience in a society whose standards are filled with authoritarianism, based on an exacerbated exercise of power not only in a political vision, but also social and economic. The little one reproduces itself and thereby produces the great; and the school, as an institution of the system, is subject to this ambiguous, or perhaps even contradictory, relation as it incorporates the very title of the article. There is a whole historical movement in the search of decentralizing the power in the management of public policies that attempt in the direction of the municipal power. However, a question runs through what is said in this article: how to democratize school in a society that, at times, still resists the basic principles of democracy? This work does not have definite and conclusive answers, but it is concerned with pointing out certain biases that may (or may not) lead to a democratized school process, from a management that makes democracy its greatest desire. In accordance with the information acquired during the work, at the end some considerations are established, through which it is intended to assist other research that may be triggered.

The Constitutional Nature of Municipal Power

The paper examines the significance of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the formation and development of the political and legal essence of local self-government and its driving force as to strengthen municipal power as a type of public power that ensures the implementation of certain laws and municipal regulations on the territory municipalities. The author believes that it is only after the adoption of the Russian Constitution in 1993 that local self-government has acquired the constitutional potential for its formation as an authoritative channel for expressing the will of the people, both directly and through local government bodies. The paper shows the role of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation in the implementation of the constitutional idea of the power essence of local self-government and its consolidation in the current legislation. At the same time, according to the author, there are no sufficient grounds to conclude that the idea of the authoritative essence of local self-government is fully implemented in legislation. Believing it necessary to further strengthen the municipal government, the author makes proposals, the implementation of which will contribute to solving this pressing problem.

Russian Federalism and Local Self-Government: Correlation Trends and Development Prospects

The issues of correlation and development of Russian federalism and local self-government in the conditions of building and strengthening a unified system of state power in modern Russia are considered. Based on the analysis of the current legislation and practice of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the "main" trends in the development of local self-government in the conditions of the constant development of Russian federalism and the building of a unified system of public power in Russia are revealed. It is shown that the federal foundations of the formation of the legal framework for the organization of local self-government are marked by a significant "tilt" towards the provision by the federal legislator to the regional authorities of a broad degree of independence in determining the "normative" features of the functioning of local self-government on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation. The necessity of a more attentive attitude to the "embedding" of municipal power into the vertical of a unified system of public power, preserving the importance and necessary independence of local self-government in the system of formation and development of federal relations at the present stage of our state is proved. Otherwise, we may lose the identity of the local level of government not only in the system of state power, but also in the system of the Russian federalism model that has been established for more than 30 years.

Optimization of heterogeneous vehicle logistics scheduling with multi-objectives and multi-centers

Industrial enterprises have high requirements on timeliness and cost when delivering industrial products to their customers. For this reason, this paper studies the vehicle routing problem (VRP) of different vehicle models in multiple distribution centers. First of all, we consider the multi-dimensional constraints in the actual distribution process such as vehicle load and time window, and build a multi-objective optimization model for product distribution with the goal of minimizing the distribution time and cost and maximizing the loading rate of vehicles. Furthermore, an Improved Life-cycle Swarm Optimization (ILSO) algorithm is proposed based on the life cycle theory. Finally, we use the order data that Yunnan Power Grid Company needs to deliver to the customer (municipal power supply bureau) on a certain day to conduct a dispatching experiment. The simulation and application results show that the transportation cost of transportation obtained by the ILSO algorithm is reduced by 0.8% to 1.6% compared with the other five algorithms. Therefore, ILSO algorithm has advantages in helping enterprises reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Venality in town: the civic participation of venal forestry officers in Villemur (1671–1776)

Abstract Ancien régime venality of office has been axiomatically associated with inefficiency and corruption. In the case of mid-ranking provincial royal forestry officers, such behaviour was blamed on the limited promotion opportunities and poor financial rewards of their office. This article argues that active engagement with municipal politics was an additional, and more effective, compensation strategy for these office-holders because they could capitalize on the opportunities provided by the introduction of municipal venality in 1692. While financially unrewarding, civic participation enhanced their local status and prestige. It also contributed to the concentration of municipal power into few privileged hands, which over time severely undermined more participative forms of local governance. Ultimately, the failure of Colbert’s vision of forestry as an efficient public service was not due to the venal nature of the forestry office per se, but to office-holders sacrificing dedication to the king’s service for enhanced municipal prominence.