The constitution of our country, the twentieth anniversary of which will be celebrated this year, is in many ways unique to us. This uniqueness lies not only in the fact that for the first time in its history, Russia was officially recognized as a democratic and legal state, but also in that a special role in building this state is assigned to those bodies that directly manage local territories.
Local self-government is a complex set of interacting institutions and mechanisms that allow residents of a particular village or city to directly or through their representatives manage this education, solve local issues that concern each individual resident, participate in the development of their village, village, cities.
The main sources in which the subjects of authority and powers of local self-government are defined are the already mentioned Constitution, the European Charter defining the functions, principles and resources for the implementation of local self-government activities, as well as the RF law adopted in 2003 regulating this sphere of public administration. In more detail, the powers of local authorities are spelled out in various by-laws, charters of these municipalities, as well as in acts of local authorities.
The main subjects of local government suggest the following points:
1. Creation, adoption and clear implementation of the local budget; introduction and abolition of taxes and various fees for the needs of the municipality.
2. Ownership of property that is within the competence of local authorities. Among other things, the powers of local authorities include the organization of supplying the population with electricity, water, heat and gas.
3. Construction and maintenance of roads related to public transport arteries, with the exception of those routes that are the responsibility of the federal center.
4. The active creation of a local housing stock, including the construction of new individual and multi-apartment buildings, which should subsequently be used to provide housing for poor citizens and those residents who, by law, can apply for housing.
5. Providing the relevant authorities with everything necessary to eliminate the consequences of various kinds of disasters and accidents, both natural and man-made.
6. Local authorities should actively promote the organization of cultural and educational leisure for citizens, as well as the opening of trade, food, and service enterprises in the territory of this formation.
In addition to the above, the subjects of local self-government presuppose the active participation of local authorities in the preservation of monuments and archival funds, the collection and disposal of solid waste, and the creation of development plans for the territory of a particular settlement.
In addition, we should not forget that, based on the provisions of the Constitution, the subjects of jurisdiction and powers of local self-government, regional authorities and the federal Center are very clearly delineated. In particular, in their activities, local authorities do not have the right to conflict with national laws, as the latter have greater legal force.
Analyzing the powers of local governments, for a more detailed analysis, they should be conditionally divided into political, economic and socio-cultural. The first group includes the duties of local authorities to ensure the participation of the population in the administration of this municipality, as well as the need to maintain public order and legality in this territory. The economic powers of local governments imply, on the one hand, the right to manage those land plots, enterprises, buildings and structures that are in municipal ownership, and on the other hand, assistance in the development of local business and entrepreneurship. Finally, socio-cultural powers include the obligation of local authorities to preserve and enhance the local cultural heritage.