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Bill: Local Governance Reform Act of 2806
Details
Submitted by[?]: Green Party of Aldegar
Status[?]: defeated
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: September 2806
Description[?]:
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Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change The appointment of mayors.
Old value:: Citizens elect their mayor directly in a local election.
Current: Citizens elect their mayor directly in a local election.
Proposed: The municipal councils exercise mayoral powers.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 18:44:24, August 22, 2009 CET | From | National Action Party | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | While the NAP does not truly support either side, we would like to hear the arguments for both sides to decide where to lend our support, or to abstain |
| Date | 04:04:44, August 23, 2009 CET | From | Green Party of Aldegar | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | Our argument is simple and clear: a mayoral system concentrates power in the hands of one person, whilst a council system shares the authority amongst council members. The difference is a bit like a presidential and a parliamentary system. Furthermore, if there is a mayor from Party A in the area, for example, the voices of Parties B, C, D, etc might not be fairly represented. In a municipal council directly elected with proportional representation will ensure that all voices are represented. |
| Date | 07:48:49, August 23, 2009 CET | From | People's Party - Republican Democrats | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | As municipal councils do still exist, even with a directly elected mayor, and the mayor will have to cooperate with the council to get things done, we feel that the current system gives fair representation to all parties. After all, there is always the next election, both for the mayors and the councils. Administration by committee is usually cumbersome and ineffective, which is why we prefer the current system. As a compromise we were offering a proposal that would have given any locality to decide for themselves which system they preferred, and we could certainly live with a lack of uniformity if that also gives more freedom of decision to local institutions. However, our proposal was rejected last term, and we won't be putting it forward again. |
| Date | 15:23:40, August 23, 2009 CET | From | Green Party of Aldegar | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | Under the current system, the mayor has the final say in matters, and as she is a person, it is only natural that she decides according to her own convictions. Under a council system, the council will have the final say, and a broader array of opinions and ideologies should be reflected, just as they do in a parliament. As to the proposal of allowing local authorities to decide the system, although we are strongly pro-devolution, we see this as a case prone to foul play by local strongmen in choosing if the power is to be controlled alone or shared amongst them. We think it is far fairer and more democratic to install a uniformal administrative system across the country. |
| Date | 15:27:41, August 23, 2009 CET | From | National Action Party | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | Eliminating the mayors and having councils decide local matters would slow down already slow and red-tape full political processes |
| Date | 16:56:32, August 23, 2009 CET | From | People's Party - Republican Democrats | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | Does the Green Party really think that vesting all administrative powers in the councils would eliminate local strongmen? Even in a council system, the person(s) most-skilled in playing the existing majorities will ultimately have most influence and the real power will as always be with the backroom dealers and efficient organisers. Unless, of course, any decisions would require unanimity, which seems to be the best recipe for avoiding all decisions. |
| Date | 19:06:09, August 23, 2009 CET | From | Green Party of Aldegar | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | No, the aim is not to eliminate local strongmen. It is to create a system where they can reach consensus for the good of the community, instead of allowing one strongman to call the ends and forcing the others to call the one making the decisions bad names. |
| Date | 08:29:27, August 24, 2009 CET | From | People's Party - Republican Democrats | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | The aim may be to eliminate local stro0ngmen, however, the system proposed by the Green Party doesn't, they simply wouldn't be operating as openly anymore. |
| Date | 11:05:20, August 24, 2009 CET | From | Green Party of Aldegar | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | We have clearly stated that the aim is not to eliminate local strongmen. Like members of parliaments operate openly, huh? |
| Date | 11:21:01, August 24, 2009 CET | From | People's Party - Republican Democrats | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | Apologies for misreading something, but still we believe that the system proposed by the Green Party would make local decision-making processes less transparent and the decision-makers will be less accountable. Under such a system, the backroom dealers will call the shots, but when it comes to taking responsibility for things that go wrong, there are so many people responsible that ultimately no one will be. |
| Date | 22:02:17, August 24, 2009 CET | From | Green Party of Aldegar | To | Debating the Local Governance Reform Act of 2806 |
| Message | A council (and parliamentary, for that matter) system demands a state of collective responsibility, just like what cabinet ministers in our government have. As for accountability, a mayor is only accountable to those who voted for her, and a proportionately and directly elected council is accountable to the whole constituency. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 181 | ||||
| no |
Total Seats: 318 | ||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 0 |
| Random fact: Particracy has been running since 2005. Dorvik was Particracy's first nation, the Dorvik Social Democrats the first party and the International Greens the first Party Organisation. |
| Random quote: "Democracy is in peril." - Ralph Nader (referring to turnout in the 1996 US presidential election) |