Transparency Challenges For Local Governments

San Pedro Garza García, N.L. June 2006

Transparency Challenges For Local

Governments Alejandro Páez Aragón

City Mayor

2

Geographical Facts

Mexico City: 559 Mi

Dallas: 572 MI

Laredo: 138 Mi

Houston: 455 Mi

Tampico: 375 Mi

City of San PedroCity of San Pedro

● Houston

Dallas ●

● Tampico

3

Area 43,298 mi2 6,968.25 Ha

Budget 2006 $886,000,000

City Population 126,9137° Place

In the State

Percentage of the State Population

3.57%

Male Population 61,981 49%

Female Population 64,932 51%

City of San PedroCity of San Pedro

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““Transparency and public information access is Transparency and public information access is

a civil right that builds democracy and fortifies a civil right that builds democracy and fortifies

legality in our countrylegality in our country.”.”

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Citizen Citizen ParticipationParticipation

Transparency Transparency and Information and Information

AccessAccess

Good Good GovernmentGovernment

• To Change PracticesTo Change Practices• To Remove InertiasTo Remove Inertias

• To erradicate CorruptionTo erradicate Corruption

DNA

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Open Open GovernmenGovernmen

tt

ParicipatinParicipating Societyg Society

WELFAREWELFARE

TRUSTTRUST

LEGITIMACYLEGITIMACY

MORAL AUTHORITYMORAL AUTHORITY

““Transparency is a Pact of Honesty Transparency is a Pact of Honesty between Government and Society”between Government and Society”

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AccountabilityAccountability

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Corruption dissuades investments

Corruption vs. Invesments

-0.04

-0.02

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Lower Transparency Higher Transparency

Net

Cap

ital F

low

s

* Informe Global de Corrupción 2004. Transparency International, pag. 287

Corruption Vs. InvestmentCorruption Vs. Investment

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Corruption decreases productivity

Corruption Vs. InvestmentCorruption Vs. Investment

Corruption vs Productivity

-0.15

-0.1

-0.05

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Lower Transparency Higher Transparency

P r

o d

u c

t i

v i

ty

Informe Global de Corrupción 2004. Transparency International, pag. 288

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Legal Legal frameworkframework

Updated Updated Information Information on Interneton Internet

Channels for Channels for Complains and Complains and

reportsreports

On Line Sessions of On Line Sessions of Government EntitiesGovernment Entities

Computer Computer Infrastructure for Infrastructure for

Citizen AccessCitizen Access

Social Social ComptrollersComptrollers

Public and Public and Open Open

BiddingsBiddings

E- SubastasE- Subastas

(E-Auctions)(E-Auctions)


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Municipal Government’s Public Information Access Municipal Government’s Public Information Access Regulation.Regulation.

• Issued on April, 2004.

• First Municipality in the State with this instrument

City Council Transparency CommissionCity Council Transparency Commission

•San Pedro is the only Municipality in the State with this kind of Commission

•It is presided by an opposition member

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Attention to Complains, Reports and SuggestionsAttention to Complains, Reports and Suggestions

BUZÓN DEL ALCALDEBUZÓN DEL ALCALDE

• More reception means

• Best Practices Promotion.

• Citizen Feedback.

• System to Follow up Cases

• Supported by Social Comptrollers.

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• Broadcast live on Internet• Video File of the previous

sessions• Acts File of the previous

sessions• Calendar and Schedule of

the Sessions.

City Council

Purchasing Committee

Public Works Committee


On Line SessionsOn Line Sessions

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Cybernetic Kiosks

Infrastructure:8 Local Kiosks 1 Mobile Kiosk

• Free internet access to transparency site


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Incorporates city to national effort.

Strengthens citizen participation and responsibility and increases information access

More than 100 social comptrollers

Commitment to the community

Promotes a culture of legality and transparency.


Social ComptrollersSocial Comptrollers

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Information available on Internet

• Organization and Operation• Legal Framework• Permits and Services• Financial and public expenditures• List of City suppliers and vendors • On going public works• On going audit reports• Authorizations, Concessions and

Permits


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Public and Open Biddings

Total openness to events and documentation

Permanent neighbors invitation

Presence of Social Comptrollers

Transparency on decisions and results

Open to public consultation


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Citizen Citizen ParticipatioParticipatio

nn

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Citizen ParticipationCitizen Participation

EducationMunicipal

Property Board

School of Citizen Leadership

Citizen Consultative Councils

Urban Planning

Youth

Honor and Justice Security

Committee Education

“We Decide Together”

Public Works and Purchasing Committees

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School of Citizen Leadership


• It helps social leaders to understand the Municipal Public Administration.

• It helps to improve citizen’s requests

• It forms better qualified citizens to be part neighbor boards, councils, committees, etc.

• It fights the apathy in the society.

• It is formed by municipal and estate functionaries as well people from the organized civil society

• Gives de prices of the cost of building and value of soil about construction proposed to the City Council

• It works according to the state property Law

Municipal Property Board

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Honor and Justice Security Committee

• Constituted as an autonomous administrative entity

• It determines sanctions and rewards for police and traffic agents.

• Integrated by:• 5 Citizens• 2 Councilmen• 1 Police officer• 1 Traffic Agent• The Comptroller Secretary

• It is presided by a citizen.

Citizen ParticipationCitizen ParticipationAdvisory District Councils for Participative Urban Planning

• 11 citizen councils.10 members each.

• Nearness to the community

• Solving concrete problems

• They give citizen vision to the difficult urban development situations

• Each district decides its own timing

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Participación CiudadanaParticipación Ciudadana

Public Works and Purchasing Committees

• It is formed by municipal functionaries and people from the organized civil society

• Gives its opinion about the adjudication of all contracts of public works granted.

• Propose to the City Council the better use of the resources come from the Branch 33 of the Federal Found fror infrastructure.

Advisory District Councils for Participative Urban Planning

• 11 citizen councils.10 members each.

• Nearness to the community

• Solving concrete problems

• They give citizen vision to the difficult urban development situations

• Each district decides its own timing

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We Decide Together!


• Embodies 100% of the Neighborhood associations • Defines priorities and solutions• Strengthens community links• Follows up the assignation and works execution. • Gives accountability • Develops social responsibility in the Community

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MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

SECTORIALCOUNCIL

NEA

NEA

NEA

SECTORIALCOUNCIL

NEA

NEA

NEA

SECTORIALCOUNCIL

NEA

NEA

NEANEA

SECTORIALCOUNCIL

NEA

NEA

NEA

NEA

NEA

NEA

NEA

We Decide Together !

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Municipality Council for Social Participation in Education

• It is formed by teachers, principals, parents and state and municipal representatives.

• Defines priorities in Education Matters

• Makes Participation ordered and established

• Shares responsibility in decision making

• Defines how to use the resources applied to the schools


Youth Participation Council

• It is formed by young residents and youth organizations from 7 district councils

• Promotes Youth Integral Development

• Gives them opportunity to participate in the solutions of their problems

• Strengthens responsibility and solidarity

• Accountability.

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Final Final ConsiderationsConsiderations

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Ad

van

tage

sA

dva

nta

ges

Str

ateg

ies

Str

ateg

ies

• Coordination to define and Coordination to define and promote best practices in this promote best practices in this topic. topic.

• To obtain change support.To obtain change support.

• Institutionalize Permanent Institutionalize Permanent mechanisms. mechanisms.

• Long term programs.Long term programs.

• To Support change from the To Support change from the top.top.

• To use Evaluation To use Evaluation mechanisms.mechanisms.

• Generates Trust.Generates Trust.

• Creats a cultural change in the Creats a cultural change in the public employee.public employee.

• Allows public evaluation.Allows public evaluation.

• Prevents corruption.Prevents corruption.

• Helps to improve performance.Helps to improve performance.

• Allows feedback. Allows feedback.

• Encourages shared responsibility.Encourages shared responsibility.

• Improves the business Improves the business environment.environment.

Advantages and StrategiesAdvantages and Strategies

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TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY good investment to make the city attractive and competitive. provides trust attracts investment and jobs generates prosperity for the community

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION generates human and community development strengthens governmental and society institutions Improves all relations between government and citizens gives citizens the power to decide their future

Conclusions

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Thank You!

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Documents

Transparency Challenges For Local Governments