BOGOTÁ & LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN COLOMBIA Does Colombia have a primate city? Manifestations of unitary state organization

BOGOTA

National Cathedral & City Hall

Boundaries of Cundinamarca-Bogotá: Dissatisfaction  City elites always wanted autonomy  Part of surrounding Department of Cundinamarca  Financial concerns led Department government to resist demands for autonomy

Changing Boundaries of Bogotá: Early Twentieth Century  1905 – Bogota made into a “Capital District”  1909 – returned to a Department  1954 Bogotá becomes a special district –following change in constitution  More autonomy  Extended boundaries  All of the population living in a single administrative unit  No longer part of Cundinamarca

Constitutional Revisions: 1991  Bogotá organized as a “capital district”  Boundaries remained the same  New rights acquired  Separate electoral arena – sent independent representatives to national congress  Complete administrative autonomy from Cundinamarca  More control over own budget

Government of Bogotá: Executive Power  Chief Executive (Mayor)  Appointed until 1988  Alternated between Liberals and Conservatives during National Front  Constitution of 1991  Shift to elected mayor reflected efforts to Mayor elected for 3 years  Not elgible for immediate reelection

Government of Bogotá: Legislative Power  City Council (size increased as city population grew  Since 1972 number of councilors increased in line with population increase  1972 – 20 councilors  1997 – 40 councilors  Until 1972 half of all councilors were Liberals and half conservatives  Conservative ranks infiltrated by ANAPO  Liberals factionalized

Government of Bogotá: Revising 1991 Constitution  Deadlock between mayor and city council paralyzes government l  1993 statute increased power of Mayor in relation to city council

Government of Bogotá: Administration & Responsibilities  City Government gradually absorbed more functions after special administrative district created in 1954  Public agencies established to run  Buses  Maintain streets  Health  Education  Housing – privatized over time

Government of Bogotá & Private Sector  Private sector housing  Formal sector construction  Illegal subdivisions  Additional privatization in 1990’s  Rubbish collection  Collection of taxes  Electricity  Struggle over privatizing telephones and telecommunications

Mayor: longevity as a measure of political influence  Term  Between 1931 and 1954 average stay in office only nine months  When city became a special district mean tenure increased to twenty-two months  Elected term 3 years

Political Recruitment of the Mayor:  Only one female incumbent  Until elections appointees always trusted associate of president  Liberals and independents won most elections for mayor in 1990’s  More recently mayors have been from different political party than the president  Most elected mayors held important political posts before becoming mayor

Mayors of Bogata reflect uniqueness of the capital city  Juan Lozano Garzon – mayor of Bogota  First leftist mayor  Favored legalization of drugs  Direct challenge to President Uribe  Conservative mayor uses mimes to discourage jaywalking  Antanas Mockus – Mayor of Bogota

Samuel Gustavo Moreno Rojas: Current Mayor of Bogota  During his campaign proposed the construction of an underground rapid transit systemrapid transit system  increase the passengers capacity of the city  reduce the commute time  increase the comfort of the trip by reducing the number of people per coach  Proposition very controversial, because the city already has a mass transit system which is not finished yet  son of former congressman Samuel Moreno Díaz and former presidential candidate María Eugenia Rojas, grandson of former Colombian military dictator Gustavo Rojas Pinilla.congressman Samuel Moreno Díaz presidentialMaría Eugenia Rojas Gustavo Rojas Pinilla

Elected Mayor of Bogotá generally viewed as second most important politician in the country.

Mayor of Bogota in Action: Opportunities and Constraints  Relative to National Administration  When mayor was a presidential appointee he implemented programs desired by the national executive  Opposition mayors complain bitterly about financing  City’s critical needs can’t be ignored  Bogotá Verses Congress (hostility predominates)  Those born outside of capital resent what they view as privileged treatment for the capital  Minimal political advantage from investing in Bogotá  Many families retain loyalty elsewhere

Mayoral Opportunities & Constraints II  Relations with Neighboring Areas  Residual bad feelings with Cundinamaarca impedes cooperative problem solving  Public services often disjointed  The City Council  Long used as debating chamber to build recognition for aspiring politicians  Division of responsibilities has not improved relations between Mayor & Council

Budget of Bogotá Municipio  Traditional pattern (too little money to perform tasks expected of local government)  Provided low level of services  Ran a budget deficit  City’s chronically poor financial situation principally due to its own reluctance to increase taxes  Strengthens influence of the central government in the capital city

Reasons why tax revenues from taxes “on the book” have not increased  Collection of property tax insufficient  Cultural attitude toward law enforcement permeates efforts to collect taxes  Efforts to implement existing legislation by updating records resisted

Colombian Local Government: Final Thoughts  Demands on the municipios increasing  Administration remains inefficient  Clientilism predominates over merit criteria