Transparency Challenges For Local Governments

1. Transparency Challenges For Local Governments Alejandro Páez Aragón City Mayor San Pedro Garza García, N.L. June 2006

2. Dallas ● ● Houston ● Tampico City of San Pedro Geographical Facts • Mexico City: 559 Mi • Dallas: 572 MI • Laredo: 138 Mi • Houston: 455 Mi • Tampico: 375 Mi

3. City of San Pedro

4. “Transparency and public information access is a civil right that builds democracy and fortifies legality in our country.”

5. DNA Good Government Transparency and Information Access Citizen Participation • To Change Practices • To Remove Inertias • To erradicate Corruption

6. “Transparency is a Pact of Honesty between Government and Society” Open Government Paricipating Society WELFARE TRUST LEGITIMACY MORAL AUTHORITY

7. Accountability

8. Corruption Vs. Investment • Corruption dissuades investments * Informe Global de Corrupción 2004. Transparency International, pag. 287

9. Corruption Vs. Investment • Corruption decreases productivity Informe Global de Corrupción 2004. Transparency International, pag. 288

10. Accountability Legal framework Channels for Complains and reports Public and Open Biddings Accountability Updated Information on Internet On Line Sessions of Government Entities Computer Infrastructure for Citizen Access Social Comptrollers E- Subastas (E-Auctions)

11. Accountability Municipal Government’s Public Information Access Regulation. • Issued on April, 2004. • First Municipality in the State with this instrument • City Council Transparency Commission • San Pedro is the only Municipality in the State with this kind of Commission • It is presided by an opposition member

12. Accountability Attention to Complains, Reports and Suggestions • More reception means • Best Practices Promotion. • Citizen Feedback. • System to Follow up Cases • Supported by Social Comptrollers. BUZÓN DEL ALCALDE

13. Accountability On Line Sessions • City Council • Purchasing Committee • Public Works Committee • Broadcast live on Internet • Video File of the previous sessions • Acts File of the previous sessions • Calendar and Schedule of the Sessions.

14. Accountability Cybernetic Kiosks • Infrastructure: • 8 Local Kiosks • 1 Mobile Kiosk • Free internet access to transparency site

15. Accountability Social Comptrollers • 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.

16. Accountability 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

17. Accountability 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

18. Citizen Participation

19. “We Decide Together” Citizen Participation Municipal Property Board Education School of Citizen Leadership Youth Citizen Link and Participation Honor and Justice Security Committee Education Urban Planning Citizen Consultative Councils Public Works and Purchasing Committees

20. Citizen Participation School of Citizen Leadership Municipal Property Board • 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

21. Citizen Participation Advisory District Councils for Participative Urban Planning 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. • 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

22. Participación Ciudadana Advisory District Councils for Participative Urban Planning Public Works and Purchasing Committees • 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 • 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.

23. Citizen Participation 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

24. MUNICIPAL COUNCIL NEA We Decide Together ! NEA NEA SECTORIAL COUNCIL NEA SECTORIAL COUNCIL NEA NEA NEA NEA NEA NEA NEA NEA NEA SECTORIAL COUNCIL SECTORIAL COUNCIL NEA NEA NEA NEA

25. Citizen Participation Municipality Council for Social Participation in Education Youth Participation Council • 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 • 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.

26. Final Considerations

27. Advantages and Strategies • Generates Trust. • Creats a cultural change in the public employee. • Allows public evaluation. • Prevents corruption. • Helps to improve performance. • Allows feedback. • Encourages shared responsibility. • Improves the business environment. • Coordination to define and promote best practices in this topic. • To obtain change support. • Institutionalize Permanent mechanisms. • Long term programs. • To Support change from the top. • To use Evaluation mechanisms. Advantages Strategies

28. Conclusions 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

29. Thank You! alejandro.paez@sanpedro.gob.mx