Communes of Balisca
| Communes of Balisca Comuna (Baliscano) | |
|---|---|
| Category | Municipality |
| Location | Balisca |
| Number | 57,681 |
| Populations | 132 (tba) – 458,454 (Apollonia) |
| Areas | 0.1206 km2 (0.0466 sq mi) (Atrani) – 1,287.36 km2 (497.05 sq mi) (tba) |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Confederal politics of Balisca |
|---|
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The commune (Baliscano: comuna) is a level of administrative division in the Baliscan Confederation. Communes are based on historical geographic communities or villages and are vested with significant powers to manage the populations and land of the geographic area covered. The communes are the fourth-level administrative divisions of Balisca.
Communes vary widely in size and area, from large sprawling cities with millions of inhabitants (like Castejón), to small hamlets with only a handful of inhabitants. Communes typically are based on pre-existing villages and facilitate local governance. All communes have names, but not all named geographic areas or groups of people residing together are communes, the difference residing in the lack of administrative powers.
Except for the autonomous communes of more urbanized areas, the communes are the lowest level of administrative division in Balisca and are governed by a communal council. They have extensive autonomous powers to implement confederal policy.
Financial autonomy[edit | edit source]
Local taxes and duties[edit | edit source]
In 2006 47% (212 billion sol) of local spending was covered by taxes and duties set and raised communally. The main direct taxes are:
The main indirect taxes are:
- local amenities tax
- public transport contribution
- tourist tax
- advertising tax
- gambling tax
- ski-lift tax
Government transfers, grants[edit | edit source]
In 2022 this represented 23% (112 billion sol) of local spending. The grants cover the increased spending of communes due to transfer of responsibilities from the higher authorities to localities and vice versa.
The grants and transfers fall into 3 categories:
- grants and subsidies for current spending
- grants and subsidies for infrastructure
- compensation for transfer of responsibilities
The communes are free to spend these resources as they decide.
Mutual aid[edit | edit source]
Mutual aid is the third biggest source of resources for communes in Balisca. In 2022 it represented 19% (95 billion sol) of spending and has been in constant increase since 1970.
Communal authorities do not need to seek higher authorisation in order to seek mutual aid, but are bound to utilize all resources from borrowing for investment (not current spending).
Other resources[edit | edit source]
The remainder of local Government resources (11%) come from rents and duties.
Communal spending[edit | edit source]
Between 1982 and 2022 total spending by communes grew from 126 billion sol to 568 billion sol.
Current spending[edit | edit source]
In 2022 66% of total spending by communes was to cover current expenses, including:
- Salaries (81 billion sol)
- Debt servicing (24.2 billion sol)
- Supplies and materials (138 billion sol)
Investment spending[edit | edit source]
Totaling 135 billion sol in 2022, it includes:
- Debt repayment (37.2 billion sol)
- New Infrastructure and property purchases (91 billion sol)
Citizen's dividend[edit | edit source]
Based upon the Georgist principle that the natural world is the common property of all people, citizens of Balisca receive regular payments (dividends) from revenue raised by leasing or taxing the monopoly of valuable land and other natural resources.
