It is almost cross-cutting in society as in politics, that centralization is eating us and does not allow us to ava nzar. The current process of regionalization of the country (Law 21.074), presents a series of uncertainties in which the Government has been its main promoter. Unlike other opportunities, the current law transfers a number of powers to regional governments, such as territorial planning, infrastructure, transport, tourism and social development. In addition, three new divisions would allow these competencies to be implemented and public policies for the regions to be able to be implemented. But since we are in Chile, the last word is always held by the President, who is discretionary to accept whether or not to transfer and determine on which matters he will fall. And not only that, the President can transfer powers and then revoke them. Finally, the country’s public policy planning will depend on the political color, the governments on duty and the particular interests.
Several months ago, authorities, academics and organizations have been thinking as much about advancing a law as if to make a qualitative leap to the transfer of powers to regional governments. The current one has as main axes, the transfer of new competences from the central level to all regions, so it is essential that in parallel in each of the regions a priority of competences to be transferred according to their own needs and truly understand a decentralizing spirit that does not make regional progress. In an exemplary way, this is the case in the Valparaiso Region, where we consider it essential that the powers of serviU and transport are transferred to the regional government, given that there are problems and increases, housing and territorial integration.
But why do we need decentralization? because it allows the generation of public policies with a view and control from the regions. Today, that’s impossible. Despite this need, the current law is also a danger because of how the law is expressed, no competition would effectively be passed. In addition, more questions arise as the Executive of the seven regulations to be issued for the development and enforcement of the law, has issued only two, with the regulation that sets the minimum standards for the establishment of metropolitan areas, which by legal mandate, had to be issued in February of this year. There is also great uncertainty about regulations in matters of the transfer of competences procedure; regional budget frameworks and items; National Land Management Policy (PNOT) and on Regional Territorial Planning Plans (PROT).
And this gets worse. The uncertainty of this Government increases when we talk about fiscal decentralization, since the executive’s current proposal on tax reform, does not contemplate anything about regional income, only mentioning insufficiently, that the large projects with investments of $10 million deliver the equivalent of 1% of the investment as a contribution to the region. In addition to the territorial imbalance between the regions, not all regions no longer have the same investment capacity.
We believe that this new election of Regional Governor is a step forward, but if it is not accompanied by real economic and political conditions, it is just a salute to the flag. Chile needs a process containing effective fiscal decentralization, sufficient economic resources, and financial and political autonomy to plan and implement public policies developed under new competencies. If for the next elections, we do not want to have regional governments without powers or resources, this year is the time to start discussing and resolving a number of issues that are pending: the Short Law will be discussed, a law must be discussed and passed regional revenues to enable the transfer of competences to be implemented in a real way; the government must comply with the legal mandate and issue the relevant regulations and eventually regional governments must begin to give a deep discussion about planning and prioritizing their functions ahead of 2020.
The content poured into this opinion column is the sole responsibility of its author, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial line or position of El Mostrador.
