!!!Kommunalpolitik

Local Government is based on the right of a town or local authority to 
regulate its affairs within the framework of state law. Towns and 
smaller municipalities have been self-governing since the Middle Ages, 
when their right to local government was laid down in municipal codes 
or governed by common law. In 1849 the provisional imperial law on 
municipalities was passed, and since 1862 local government has been 
regulated by the imperial law on municipalities and the municipal 
codes of the provinces. Local policy-making is often restricted by 
financial resources or by laws and contractual obligations. Local 
government is largely decided upon by the municipal representatives ( 
Mayor, Gemeinderat or town council), who are in most cases affiliated 
to a political party. In some provinces the mayor is directly elected 
by the people. The main tasks of local government are local traffic 
and transport, social work (in particular for young people and senior 
citizens), health care, environmental protection, public utilities, 
refuse disposal, local commerce and trade (site selection for 
businesses), schools, sports and cultural affairs (construction of 
school buildings, establishment of public institutions, maintenance of 
museum, libraries, adult education, support of private associations). 
The participation of citizens in local government is encouraged by the 
local press, local radio and local TV; special journals published by 
the Association of Austrian Municipalities and the Austrian 
Association of Cities and Towns give further information. Scientific 
research is carried out by the Institut fuer Kommunalpolitik 
(Institute of Local Government) and the Institut fuer Stadtforschung 
(Institute of Urban Research).


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