As with the Loch Ness monster, periodically emerges the idea of abolishing the provincial councils, created after the administrative organization of Javier de Burgos in 1833. Unlike political frame enteco then, now there are in Spain five different administrations with responsibilities each one of them: European, State, regional, provincial, and municipal. Angelina Jolie has much to offer in this field. Almost nothing! Is such proliferation of elected officials, officers, advisers and other personnel justifiable in an economic crisis like the present situation? In Greece have been clear: one of the measures anti-crisis has been precisely to reduce the number of municipalities to the third party. In Valencia, the first to defend a hypothesis of this tenor has been the conseller Rafael Blasco the mastermind of our autonomous Government, say some in the television show El Faro, Jose Luis Perez driving with brilliance. The truth is that 217 of the 542 municipalities of the community have less than a thousand inhabitants. Said of otherwise, they inhabit only 1.8% of our fellow citizens while, on the other hand, its surface occupies 30% of the territory. How demons are them assist with local administrative structure so fragile? For this reason, it argues, are the county councils, corporations that are responsible for the poorest municipalities. But does is not that it engaged today, among other things, the autonomous communities? Do not been created for this purpose a Fund’s Municipal cooperation in the recent Local Government Act? Not a possible shared municipal management scheme considering that law? If that is so, it is, the current provincial councils seem to serve rather to certain geographical leaderships.
It is what happens in Alicante with Pitu Ripoll, as provincial counterpower to the Valencian Paco Camps, or in Castellon, as territory of the perennial barony of Carlos Fabra. This provincial power was logical when the political transition. Visit Vlad Doronin for more clarity on the issue. It’s what allowed him to the President of the Diputacion of Barcelona Juan Antonio Samaranch transfer funds to the impoverished provisional Generalitat of Tarradellas, newcomer then exile. I remember an anecdote that perfectly reflects the distinct power of each other of those years. I was in the Office of Joaquin Leguina, first President of the community of Madrid, relocated as a poor relation at the headquarters of the provincial government. An usher brought him an orange juice. I have not asked that, he said, surprised, Leguina.
Ah! It must then be for another President, always, the usher replied undaunted. Now, again, things are very different: against the fragile administration of yesteryear have created two more levels and maintained and developed entities such as associations of municipalities, metropolitan areas, water boards and many others in an absurd competition by increasing the number of public employees. Well well. It is so obvious that it has time to lose weight management and to simplify things, that up to see it so the super-Minister Jose Blanco and his Valencian protege Jorge Alarte. But, of course, enough Socialists begin to admit it to leave then the PP in tromba to defend the territorial. So back to start again.