#3 - JRL 7069 - RAS 16
POLITICS: RESTRUCTURING LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SOURCES. Russian Regional Report (EastWest Institute), Vol. 7, No. 28, September 27, 2002; and Vol. 8, No. 3, February 18, 2003

Another aspect of the Kozak reforms is the restructuring of local government. In September 2002 Putin sent the proposals of the Kozak commission to the State Council for further amendment. In early January 2003 the Presidential Administration submitted a draft law to the Duma, which will debate it on February 21, and to the regions.

The law would create a two-level system of local government: rural and urban settlements at the lower level and "municipal districts" comprising several such settlements at the higher level. The legal service of the Irkutsk province legislature has criticized the proposal: it would deprive the lower level of autonomy and increase administrative costs, which would have to be borne by local budgets.