Federalismo e rela????es intergovernamentais: os cons??rcios p??blicos como instrumento de coopera????o federativa

Se nos estados federais os mecanismos de coopera????o e coordena????o intergovernamental j?? s??o relevantes, no caso brasileiro eles ganham centralidade ainda maior. A Constitui????o Federal de 1988 agregou complexidade ao desenho federativo brasileiro, reconhecendo o munic??pio como ente federado. Esse processo foi acompanhado por intensa descentraliza????o de pol??ticas p??blicas, pelo fortalecimento do poder local e por mecanismos pouco coordenados de rela????o vertical e horizontal entre os entes federativos. Ao mesmo tempo, a aus??ncia de pol??ticas de desenvolvimento regional acentuou as desigualdades locais e regionais observadas historicamente no pa??s. Diferentes experi??ncias de consorciamento foram levadas a cabo por munic??pios no pa??s e ainda hoje esse ?? um instrumento de larga utiliza????o. De forma diversa, as iniciativas de coopera????o entre estados s??o ainda incipientes. As limita????es institucionais e jur??dicas dos desenhos utilizados pelos munic??pios, no entanto, levaram ?? aprova????o da Emenda Constitucional n?? 19/98, que instituiu os cons??rcios p??blicos e a gest??o associada de servi??os p??blicos.

Consumer satisfaction with water, wastewater and waste services in Portugal

While the concept of consumer satisfaction is a central topic in modern marketing theory and practice, citizens' satisfaction with public services, and especially water and waste services, is a eld that still remains empirically rather unexplored. The following study aims to contribute to this area by analysing the determinants of user satisfaction in the water, wastewater and waste sector in Portugal, using a unique survey of 1070 consumers undertaken by the Portuguese Water and Waste Regulator ERSAR. I perform an analysis of the relation between overall service satisfaction and attributespeci c service satisfaction with an ordered logit model. I then explore if subjective consumer satisfaction can be re ected by ERSAR's technical performance indicators. The results suggest that overall consumer satisfaction is driven by consumer's satisfaction with speci c service aspects but unrelated to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Furthermore, I show that there is no monotonic association between ERSAR's technical performance indicators and consumers' levels of satisfaction.

O papel da auditoria interna e as suas implicações nas empresas públicas- estudo de caso: TACV

A auditoria interna é uma actividade independente ancorada à administração da empresa, com vista a acrescentar valor à organização nela inserida, observando o funcionamento dos controlos internos existentes. É uma actividade importante para qualquer empresa, por ser a única que tem acesso a todas as outras áreas da empresa. Cada vez ela torna-se mais importante, pois o mundo encontra-se em constante desenvolvimento e as empresas acompanham esse desenvolvimento ampliando as suas actividades, ou dimensão. O objectivo do estudo foi analisar o funcionamento da auditoria interna nas empresas públicas, identificando os seus benefícios e importância. Realizou-se um estudo bibliográfico e estudo de caso nas empresas públicas da cidade da Praia, através de questionários que foram distribuídos aos responsáveis de cada empresa, centralizando na TACV. Resultado: A maioria das empresas inqueridas é de grande dimensão, representando 57,1 %, as pequenas empresas representando 21.4% e as médias também representando 21.4. O ramo de prestação de serviço teve predominância com 64,3 %, comercial com 21,4% e 14,3 % do ramo industrial. Um total de 57 % das empresas inqueridas realizam auditoria interna e os 43 % que não realizam enunciaram como principais motivos o alto custo e a falta de necessidade, 40% enuncia alto custo, 40% diz não ser necessário e 20% tem outros motivos que não foram especificados. Verificou-se também que 25 % das empresas que realizam auditoria interna não tem o departamento de auditoria interna definido no organograma. Internal auditing is an independent activity anchored to the company management, with a view to adding value to the organization it inserted, observing the operation of existing internal controls. It is an important activity for any company, being the only one that has access to all other areas of the company. Each time it becomes more important as the world is constantly evolving and business development that accompany expanding its activities, or size. The aim of the study was to analyze the functioning of the internal audit public companies, identifying the benefits and importance. We conducted a bibliographic study and a case study in the public utilities of the city of Praia, through questionnaires that were distributed to the heads of each company, centering on TACV. Results: The majority of companies surveyed is large, representing 57.1%, small businesses represent 21.4% and averages also representing 21.4. The branch of service predominated with 64.3%, commercial 21.4% and 14.3% of the industrial sector. A total of 57% of companies surveyed conduct internal audit and the 43% who do not perform as main reasons enunciated the high cost and lack of need, high-cost states 40%, 40% say it is not necessary and 20% have reasons other than were specified. It was also found that 25% of companies that perform internal audit does not have the internal audit department defined in the organizational chart.

Final Report Energy Efficiency Plans and Programs Study Committee, February 2009

The Legislative Council created the Energy Efficiency Plans and Programs Study Committee for the 2008 Legislative Interim pursuant to the passage of S.F. 2386 during the 2008 Legislative Session, which provided, in Section 8: The Legislative Council is requested to establish an interim study committee to examine the existence and effectiveness of energy efficiency plans and programs implemented by gas and electric public utilities, with an emphasis on results achieved by current plans and programs from the demand, or customer, perspective, and to make recommendations for additional requirements applicable to energy efficiency plans and programs that would improve such results. In conducting the study and developing recommendations, the Committee shall consider testimony from the Iowa Utilities Board, rate and nonrate-regulated gas and electric utilities, the Consumer Advocate, state agencies involved with energy efficiency program administration, environmental groups and associations, and consumers.

Iowa 2088 Summer Storms After-Action Report Final, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations. Presidential disaster declarations made residents in 84 counties eligible for Public Assistance and 78 counties for Individual Assistance. The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission estimated $798.3 million in damages to publicly owned buildings and infrastructure, including damages of $53 million to public transportation and $342 million to public utilities. The 2008 Summer Storms presented unique coordination challenges for the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). These challenges arose from three interrelated factors: the large number of local jurisdictions and areas impacted, the prolonged period of time that response operations were conducted, and the increasing complexity of overall response operations. These events caused the SEOC to coordinate response, mitigation, recovery, and preparedness operations simultaneously. HSEMD and the SEOC implemented a variety of measures to enhance their ability to coordinate operations and assistance to localities. The SEOC expanded its organizational structure, implemented innovative techniques, and incorporated new partners into its activities. These steps enabled HSEMD and SEOC to coordinate operations more effectively, which undoubtedly helped save lives and property, while mitigating the effects of the 2008 Summer Storms.

Iowa 2008 Summer Storms After Action Report, April 27, 2009

In the summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of severe storms that produced tornadoes and heavy rainfall, which resulted in widespread flooding. The Summer Storms1 lasted from late May through mid-August, with the most intense storms occurring over a month-long period from May 25 to June 25. The Summer Storms exacted a major human and economic toll on Iowa, resulting in 18 fatalities and 106 injuries, forcing the evacuation of approximately 38,000 Iowans, and impacting 21,000 housing units. Iowa’s public and private sectors suffered significant monetary damages. Eighty-six of the ninety-nine counties in the state were included in the Governor’s disaster declarations. Presidential disaster declarations made residents in 84 counties eligible for Public Assistance and 78 counties for Individual Assistance. The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission estimated $798.3 million in damages to publicly owned buildings and infrastructure, including damages of $53 million to public transportation and $342 million to public utilities.

Urban transport governance reform in Barcelona

The unusual mixed public-private structure of the urban bus market in the metropolitan area of Barcelona provides an interesting context in which to analyze the management challenges and opportunities of the partial privatization of public services. Initiatives used by the public regulator to promote competition for contracts, such as short term concessions to private contractors and the removal of entry barriers, have considerable potential for improving efficiency and quality. The growth in the share of routes managed by private firms in recent years shows that privatization is a credible threat that may well stimulate improved performance among public managers. The type of reform implemented in Barcelona is of interest to all metropolitan areas large enough to operate under constant returns to scale regimes, and suitable for potential concessions of routes in segregated areas inside the metropolitan area, so as not to miss out on the benefits of economies of density.

The First Privatization Policy in a Democracy: Selling State-Owned Enterprises in 1948-1950, Puerto Rico

In the 1940s, when the Governor of Puerto Rico was appointed by the US President and the Puerto Rican government was answerable only to the US Federal government, a large state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector was established on the island. Public services such as water, transportation and energy were nationalized, and several new manufacturing SOEs were created to produce cement, glass, shoes, paper and chalkboard, and clay products. These enterprises were created and managed by government-owned corporations. Later on, between 1948 and 1950, under the island’s first elected Governor, the government sold these SOEs to private groups. This paper documents both the creation and the privatization of the SOE sector in Puerto Rico, and analyzes the role played by ideology, political interests, and economic concerns in the decision to privatize them. Whereas ideological factors might have played a significant role in the building of the SOE sector, we find that privatization was driven basically by economic factors, such as the superior efficiency of private firms in the sectors where the SOEs operated, and by the desire to attract private industrial investment to the Puerto Rican economy.

Niagara-Welland Power Company Limited fonds, 1833, 1852, 1904-1906, 1909, n.d.

The Welland Power and Supply Canal Company Limited, established in 1893 and incorporated in 1894 with a capital stock of $500,000. The aim of the company was to harness the natural water supply of the Niagara and Welland Rivers. In 1898 the Canadian Electrical News published a report by Henry Symons, QC outlining the main project of the company. This project involves the construction of a canal from the Welland River to the brow of the mountain at Thorold, a distance of 8 miles; the construction at Thorold of a power house, and from Thorold to Lake Ontario, a raceway by which to carry water into the lake. The estimate for the machinery to generate 100,000 horse power is £125,000; for transmission line to Toronto at a voltage of 10,000….The total estimate therefore amounts to £2,452,162, or roughly speaking, $12,000,000. Source: Canadian Electrical News, August 1898, p. 172. In 1899 the company officers petitioned the federal government desiring a name change to the Niagara-Welland Power Company Limited. Officers of the company were Harry Symons, President; Charles A. Hesson, Vice-President; and M.R. O’Loughlin, James B. Sheehan, James S. Haydon, Frederick K. Foster, directors; John S. Campbell, secretary-treasurer. The company’s head offices were located in St. Catharines, with a New York (City) office on Broad Street. In 1905 and 1909 the company petitioned the federal government for additional time to construct its works, which was granted. The company had until May 16, 1915 to complete construction. John S. Campbell (1860-1950) was a graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall. During his university years John began his military career first in "K" Company, Queens Own rifles and then later as Commanding Officer of the 19th Lincoln Regiment, from 1906 to 1910. Upon his return to St. Catharines John Campbell served as secretary in the St. Catharines Garrison Club, a social club for military men begun in 1899. After being called to the Bar, he became a partner in the firm of Campbell and McCarron and was appointed to the bench in 1916, serving until retirement in 1934. Judge Campbell served as an alderman for several terms and was the mayor of St. Catharines in 1908 and 1909. He also served as the first chairman of the St. Catharines Public Utilities in 1914. John S. Campbell was married to Elizabeth Oille, daughter of Jerome B. and Charlotte (St. John) Oille. The family home "Cruachan" was located at 32 Church St.

Estudio crítico de la Ley 820 de 2003

Expedida la Ley 820 de 2003 la cual hace referencia al régimen de arrendamiento de vivienda urbana, se propusieron diferentes modificaciones en cuanto al régimen de servicios públicos domiciliarios, la solidaridad entre el arrendador y el arrendatario y se buscó reunir todas las normas que se encontraban a lo largo de la legislación colombiana que hacían alusión a dicho contrato. Habiendo transcurrido el lapso de seis años de su vigencia, existen varios problemas derivados de su aplicación que ameritan el estudio pertinente para encontrar la mejor manera de resolverlos legalmente o para proponer las reformas a la ley que sean necesarias para su perfeccionamiento.

Relación entre servicios públicos domiciliarios de agua y saneamiento básico sobre procesos de asentamientos urbanos. Estudio de caso: Ciudad Porfía (asentamiento informal) y Villa Codem (asentamiento formal), Villavicencio, 1983-2013.

El interés de este trabajo de grado es analizar la relación entre los servicios públicos domiciliarios de agua y saneamiento básico sobre los procesos de asentamientos urbanos. Estudio de caso: Ciudad Porfía (asentamiento informal) y Villa Codem (asentamiento formal), Villavicencio, de 1983 a 2013. Se identifica la naturaleza y los principios de los servicios públicos domiciliarios desde la legislación colombiana vigente y se describen los procesos de conformación y desarrollo de los asentamientos urbanos mencionados. Siguiendo finalmente la perspectiva teórica sobre hábitat desarrollado por UN Hábitat y con una metodología basada en la observación del territorio, se avanza hacia el resultado de la investigación que permite identificar los procesos dinámicos de consolidación, desarrollo y formación de estos asentamientos urbanos y su relación con los servicios públicos domiciliarios de agua y saneamiento básico.

Indirect expropriation in concession contract

 The work aims to demonstrate that an indirect expropriation of rights occurs when mining concession agreements are made for subsoil exploitation. The article looks at examples such as when administrative divesture for public utilities or for social interest is decreed to implement projects or environmental works; when any regulation or administrative action is taken determining protected areas or environment control of type; and when environmental control plans are implemented. The indirect expropriation occurs because a conflict exists between general interests and equality principles of the burdens, the contractual right of adherence to agreed upon provisions and the legality of prior legal regulations for the carrying out of such expropriation. 

Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios en Colombia: la reforma diez años después.

This article studies some strategic issues on the implementation of structural reforms to public utilities in Colombia, establish on tha law 142 of 1994. The reform was held on a context of political debate where the palance favores a technocratic definition of the law. This jeans that local governments have been excluded from strategic decisions and that the model is characterized by its rigidity.

La Ley de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (L1341/09). Actualización de un marco legal para un sector en constante evolución

La necesidad de preparar al sector de tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones para hacer frente a los desafíos que trae consigo el desarrollo de la convergencia en todas sus dimensiones, implicaba plantear un nuevo equilibrio entre la promoción del desarrollo competitivo del sector y el cumplimiento de los compromisos sociales de cobertura derivados de la naturaleza de servicio público que ostentan las telecomunicaciones. En consecuencia, desde comienzos de 2007 se trabajó, con una permanente retroalimentación intragubernamental y sectorial, en la estructuración de los pilares del Proyecto de Ley 112/07 Cámara - 340/08 Senado, que culminó en la sanción presidencial de la Ley 1341 el30 de julio de 2009. Este nuevo marco legal para un sector en constante evolución constituye un hito sin precedentes, que rompe con la tradición de más de diez años y seis intentos fallidos de ajuste legislativo e institucional.