Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/361

 (b) Effect local public improvements, and to acquire by purchase, in agreement with its owners, or by expropriation, the properties directly necessary for the proposed work, and those that are advisable to reimburse itself for the cost thereof.

(c) Create and manage public schools, museums and libraries, physical training and recreation grounds, without prejudice to what is established by law as to education; and adopt and execute, within the limits of the Municipality, sanitary and local police regulations and other similar provisions that are not contrary to law, as well as promote the establishment of production and consumption co-operatives and expositions and botanical and zoological gardens, all having the character of a public service.

(d) Appoint municipal employees in accordance with what is established by this Constitution and the law.

(e) Prepare its budgets of expenditures and revenues and establish the taxes necessary to cover them, provided they are compatible with the tax system of the Nation.

Municipalities cannot reduce or suppress revenues of a permanent character without at the same time establishing others to take their place, unless the reduction or suppression results from the reduction or suppression of equivalent permanent expenses.

Allotments appearing in the budget for expenditure shall be divided into twelfth parts, and no need of the current month shall be paid if all those of the previous month have not been liquidated.

(f) To resolve to borrow money, at the same time voting the permanent revenues necessary for the payment of the interest and amortization thereof.

No Municipality can contract obligations of this kind. without a prior favourable report of the Tribunal of Accounts.

In case new taxes are resolved on for the payment of the obligations to which the foregoing paragraph refers, it will require, in addition, the favourable vote, at a referendum election, of one more than half of the votes cast by voters of the Municipal District, and the vote cannot be less than 30 per cent. thereof.

(g) To contract economic obligations for future payment, to cover the cost of public works, with the duty of including