给分权划底线,为创新设边界——地方政府创新的法律环境探讨

美国界定联邦与州政府、州与地方政府关系的几个重要法案,对于更好地建设当代中国中央与地方关系、政府与公民关系有着一定的借鉴意义.美国联邦宪法中对州政府要求的互惠条款和不得作为条款,界定了州与州之间的关系和联邦对州的绝对控制权;在特殊情况下的授权和应急法案,给了政府官员和职能部门在危机事件发生时必要的自由裁量和应急权力;宪法对公民权的界定和保护,确立了包括联邦和地方各级政府行政权力的边界.在州法层面,迪龙法和地方管理特许权法一张一弛,既确定了州政府对地方政府的绝对领导权,又给了地方政府发挥自主能动性的巨大空间.这些法案是集权和分权的底线、政府创新的边界,它们既维护了上级政府的领导权,保护了公民的基本权利,又给予地方相当的自主管理权和发展空间.

The Bottom-line of Decentralization and Boundaries for Innovation: A Discussion on the Legal Environment for Government Innovation

This paper discusses the critical articles and clauses in the U.S.Constitution and state legislations on the relationship between Federal and State Governments and between the State and Local Governments with an emphasis on their relevance to China's central/local government relations reform.The principle of reciprocity and the mustn't-do terms in those laws clarify the working relationship between state governments and the federal supremacy over the state;the articles on delegation of power in emergency situations give relevant government officials and departments necessary authority to handle emergency situations at the time of need;the articles on citizen rights set boundaries for governmental administrative authority.Also,at the state government level,Dillon's Rule and the Home Rule charter work in tandem to maintain state supremacy over local government while at the same time give local government autonomy in handling local affairs innovatively.These articles and clauses serve as the bottom lines for decentralization and set the boundaries for governmental innovation.They create a legal environment in which authority of the upper level government is maintained while at the same autonomy and innovations are allowed to the local government for handling their own affairs.