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Metropolitan Fragmentation and Metropolitan Reform

Metropolitan Fragmentation and Metropolitan Reform. Three Key Questions. What is Metro fragmentation? What are the 2 positions regarding metro fragmentation? What proposals have been offered to restructure the multi-centered metropolis and deal with fragmentation?. Fragmentation: Definition.

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Metropolitan Fragmentation and Metropolitan Reform

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  1. Metropolitan Fragmentation and Metropolitan Reform

  2. Three Key Questions • What is Metro fragmentation? • What are the 2 positions regarding metro fragmentation? • What proposals have been offered to restructure the multi-centered metropolis and deal with fragmentation?

  3. Fragmentation: Definition • The Proliferation of Local Governments in a Geographic Region (4 forms). • Increased # of Incorporated Communities • Overlapping of city and county functions • Existence of special districts • Extension of cross-state boundaries in MSA without concern for state lines

  4. Fragmentation in General: Median Metro Area • Total Number of Governments: 104 • Counties: 2 • Cities 24 • Towns, townships 16 • School Districts 19 • Special Districts 43

  5. Fragmentation in Clark County: # of Governments • County 1 • Cities 2 • Villages 9 • Townships 10 • School Districts 8 (inc. JVS) • Special Districts 9 • Total # of Governments= 39

  6. Clark County Fragmentation in Comparison to All Ohio Counties • Total Number of Taxing Districts in Clark County = 57 • Ave. number of Taxing Districts in Ohio’s 88 Counties = 50; range=18-133

  7. Reformers (e.g., David Rusk) • Confusion in the responsibility for services • Reductions in political scrutiny and control (undemocratic) • Political Unresponsiveness • Duplication of Effort • Inequities in revenue and policy • Inefficiencies, therefore most costly

  8. Decentralists (e.g., Charles Tiebout) • Suburban residents tend to be more concerned with incremental changes • Efficiency is not the only value, e.g., access and lifestyle issues • Public Choice School of Thought • Centralization frustrates democracy • Less costly due to smaller

  9. Annexation Strategies • Most prevalent prior to WWI, but became harder due to stringent state laws requiring simultaneous majorities • Largely a Southern and Southwestern phenomenon (extraterritorial jurisdiction, and spoke/finger annexation—Houston)

  10. City-County Consolidation • Only 4 have occurred involving more than 250,000 • Again, a Southern phenomenon: Baton Rouge—3 service zones: urban, rural, industrial • Reasons for success: • Some basic service has not being provided, or had broken down • Special political factors (corruption—Jacksonville, unpopular politicians—Nashville, significant change in partisan leadership—Indianapolis) • Small Number of incorporated suburbs

  11. Strengthening Urban County Government • Problems with traditional county government—Row officers • Need for professional management • Use of more home rule charters: Broward County, FL (Ft. Lauderdale)

  12. Two-Tier/Federative Reform • Basic notion is that the county will work on system-maintenance services and municipals will provide lifestyle services. • Miami-Dade; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Portland

  13. Incremental Options • Metropolitan Planning: Federal incentives and the A-95 process • Advocacy Planning • Councils of Governments (COGs) • Central City decentralization (Berry, Portney, & Thomsan) • One size does not fit all. States must help. • David Rusk: Win-win annexation

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