pols lecture 31

• Metropolis


  The most important unit of social & economic life in modern societies
• In modern societies, metropolitan regions are arguably the most important unit of social & economic life
• Federal & state governments have strong constitutional & legal basis
• Strong tradition of local government in U.S.
• What governs metro regions?

  Neither traditional nor legal basis for regional government in U.S!
• Fundamental mismatch between political geography (i.e. borders & jurisdictions) & social / economic geography
• Characteristics of metro life

  • Population size & density
  • Heterogeneity of population
  • Regional social & economic interdependence
  • Authority fragmented among many governments
• Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)


  Core urban area of 50K people + adjacent communities with predominantly urban population & close economic & social ties to central city

  (Memphis, TN)
• Micropolitan Statistical Area (M-PSA)


  Smaller core of 10-50K population with adjacent areas having high degree socio-economical interconnectedness to the urban core

  (Fredesricksburg, TX)
• Megaregion


  Term for many adjoining MSAs & M-PSAs

  (East Coast)
• Metro areas are interdependent; problems are regional
• Problem of Metro Regions

  But political authority is fragmented & lack of centralized authority means no one government can address problems
• Metro areas may experience problems of free-riding

  Residents of unincorporatd area enjoy benefits and contribute to problems. But do they contribute to the tax base?
• Suburbs


  • Outlying communities that are primarily residential & low-density
  • May be incorporated, unincorporated, or incorporated as separate cities
  • "First ring" suburbs were "bedroom communities" for commuters
• Drivers of U.S. "suburbanization"

  • Middle class expansion
  • Transportation revolution & car-dependent living
  • Racial, ethno-cultural division
• Demography of the city & the suburbs

  • Social class: Suburbs are traditionally middle-class communities
  • Income: Poverty is often concentrated in inner cities & old suburbs
  • Race: Less diversity in suburbs due to history of discriminatory housing policies
  • Partisanship: Urban core usually Democratic, suburbs lean Republican
  • Taxes: Lower taxes (& avoiding city taxes) a draw in early suburbs, but price difference has equalized
  • Lifestyle: Lawn, picket fence, good schools
• How can metros manage services & shared problems? Three broad approaches to managing the metropolis

  • Regionalism / Reform Perspective: Centralizing & consolidating governments & services
  • Localism: Local governments stay separate & provide services for own communities
  • Functional consolidation: Consolidating services but not governments
• Regionalist arguments for consolidation

  • Reducing costs with economies of scale
  • Suburbanites shouldn't get to free-ride
  • Clear lines of responsibility
• Methods of coordination & consolidation

  • Government consolidations
  • Municipal Annexation
  • Councils of Governments
  • Interjurisdictional agreements
• Municipal Annexation in Texas

  • Home rule cities had broad power to annex adjoining territory in their extraterritorial jurisdiction (EJT).
  • Post-war growth of suburbs leads to concern for "annexation abuse"
  • Municipal Annexation Act (1963) imposed reasonable limitations to promote orderly growth
  • Since 1996, a succession of Texas laws have curbed cities' annexation power
• Localist arguments for fragmentation


  • Locals get to keep unique community identity
  • Decentralization of power
  • local have more access to govt, and more effective participation
  • Can retain control of funding, especially for schools
• Tiebout Model


  • Governments are producers of public services, citizens or residents are consumers
  • Fragmented government is an opportunity, as local governments exist in a marketplace offering various services for various prices, and persons & businesses "vote with their feet" & relocate to preferred community
• Increasingly, U.S. metropolitan regions are primary drivers of economic growth
• Government helps manage problems of collective action, but there is no overarching regional government

  • No legal basis for such a regional government
  • No tradition of regional governance, either
• Home rule cities have unilateral annexation, which means without voters consent
• General law cities require voter consent to annex