Challenge of Local Governmental Reorganization. Volume III: Substate Regionalism and the Federal System

摘要

Traditional methods of regional cooperation and of local and areawide governmental reorganization are examined. The desirability and practicality of traditional methods for regional cooperation and governmental reorganization are assessed, and the relationship between districting and reorganization is analyzed. Recommendations are made on local governmental reorganization to guide Federal, State, and local policymakers in establishing a more effective regional governance process. The following specific topics are addressed in the study: assignment of substate functions (local and areawide); intergovernmental service agreements and transfer of functions; the metropolitan county; annexation, consolidation, and federation; nonmetropolitan governmental patterns; and local government reorganizational issues. It is concluded that all substate regions require an authoritative areawide decisionmaker and that all but a few of such areas require strengthening of their local units. Supporting tabular data are appended.