The Regional Governing of Metropolitan America

by Miller, David Y.

• ISBN13: 9780813339917
• ISBN10: 081333991X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Westview Pr

Summary

Economic regions competing in a global marketplace describes the future organizing principle of urban regions. This emerging principle contrasts sharply with the historical notion of regions as the informal area in which geo-political bounded municipalities operating in an intergovernmental framework. As such, we are becoming a planet of regions and some regions are moving faster to incorporate new ways of governing than others.Regional Governance of Metropolitan Americacompares and contrasts governance strategies being adopted or are being considered in regions throughout North America. These strategies find their final tests in dealing with issues such as the deep socio-economic gulf between poor cities and affluent suburbs, physical sprawl from urban growth and its environmental and social consequences, and America's hesitation in creating effective systems of coordinated governance for city-states. Utilizing an historical review of the development of the current legal framework within which municipalities have been organized, the book then examines the competing theoretical frameworks, assessing what makes for a "successful" governance strategy in a region.

Author Biography

David Y. Miller received his Ph.D in Public Policy and Analysis from the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of several papers focusing on regional governance, regional financing of urban services, and municipal fiscal distress. His current research pursuit is identifying how different political sub-cultures in American society shape the development of regional solutions to local problems. Dr. Miller has served as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for the City of Pittsburgh, and Managing Director of the Pennsylvania Economy League. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Local Government Academy, The Three Rivers Labor Management Committee, Conflict Resolution Center International, and as the advisor to the Government Finance Officers Association Budget and Finance Committee. David Y. Miller is an associate dean and associate professor with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

Table of Contents

Tables and Illustrations	vii
Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction	1	(10)
Financial Overview of the State and Local Governments System	11	(8)
State and Local Revenues	11	(4)
State and Local Expenditures	15	(3)
Summary	18	(1)
Defining Types of Local Government	19	(32)
County Government	21	(4)
Municipal Governments	25	(16)
Special/School District Government	41	(6)
Activities of Counties and Municipalities	47	(4)
Metropolitan Regions in the United States	51	(8)
Definition of Metropolitan Regions	51	(3)
Variation in Metropolitan Regions	54	(5)
Difference in State Systems and Metropolitan Areas	59	(30)
The Descriptive Analysis	62	(5)
The Explanatory Analysis	67	(8)
The Metropolitan Power Diffusion Index	75	(14)
The Classic Debate in the Organization of Metropolitan Regions	89	(10)
The Metropolitan Regions as an Organic Whole	90	(4)
The Polycentric Region	94	(4)
Summary	98	(1)
Defining Regionalism and Approaches to Regionalism	99	(26)
Coordinating Regionalism	102	(4)
Administrative Regionalism	106	(3)
Fiscal Regionalism	109	(10)
Structural Regionalism	119	(6)
Metropolitan Issues	125	(20)
The Role of Metropolitan Structure - Race and Economics	126	(4)
The Role of Structure - Maintaining Fiscal Equity between Jurisdictions	130	(13)
Summary	143	(2)
References	145	(8)
Index	153