View
219
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
City-County Consolidation:Reshaping the Local Government Landscape
Suzanne M. Leland
Associate Professor
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
City-County Consolidation
When a county and the cities within a county merge to form a single government entity
Boundary lines of the jurisdictions become coterminous
Most visible and comprehensive change in the local government landscape
Consolidation Trends: The Exotic, Evergreen issue…Long odds… 100+ attempts since 1970, only 19 passages (total
of 37 governments) Slightly more than 1% of all county governments Political Infeasible? 85% fail rate on referendum Ten cases enacted by the legislature (New
Orleans, UniGov) Twenty-seven by referendum (KCK, Louisville)
Number of Attempts Per County Size Since 1970
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Population in Thousands
Num
ber o
f Atte
mpt
s
Repeat City-County Consolidation Attempts Since 1970
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Albequerque, Bernailillo
Anchorage et al, Greater Anchorage
Ashland & Catlettsburg, Boyd
Athens, C larke
Augusta, Richmond
Chattanooga, Hamilton
C larksville, Montgomery
Des Moines, Polk
Frankfort, Franklin
Gainesville, Alachua
Griffi n, Spalding
Haines, Haines Borough
Kingsport, Sullivan
Knoxville, Knox
Louisville, J eff erson
Macon, Bibb
Missoula, Missoula
Okeechobee, Okeeckobee
Sacremento, Sacremento
Tallahassee, Leon
Tampa, Hillsborough
Wilmington, New Hanover
Number of Attempts
What factors affect the outcome of an effort to consolidate two local governments?
Base Model: Rosenbaum & Kammerer (1974)
C3 Model: Draws from Messinger (1989), Johnson & Feiock (1999), & Feiock& Carr (2000).
Base Model: Rosenbaum & Kammerer
Two-Case Comparative Study Design Jacksonville (passed) vs. Tampa (failed) Rare Sequence of events in Jacksonville
became Rosenbaum and Kammerer (R & K) model
Base Model: Rosenbaum & KammererThe Crisis Climate
Rapid population changes or major demographic shifts Dramatic change in the ethnic or social base/under representation Physical blight in the core city. Decline in the quantity or quality of public services. Economic decline in the city, especially when compared to the suburbs. Rapid infusion of population into unincorporated areas
Demands for Government Response:
Annexation
Economic Development Tax Shifts
Base Model: Rosenbaum & Kammerer Decision
for Public Officials
Effective or Appropriate Response to Demands for Change:AnnexationEconomic DevelopmentTax Shifts
No Consolidation
Power Deflation
Base Model: Rosenbaum & Kammerer
Decision for
Public OfficialsEmergence of
Consolidation Entrepreneurs
Civic ElitesMass MediaChamber of Commerce
Ineffective or Inappropriate Response to Demands for Change
Accelerator Event:Scandal
Lost Leader
Exo-Criticism
Exo-Crisis
Community Emergency
Base Model: Rosenbaum & Kammerer
No Consolidation
Creation of Study Commission
Civic Elites
Mass Media
Chamber of Commerce Decision
for Citizens
City-County Consol.CharterReferendum
RevolutionaryConsolidation
NO!
YES!
C3 Model: Enhanced R & K Model
In s titu t ion a l C o n te xt
L e g a l F ra m e w o rkR e p ea t A tte m p t(s)
S o c io e co n o m ic F a c to rs/R a c ia l D ive rs ityIL A s /U rb an -S u bu rb an M ix
No Consolidation
Decision for Public Officials
The Crisis ClimateRapid population changes or major demographic shiftsDramatic change in the ethnic or social base/underrepresentationPhysical blight in the core city.Decline in the quantity or quality of public services.Economic decline in the city, especially when compared to the suburbs.Rapid infusion of population into unincorporated areas
Emergence of Consolidation Entrepreneurs:Civic ElitesMass MediaChamber of Commerce
Ineffective or Inappropriate Response to Demands for Change
Demands for Government Response:AnnexationEconomic Devt.Tax Shifts
Effective or Appropriate Response to Demands for Change:AnnexationEconomic DevelopmentTax Shifts
Accelerator Event:ScandalLost LeaderExo-CriticismExo-CrisisCommunity Emergency
Creation of Study CommissionCivic ElitesMass MediaChamber of Commerce
Decision for
Citizens
City-County Consolidation Referendum
RevolutionaryConsolidation!
Rosenbaum & Kammerer: Problems
Institutional Context Missing (Leland & Thurmaier 2004)
Elite Role Unclear (Feiok & Carr 2000, & Fleischman 2000)
Discussion of Charter Incomplete (Johnson & Feiock (1999)
Discussion of Charter Campaign Incomplete (Leland & Thurmaier 2004, 2005)
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two Campaigns (Leland & Thurmaier 2004)
Looks at Institutional Context Development and Constitutional Politics Role of Elites The Devilish Details of C3 Charters
Consolidation Case Year Successful Unsuccessful Continuing
Jacksonville/Duval County, FL (1967) X
Columbus/Muscogee, GA (1970) X
Tallahassee/Leon, FL (1976) X X
Sacramento/Sacramento County, CA (1990) X
Athens/Clarke County, GA (1990) X
Lafayette Parish/City of Lafayette, LA (1992) X
Branch/North Branch, MN (1994) X
Des Moines/Polk County, IA (1994) X X
Augusta/Richmond County, GA (1995) X
Wilmington/New Hanover, NC (1995) X X
Knoxville/Knox County, TN (1996) X
Wyandotte County/KCK (1997) X
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY (2001) X
Total of 13 Cases 8 5(15) 2
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two Campaigns
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsInstitutional Framework: Does not significantly affect the ability of consolidation proponents to obtain passage
Crisis Climate: No support found for R&K that it is required to obtain passage
Governmental Response for Demand for Change: Difficult to identify the govt. response if there is no evidence of a crisis
Power Deflation: Without a crisis, there is little chance for power deflation (lack of citizen confidence in governing structure).
Accelerator Events: Not required.
What accounts for successful cases? Development and Constitutional Politics Getting a charter commission and charter proposal is
first part of the process Getting to a charter commission is about
development politics—spurred by economic development elites who want streamlined processing, holistic planning, and economies of scale for development.
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsDevelopment and Constitutional Politics Proposing a charter and getting it passed is about
constitutional politics The heart of the issue is convincing voters that the
current government structure is broken! Only consolidation can fix it!
Requires a shift in argument from Economic development politics to Constitutional politics: a much higher standard to meet!
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Role of Elites Civic elites who have pushed the process to the
point of a consolidation study commission, even to the point of a draft charter, need to shift perspectives to constitutional politics.
Constitutional politics requires a professional political campaign with disciplined campaign message, broad-based support of good government groups and charter members.
Significant opposition from key elites—particularly the sheriff—can spell doom for the referendum effort.
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Devilish Details of C3 Charters Taxes Debt Assumption (or not!) Council Structure Chief Executive(s) Minor Municipalities Law Enforcement
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Devilish Details of C3 Charters Taxes
Separate districts (urban and rural) common Pledges to freeze (or reduce) tax growth helpful
Debt Avoiding assumption of debt helpful Removing municipal utilities from merger helpful
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Devilish Details of C3 Charters Council Structure
Mixed district and at-large helpful Preserving minority representation essential
Chief Executive(s) Chief Elected officer often appoints
chief administrative officer
Issue: how is government professionalization increased?
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Devilish Details of C3 Charters Minor Municipalities
Usually exempted from forced consolidation Always able to vote on consolidation referendum (Dual
Majority often) Have yet to know of a minor municipality that opted into a
consolidated government
The C3 Model: A Tale of Two CampaignsThe Devilish Details of C3 Charters Law Enforcement
Single most volatile issue in consolidations Successful cases include situations where
Previous law enforcement consolidation was accepted and comfortable for elected sheriff
Sheriff responsible for court protection and jail administration Unsuccessful cases often have sheriff opposed
Vocal, independent voice capable of opposition leadership Law enforcement unions can rally behind sheriff, with $$
C3 Model Findings(Leland & Thurmaier 2004, 2005) Most consolidations fail, at least on first attempt A crisis climate is a foundation, necessary but
insufficient cause for consolidation Persistence of elites more important than a catalytic
or accelerator event Professional campaign based on constitutional
politics is very important (no poison pills) Law enforcement support or neutrality is essential
Conclusions:
The larger the percentage of the county covered by the major municipality, the more likely consolidation will pass
The smaller the net change in population (over the past ten years) the more likely consolidation will pass
Conclusions:
Exclusion of minor municipalities not significant if dual maj. not required
Having an elected sheriff, not significant—more about power arrangements
Economic decline (Unemployment) not significant
State Delegation Approval Required, not significant
Level of fragmentation within the county, not significant
Predicted Results for Combinations of Consolidation Campaigns
Strength of Pro-consolidation campaign
Strong Arguments(Economic
Development)
Weak Arguments(Efficiency,
equity)
Strength ofAnti-
Consolidation Campaign
Strong opposition
LouisvilleKansas CityJacksonville
Even Odds
Des MoinesWilmington
Fail
Weak opposition
Favorable Odds
AthensAugusta
ColumbusLafayette
Fail KnoxvilleSacramentoTallahassee
Source: Adapted from Leland and Thurmaier (2004), p. 316
Common Elements Across Successful Consolidation Referendum:
The ability of civic elites to define the economic development vision for the community and then successfully convince the average voter that the existing political structure was inadequate to support and implement that vision and that the solution lay in consolidation.
Survey of Academics for UniGovConsensus that Consolidation would:
Improve technical efficiency of services Improve economic development for the region Reduce urban-suburban inequalities Encourage uniform service provision Not result in lower taxes Not result in employee dissatisfaction
Academics Surveyed Disagreed on whether consolidation would improve:
Accountability
Diversity of elected officials
Citizen Participation/Involvement
Recommended