Power Struggle Over Annexation

"The boundaries between Pinellas County's 24 municipalities and the unincorporated areas have created a growing rift between those who run its cities and those who run the county... Cities that border large unincorporated areas say they are burdened with the cost of providing services such as garbage pickup, fire and police protection and sewer lines to people outside the city. So officials create incentives for people who choose to annex and charge higher fees for those who do not."