Regions Suffer When Governance is Fragmented

Markus Berensson writes about the increasing need for regional governance that can make decisions, and the consequences to a region without that governing body.

1 minute read

April 11, 2011, 7:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

Berensson looks at Census data that shows a correlation between slow population growth and cities and regions where decision-making power is fragmented:

"A higher level of municipal fragmentation is negatively associated with population growth in all American metropolitan areas – large ones as well as small ones – while it also has a negative impact on income growth in larger metro areas of more than 300,000 residents. It is therefore clear that the fragmented governance that can be seen in many large American metro areas such as Greater New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Cleveland – where each metropolitan region consists of hundreds of local governments – leads to slower growth, not only for the decaying central cities but for the region as a whole."

FULL STORY: Government fragmentation is holding back America’s metropolitan regions

Friday, April 1, 2011 in City Mayors

Government / Politics United States Regional Planning

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.