The State-Local Government(s) Conundrum: Power and Design

This essay explores the relationship of local governments to their state and considers the design of local government systems in metropolitan areas. The nature of the state-local government relationship varies from one state to another, but even so, the general trend is toward increased centralization of power and authority at the state level. Across metropolitan areas, which tend to be highly fragmented into numerous, sometimes layered local jurisdictions, one persistent concern involves the functionality of these governments. Both topics are ripe for research by political scientists.