Merger ManiaThe idea that merging municipalities will improve local services and economic competitiveness has its roots deep in the nineteenth century. Municipalities in the US were first merged as early as 1848. However, despite being merged at the turn of the twentieth the city of New York was effectively bankrupt by 1975. In contrast metropolitan Boston - often seen as a recent success story in global competition - comprises 282 distinct municipalities. Outside the United States, forced municipal mergers were a popular policy in many European countries and Canadian provinces during the 1960s and 1970s. The city of Laval, just north of Montreal, and the "unicity" of Winnipeg owe their origins to this period – both amalgamations failed to meet their original objectives. Despite the emergence of "public choice" theory - which justifies municipal fragmentation on market principles - some politicians and public servants in the 1990s have continued to advocate municipal amalgamations as a means of reducing public expenditure, particularly in Ontario. In Merger Mania Andrew Sancton demonstrates that this approach has generally not saved money. He examines the history of amalgamation, as well as studying recent forced municipal mergers in Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, and Sudbury. In the concluding chapter he examines the case for municipal amalgamation on the Island of Montreal and argues that those who would abolish locally elected municipal councils are obligated to explain very carefully - especially in light of evidence to the contrary - exactly why they think such drastic measures are necessary. A compelling examination of a timely issue, Merger Mania is a must-read for anyone interested in the politics of city governments. Andrew Sancton is professor of political science at University of Western Ontario and the author of several books on city politics. |
Contents
Municipal Amalgamation in the Untied States 18541942 | 25 |
Consolidation in Philadelphia 1854 | 27 |
Consolidation in New York 1898 | 30 |
The consolidationist retreat | 36 |
The Era of Big Government The 1960s and 1970s | 41 |
Great Britain | 42 |
Metropolitan Toronto and Ontarios Regional Governments | 46 |
Laval Quebec | 51 |
Great Britain | 87 |
Nova Scotia | 89 |
Ontario | 101 |
Torontos Megacity | 113 |
The Golden Task Force | 115 |
The Harris Conservatives and Torontos Megacity | 117 |
Staffing Issues | 123 |
Financial Implications | 125 |
Winnipeg | 57 |
Europe | 63 |
The Decline of the Consolidation Movement in the United States the Emergence of Public Choice and the New Regionalism | 69 |
Municipal Consolidation in the US Since 1945 | 70 |
Public Choice | 74 |
New Regionalist Approaches in the US | 78 |
Amalgamations in the 1990s | 83 |
New Zealand | 84 |
Australia | 85 |
Governance | 136 |
More Change in Ontario Ottawa Hamilton Sudbury and Toronto Again | 141 |
Restructuring Controversies Prior to 1999 | 142 |
The Special Advisors | 144 |
The Fewer Politicians Act 1999 | 154 |
Conclusion | 161 |
Bibliography | 169 |
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Common terms and phrases
administrative Al Leach American Andrew Sancton assessment authority boroughs Canada Canadian cent central city Chatham-Kent city of Montreal city of Toronto city-regions city's Common Sense Revolution community councils concerned consolidationists costs councillors debate elected expenditures Fewer Municipal Politicians Globe and Mail Golden task force government's Greater Toronto Greater Toronto Area Halifax Halifax Regional Municipality Hamilton-Wentworth Harris government infrastructure Institute issue Julie Lemieux KPMG Laval Leach legislation legislature levels London lower-tier Mayor Lastman megacity Mel Lastman merged merger Metro Metropolitan Government Metropolitan Toronto Mike Harris million minister Ministry of Municipal Municipal Affairs municipal amalgamations municipal consolidation municipal government municipal restructuring number of municipalities Ontario Ottawa Ottawa-Carleton political population Press problems Quebec recommended reducing the number regional governments Regional Municipality Royal Commission rural Sancton Shortliffe special advisors Status Report structures Sudbury territory Tony Clement Toronto's megacity two-tier system Unicity Unigov upper-tier urban Winnipeg York