Two features make the governance of American cities very different from federal and state governance. First, city governments are embedded in a complex network of local governments that both drives competition for resources and creates opportunities for collaboration. Second, city governments are embedded in the American federalist system of government, which subjects them to the influence of state and federal governments. In this course, we will examine the nature of this complex governance structure and how to analyze its implications for equity and efficiency in providing local public goods and services. By the end of this course, students will demonstrate their ability to:
- Describe the challenges facing American cities and analyze the causes of these problems;
- Evaluate the implications of state policies on land use regulation, annexation and creation of new local governments on the governance of metropolitan regions;
- Evaluate alternative approaches to promoting collaboration across local governments and nonprofit organizations within a metropolitan region to solve local problems
Governing Metropolitan Regions will meet as a weekend intensive.