Rightsizing Los Angeles Government

In: The independent review: journal of political economy, Volume 9, Issue 4, p. 513-528

Abstract

An examination of the scale, authority, equity, & participation of municipal governments focuses on the city of Los Angeles which has a history of conflict between local communities & the greater Los Angeles municipal structure. The underlying "rightsizing" problem involves the distribution of local authority to act on behalf of specific local communities. It is contended that the huge number & variety of "place-specific" problems in a city the size of Los Angeles indicate that a single metropolitan government is less able to solve local problems than a form of governance that encompasses multiple jurisdictions. Other issues discussed include differences in economies of scale; the potential of shifting authority to sub-city units like boroughs; factors that affect the incentive to act; & the importance of civic participation. The preference of public employees for job security is said to be the strongest factor working against the organization of a new system in Los Angeles. Emphasis is placed on the need for Los Angeles leaders to continue to pursue the creation of nested public jurisdictions that could serve diverse interests. 32 References. J. Lindroth