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Metro Government

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by saturneptune, Sep 30, 2012.

  1. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    One of the big issues here in McCracken County, Kentucky this year is combining city (Paducah, KY population about 21,000) with our county (population about 65,000) into one government. My family lives quite a ways out in the county. My opposition to the idea is the manner in which the city government has squandered money, from funding an "artist relocation" program with tax breaks to failing to attract new businesses with jobs plus many other issues. The effect on county residents would be a raise in property without the corresponding addition of government services.

    Has anyone else across the country been through this issue, and it the measure passed, how did it effect the level of service, taxes, and bringing in new jobs? It is like anything else, more government has not been the solution to the above problems, as shown from history in the Lousiville and Lexington areas. Also, merging things like the governments, police and fire, always ends up being a power struggle instead of what is best for the people.
     
  2. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Sat, I agree with you.​

    though in theory it sounds like a good ideal - I do not go along with it.

    Especially with a metro govt. Whats good for the county, may not be good for the city.
    One excellent example would be zoning. A city absolutely needs certain zoning restrictions - wherein there may not be such a need out in the county.


    In addition, he in my county Onondaga, (populations of about 500,000) we have 17 separate school districts. Many want to see one combined school district. I am totally opposed to it, as each district serves needs of its own population.
    Surrounding counties are being urged by the state to merge
     
  3. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Don't know much about it other than hearing about Portland's situation on the news. There is portland gov. there is metro gov. and both draw money from the public. It just adds a layer of gov. to the mix. What one does often has to be cleared with the other. When a bridge needs built both get their fingers in the pie.

    They want to span the columbia so both portland, metro, vancouver and tri-met (the overlaying transit layer of gov.) have to come together to figure it out with all the side entities that got their fingers in.

    Thus far they are replacing a six lane bridge with a new billion dollar six lane bridge. Yep all those layers of gov. are doing great - millions in planning and nothing built yet.

    The layers of bureaucracy are unbelievable.
     
  4. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Here in NY State all parts of a county are divided into either a City or a Town (township), both of which are Incorporated. Within a town there can be an Incorporated village. To add to the confusion, a village can be in two or more separate towns.
    Thus, you can owe taxes to a village, town, and county - not to mention a fire district, school district or even a water district. ( In NY a village can have a fire dept, but a town is not permitted by law to have one) There are over 4,000 local govermenet in NY

    I like the Virginia Plan. A City is independent of a county. Makes lots of sense to me. Much of what is done by the city can also be done by the county. So why have two levels?
     
  5. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    Happened across the river in Augusta and Richmond County, Georgia.
     
  6. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Far as I know nothing has been settled about the new bridge over the Columbia. It is needed very much and is to be in addition to the existing bridges.
     
  7. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    I think consolidation can be a good thing. I live in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, where the city and county governments have been consolidated since 1969. It eliminates a layer of government because the city and the county are one and the same.

    However, it gets a little more complicated because even though Jacksonville takes up 97% of the land area of Duval County, the cities of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and the town of Baldwin elected not to join the new consolidated Jacksonville. So voters in those cities and town vote for both the Jacksonville City Council and mayor and their own councils and mayors. Basically, the Jacksonville city government is really the county government. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has countywide jurisdiction even though the other municipalities have their own police departments. Some offices are styled as county offices, like the Supervisor of Elections, School Board, Clerk of Courts, and Soil and Water Conservation Board.

    It works very well by eliminating a layer of government. Upon consolidation, Jacksonville became the biggest city in the world. I love the diversity I can encounter in the city limits. We have a downtown area with skyscrapers, suburban areas, and rural/agricultural areas all in the city limits. On my five-mile commute from my suburban home to my job in an office park, I even pass fields where there are cattle grazing. When you enter the City of Jacksonville, you are still in the middle of nowhere and you drive for miles and miles before you see anything resembling a city.

    Consolidation is what made Jacksonville the largest city in the great State of Florida in both land area and population.
     
  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    What is so great about being the largest city in the world.

    You mentioned
    Why not use the Virginia Plan? You have a city of its own, and a county of its own- there is no overlapping of jurisdiction. - as in New York State.

    Let the city council take care of the city and let the county take care of the county - as each have their own needs
     
  9. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    Because there's lots of space so it doesn't get crowded like Miami.

    Because the county would be comprised of only rural areas and would lack a substantive tax base.

    Salty, what do you think about the City of Jacksonville?
     
  10. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Last I heard they are starting construction on footings, and I don't think it is in addition, that has not been in any reports I've heard, could be though.

    Primarily the new one adds light rail to WA and the WA voters voted it down as has most of Portland area residents but they keep building light rail anyway.
     
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