edited by Suzanne M. Leland and Kurt Thurmaier
contributions by Nicholas J. Swartz, Milan J. Dluhy, Anna Lukemeyer, Shawn Gillen, Susan Keim, Justin Marlowe, Deborah A. Carroll, Kristin A. Wagers, Mary Ellen Wiggins, Dan Durning, Paula Sanford, Suzanne M. Leland, Curtis Wood, Kurt Thurmaier, Suzanne M. Leland, Suzanne M. Leland, Kurt Thurmaier, Anthony J. Nownes, David J. Houston and Marc Schwerdt
Georgetown University Press, 2010
Paper: 978-1-58901-628-6 | eISBN: 978-1-58901-622-4
Library of Congress Classification JS422.C54 2010
Dewey Decimal Classification 320.8590973

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK

Although a frequently discussed reform, campaigns to merge a major municipality and county to form a unified government fail to win voter approval eighty per cent of the time. One cause for the low success rate may be that little systematic analysis of consolidated governments has been done.

In City–County Consolidation, Suzanne Leland and Kurt Thurmaier compare nine city–county consolidations—incorporating data from 10 years before and after each consolidation—to similar cities and counties that did not consolidate. Their groundbreaking study offers valuable insight into whether consolidation meets those promises made to voters to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of these governments.

The book will appeal to those with an interest in urban affairs, economic development, local government management, general public administration, and scholars of policy, political science, sociology, and geography.