POLI 318 Chapter Notes - Chapter Ostrom: Urban Renewal, Alexis De Tocqueville, Foederati
19 Dec 2018
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Local government in the united states-v. ostrom, e. ostrom et al. (1988) American local government is characterized by great variety and diversity (contrary to. France which is based on uniformity, efficiency and equality) Nearly 50% of the states make provisions for home rule . Allowing local residents to draft their own charters for particular units of local govt. Home rule greatly increases the diversity of forms among units of local govt. Local govts in the us play an important role in providing key public services. Police, fire protection, education, public transit, sewage, streets and highways, hospitals, parks, housing, urban renewal, etc. Over 80 000 counties, townships, municipalities, school districts, tens of thousands of quasi-governmental organizations, all organized under the laws of 50 different states. Much of the literature on local govt suggests a crazy-quilt pattern of local government organizations. This pattern emphasizes archaic parochial interests and neglects the broader transcending public interest of the larger community.
