Intergovernmental CooperationTimothy W. Kelsey, Ph.D.

Professor of Agricultural Economics

Cooperative Extension

Is this anything new?

Agenda What is Intergovernmental

Cooperation?

Why consider doing this?

How to do it

IntergovernmentalCooperation

Consolidation

Is NOT…

The Ideal…• For services where it makes sense…

Provide services more effectively and cost efficiently than you can do alone

Provide higher quality services than you can do alone

• Maintain local autonomy & decision-making

Why Consider Doing This?

You’re Already Involved with Your Neighbors

Municipalities17%

School Districts

83%

Local Tax Dollars Collected, Lackawanna County

Your residents are already ‘intergovernmentally

connected”

Why municipal officials need to work with school districts

Local Governments:

Planning authority that affects where people live, work, play, what services are needed

School Districts:

Educate the children living in the district

Municipal Cost Index

0

50

100

150

200

250

American City & County

Year House Built

Source: City-data.com

1939 or earlier

1950 to1959

1970 to1979

1990 to1994

1999 to2000

Lackawanna County Pennsylvania average

Lackawanna County Population

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

U.S. Census

Population drives…

•Demands for servicesBut fixed costs for infrastructure?

•Ability to get revenues

•Ability to spread costs

•Whether able to provide at low per-user cost

Economies of Scale• There are cost savings for some services if have more users

• Savings varies by service, quality provided, location, infrastructure needed

Costs of government services vary dramatically

Per Capita Spending on Gov’t Services in Lackawanna County

Service Highest $ Median Lowest $

General Gov’t $241.95 $55.52 $20.77

Police $176.80 $50.80 $0

Fire $79.31 $20.52 $5.61

Code Enforcement $60.20 $2.96 $0

Public Works $441.44 $94.61 $19.51

Data: DCED Audit Reports 2006 http://munstatspa.dced.state.pa.us/Reports.aspx

(excludes Scranton) <2,000 population

Per Capita Spending on Gov’t Services in Lackawanna County (excludes Scranton)

Service Highest $ Median Lowest $

Solid Waste $169.12 $13.11 $0

Culture & Rec $110.23 $10.87 $0

Libraries $90.32 $0 $0

Debt Service $382.71 $22.10 $0

Total expenditures $1,766.96 $438.62 $120.11

Total taxes $516 $226 $78

<2,000 population

How to do Intergovernmental Cooperation?

•Build upon existing relationships & activities

•Start small

•Look for common interests and ‘problems’

•Don’t forget looking inside, too!

Communication WITH OTHER Jurisdictions

Does

Member of joint planning commission 8%

Planning commissions occasionally meet together

7%

Development plans are referred to other municipalities

13%

Informal communications 29%

Contact through County Planning Commission 26%

Does not interact with other planning commissions

36%

2001 PSU land use effectiveness study

Communication WITHIN the Municipality

Does

… provides information to governing body 78%

… meets on regular basis with governing body 23%

…recommends improvements or capital project for Comprehensive Plan

33%

….sends plans to water or sewer authority for comments 40%

… provides authority copies of new plans & land use ordinances

26%

… meets authority to discuss water and sewer needs in the municipality

25%

2001 PSU land use effectiveness study

How to do Intergovernmental Cooperation?

•Build upon existing relationships & activities

•Start small

•Look for common interests and ‘problems’

•Don’t forget looking inside, too!

•Engage the public!

Engage the Public

• Ask them - does it matter to them? Why?

• How are they affected?

• Do they care?You’ll likely find…most citizens don’t care about municipal boundaries – they care about the services they get, and the

taxes they pay

What Works? Examples

Informally lend equipment?

Purchase some supplies together?

Talk with officials from other local governments?

Are served by water or sewer authorities that cross municipal boundaries?

Share support for libraries or parks?