Members of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (February 1992) Private Citizens Daniel J. Elazar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Robert B. Hawkins, Jr., Chairman, San Francisco, California Mary Ellen Joyce, Arlington, Virginia Members of the U.S. Senate Daniel K. Akaka, Hawaii Dave Durenberger, Minnesota Charles S. Robb, Virginia Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Donald M. Payne, New Jersey Craig Thomas, Wyoming Ted Weiss, New York Officers of the Executive Branch, U.S. Government Debra Rae Anderson, Deputy Assistant to the President, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Samuel K. Skinner, White House Chief of Staff Kvxncy Governors John Ashcroft, Missouri George A. Sinner, North Dakota Stan Stephens, Montana Vucancy Mayors Victor H. Ashe, Knoxville, Tennessee Robert M. Isaac, Colorado Springs, Colorado Joseph A. Leafe, Norfolk, Virginia Vucuncy Members of State Legislatures David E. Nething, North Dakota Senate Samuel B. Nunez, Jr., President, Louisiana Senate Ted L. Strickland, Colorado Senate Elected County Officials Ann Klinger, Merced County, California, Board of Supervisors D. Michael Stewart, Salt Lake County, Utah, County Commission Vucancy A Commission Report Metropolitan Organization: The Allegheny County Case ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Washington, DC 20575 February 1992 M-181 U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations 800 K Street, NW Suite 450, South Building Washington, DC 20575 (202) 653-5640 FAX (202) 653-5429 ii US. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations Acknowledgments This report is the product of collaborative research, Many other public officials, private citizens, and under contract with the Commission, by Roger B. Parks, scholars in Allegheny County and elsewhere were kind Director of the Center for Policy and Public Management, enough to share their insights and, frequently, data and School of Environmental and Public Affairs, Indiana Uni- analyses bearing on the county, in the course of the re- versity, who was the principal investigator, and Ronald J. search. Their contributions came in the form of inter- Oakerson, Senior Scientist at the Workshop in Political views, reports, and critiques of working drafts of this Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University. Parks had report. These contributors are listed on the following primary responsibility for Chapters 2,4, and 6, and Oaker- page. To each, we offer our thanks. son for Chapters 3 and 5. Chapters 1 and 7 were written At ACIR, the report was critically reviewed by Robert collaboratively. The report was edited by Joan Casey. Sec- D. Ebel, former finance research director; Robert W. Ra- retarial assistance was supplied by Lori Coffel. fuse, Jr., former senior fellow; Carol E. Cohen, former se- Preliminary plans for the study were reviewed by an nior analyst; Elliott J. Dubin, senior analyst; and Vincent Academic Advisory Board. The members were: Louis de J. Munley, former visiting scholar. Alessi, Robert Bish, James Ferris, Bryan Jones, Ted Kol- Acknowledgments for a study this size always entail derie, Daniel Mandelker, Stephen Mehay, Elinor Os- the risk of overlooking a significant contributor. To anyone trom, Paul Peterson, Derek Shearer, and Richard Wagner. we have neglected to mention, please accept our apology Initial findings were reviewed at two critics’ sessions con- and our thanks. Acknowledgment as a contributor does vened by ACIR on August 14,1989,in Pittsburgh, and Au- not imply agreement with the data, analysis, or interpreta- gust 15 in Washington, DC. The sessions were attended by tions presented. Richard Conaway, Claire Daehnick, Richard G. DePietress, The Commission and its staff retain final responsibil- William Dodge, Donald Elliott, Sharon Gladowski, Mary ity for the content of the report. Jane Hirt, Norm Howenstein, Leonard G. Jackson, Edward Kiely, Ted Koldene, Joseph F. Laguna, James Manley, Boyd John Kincaid Mesinger, Paul R. Ostrowslu, George Scarborough, Mark Executive Director Schneider, Marilyn Skolnick, David A. Vazrelnov, and Ri- chard K. Winters. Written comments were received from Bruce D. McDowell John Bosley, Donald Chisholm, and Irving Hand. Director, Government Policy Research U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations iii iv US. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations Contributors to the Research Roger Ahlbrandt, Professor, Graduate School of Business, Uni- Brenda Honick, Secretary, Dravosburg versity of Pittsburgh Norman Howenstein, Executive Director, Southwestern Penn- Christine Altenburger, Associate Professor, Graduate School of sylvania Regional Planning Commission Public and International Affairs, Univcrsity of Pittsburgh Leonard Jackson, Inspector, Allegheny County Police William Bagshaw, President, Mon-Yough Fire Defense Council Kevin Kearns, Assistant Dean for External Programs, Graduate David Bcrquist, Senior Research Associatc. Pennsylvania Econo- School of Public and International Affairs, University of my League, Western Division Pittsburgh Ray Bodnar, Mayor, Munhall Chet C. Kent, Superintendent, Keystone Oaks School District Eugene A. Bolt, Superintendent, Brentwood Borough School Edward S. Kieley, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Economy District League, Western Division Marshall Bond, Manager, Intergovernmental Cooperation Pro- Ellen Kight, Regional Director, Pennsylvania Department of gram, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce Community Affairs Rosemary Bradley, Executive Director, Twin Rivers Council of Rodger K. Knapp, Superintendent, Riverview School District Governments Judith L Kording, Executive Director, Quaker Valley Council of Celeste Calfe, Executive Director, Allegheny Valley North Coun- Governments cil of Governments Robert Kroner, Superintendent, Allegheny County Police Robert Callen, Executive Director, Steel Valley Council of Gov- John Lattanzi, Fire Chief, Clairton ernments Charles Liebcrth, Assistant Director, Coalition to Improve Man- Linda Croushore, Director, Mon Vallcy Education Consortium agement in State and Local Government Richard Crowley, Council President, Braddock James C. Manley, Superintendent, Northgate School District James Cunningham, Professor, School of Social Work, University K. D. Marinelli, Assistant Manager, Churchill of Pittsburgh Pamela Martz, Research Director, River Cities Project, School of Claire Daehnick, Director, Research Services, Coalition to Im- Social Work, University of Pittsburgh prove Management in State and Local Government Stephen Mastrofski, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State Richard DePietress, Manager, Municipal Programs, Southwest- University ern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission Matt Mathew, Executive Director, Allegheny League of Munici- John S. Di Santi, Superintendent, Deer Lakes School District palities Fred Fesselmeyer, Mayor, Pennsbury Village Lany McDonald, Chief of Roads, Allegheny County Tom Foerster, Chairman, Allegheny County Commissioners Boyd Messinger, Manager, Public Safety Programs, Pennsylvania Michael Foreman, Pennsylvania Department of Community Af- Economy League, Western Division fairs David Miller, Assistant Director, Pennsylvania Economy William Fox, Department of Development, Allegheny County League, Western Division Wayne Fusaro, Municipal Senices & Programs Division, Depart- Jack Miller, Allegheny County Fire Academy ment of Development, Allegheny County Joseph P. Moses, Director, Department of Maintenance, Alleg- Sharon Gladowski, Allegheny League of Municipalities heny County Louis Gorski, Borough Manager, Dormont Elvina Nicola, Secretary, Brentwood Donna Grande, Member of Council, Heidelberg Earl O’Connel, Council President, Wilmerding Edward Haney, Council President, Brentwood Domer Omdorf, Municipal Police Consultant Manager, Pennsyl- Charles Henry, Fire Commissioner, State of Pennsylvania vania Department of Community Affairs Mary Jane Hirt, Manager, Township of Ohara Paul Ostrowski, Chief Engineer, Allegheny County Department of Maintenance Charles Hoffman, Local Government Advisor, Pennsylvania De- partment of Community Affairs Memll Parker, Director, Allegheny County Fire Academy Joseph L. Hoffman, Executive Director, A. W. Beattie Vocation- Steven Perry, Manager, Sewickley al-Technical School Nancy Petrusic, Director, North Hills Council of Governments Joseph Hohman, Director, Department of Development, Alleg- Raymond L. Reaves, Director, Department of Planning, Alleg- heny County heny County Edgar J. Holz, Executive Director, Allegheny Intermediate Unit Edmond J. Reddy, Secretary-Manager, Whitehall U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations v Keith Robb, Local Government Specialist, Pennsylvania Depart- Thelma W. Stucke, Secretary/Manager, Crescent Township ment of Community Affairs Milton Supak, Former Council President, Rankin George Scarborough, Director, Char-West Council of Govem- Jack Thomas, Manager, Marketing Division, Department of De- mcnts velopment, Allegheny County A. Vaughn Seigworth, Instructor, Allegheny County Fire Acade- William L. Torlidas, Superintendent, South Park School District my David Varrelman, Chief of Police, Mt. Lebanon Phyllis Senato, Clerk, Duquesne Jeff Washinger, Fire/Emergency Services Specialist, Pennsylva- Thomas Smith, Mayor, Borough of Blawnox nia Department of Community Affairs Ellis Stonecipher, Director, Turtle Creek Valley Council of Gov- Becky Wehrer, Secretary, Munhall ernments Michael B. Weir, Assistant Director, Pennsylvania Economy Robert F! Strauss, Professor, School of Urban and Public Affairs, League, Western