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May 2005...
Regionalism: An Economic Catalyst
The best description of a region comes from a publication by the Center of Governmental
Studies written in the late 1990s: “A region is a community of interests that may be as small
as a single neighborhood or as large as several states or even nations." Thinking regionally
means thinking beyond political boundaries to the boundaries of those sharing a common
interest. It means understanding that planning within a region is not
synonymous with regional planning. It means building coalitions that often are
informal and tailored to specific projects focusing on job creation, tourism,
transportation, land use, housing, any combination of these, or any other
issues with a regional impact.
There are several strategies that can be implemented to
achieve regionalism. The first method is to utilize government to consolidate
or collaborate. The collaboration can be informal or as formal as
creating a “regional government.
The second strategy is to utilize the expertise of the private and non-profit sectors
(in cooperation with the public sector) to take on initiatives that can be formally
or informally organized and create a form of regional governance.
Regions are fluid. One geographic area may partner with
another area on land use and transportation issues and partner with yet another
area on economic development programs. Regions can still compete, yet they can
come together on common issues to solve problems, plan, or create a
vision.The reasons for partnering may be for short-term issues or projects, or
a long-term partnership.
Many of us live, work, shop, and play without regard to
political borders. Rarely does a person live, work,
and purchase all of his/her goods and services in a particular community.
Businesses do not buy all their goods and services, hire all their employees,
and sell all their products in one community. Therefore, most individuals and
businesses operate within more than one region.
Elected officials deal with regional issues. Airports, roadways, and major venues
are not based on political boundaries. They are regional assets. Regardless of
political affiliation, all communities deal with public safety, essential services,
and administrative duties.
Regional cooperation is much more than inter-governmental
cooperation. Regional cooperation brings together government, education,
private, and non-profit sectors. A common interest exists in creating
sustainable communities and social equity. This practice is called civic
leadership or regional stewardship. It exists when the various stakeholders
develop a commitment to the long-term well-being of a place or places. This commitment
could lead toward regional governance as described above.
Regional stewardship is responsible for many successes across the nation. California
used it to shape statewide public policy; Silicon Valley
used it to develop a regional vision and plan. Others have used it for business
attraction, tourism marketing, and broadband initiatives.
In northeastern PA we already see traces of this concept being utilized through
the regional business attraction efforts led by Penn’s Northeast, interstate
transportation through the Focus 81 project led by NEPA Alliance and the technology
initiative through NEPA Technology Institute.
Looking at it from the public sector side, regionalism does
not necessarily mean breaking up or eliminating governments or creating another
level of government, i.e. regional government. Regionalism can mean regional
governance that includes combining and sharing government functions, services,
goals, and expectations, all for the greater good of an area.
By regionalizing, our area can better position itself for
federal funds in a number of programs, ranging from housing to economic
development. Collaboration and partnerships are to many federal grant
programs. Regionalism allows for financial savings, delivering quality services,
greater political and economic clout, realistic community plans, resolution
of environmental concerns, and a balancing of community strengths and weaknesses.
Local governments in Illinois have used regionalism for airport planning. Illinois
and Iowa formed a regional entity for a rail project. In the Denver
area, county and municipal governments have joined together in a voluntary
compact to establish an urban growth boundary.
We are beginning to see interest in expanding regional
opportunities. This already exists in the formation of the Luzerne County
Government Cooperation Commission. County Commissioners from Luzerne and Lackawanna
County share seats on the Airport Authority Board for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
International Airport. We also see some partnering from local Councils of Governments
(COGS) on transportation issues in some of our smaller suburbs.
The Joint Urban Studies Center (JUSC) will continue to highlight examples of successful
regional efforts across the nation and attempt to convene both regional stewards and
local governments to work cooperatively on regional issues.
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