What exactly is the purpose of an "independent" city? (Richmond: lawyer, schools)

[billybobwv]

Exactly why is it that cities in Virginia are "independent" and pretty much not allowed to have anything to do with its surrounding county?

Over the years I heard many of reasons for the cities to be independent such as "...why its because Virginia is a COMMONWEALTH..not a state silly boy". OK if that is true why doesn't the other Commonwealths in America like Pennsylvania or Kentucky have "independent cities"? To my knowledge they dont.

My cousin says the reason why Virginia adopted the "independent city" rule is to put the breaks on growth in the cities and allow the growth to continue in the counties. I do know that Virginia is kinda strange with growth and against anything considered "metro" such as not allowing their airports to be hubs for airlines ( Dulles is the exception ) or not allowing naming rights on indoor sports arenas ( kills the chances for major league sports coming to VA ). Always wondered why Virginia If this is the case then why is Virginia so against the cities? Why not just erase the name of city and call them "towns". Oddly enough in Virginia the "towns" like Blacksburg and Leesburg act more like cities than the cities do.

It is strange though to see so-called county seats located in cities not part of the their county. Bus services not being allowed to leave city limits because of the city being "independent", or even seeing a city fire department or rescue squad not being allowed to help because "even though we can see the accident we can't help because its in the county".

[CNI]

First, I haven't researched all the history so maybe other's responses will provide a fuller picture.
Bus service does run into certain areas of certain counties. The coverage in the counties is subsidized by the citizens of that county. If the county citizens & legislators do not see enough of a benefit for the county then...no bus service (regardless of the overall needs of the region).
City and county emergency services (police, fire, etc.) do have reciprocal agreements where they help each other across "the borders".
The Commonwealth argument doesn't hold water.
My understanding is that cities in VA are legally prohibited from annexing without agreement from the jurisdiction that it proposes to annex.
It is my understanding that this law resulted from the City of Richmond annexing a portion of Chesterfield back in the 1970s. This was after the Civil Rights movements of the 60s - a time when cities across America were seeing their 1st real taste of integration (especially in government and schools). Whites had fled cities in order to avoid integration.
IMO, this VA law essentially guarantees that cities will not have much opportunity to annex because cities, being older & more developed, have known drawbacks that the newer counties, being newer/younger & "fresh", perceive (how true this perception is...time will tell) they can avoid by keeping the known problems locked across "the border".
This also ties into the economic competition explanation. Though the counties benefit from proximity to the cities they kind of shift the competitive table in their favor by steering business development opportunities, residents, etc. to their jurisdictions by touting proximity to the "good" things the city offers while playing up the negatives of living there. Plus the cities do not have the land for business or residential development because they are locked-in. The counties get the monetary benefit (new businesses, residents) while the city continues to decay due to lack of an expanded business tax base and expanded residential property tax base. Add on top of that state requirements that property in Richmond be made available for state agency purposes without tax benefit to the city and that cities be required to provide services that counties are not required to provide. The counties really do not much serious competition from the cities when it comes to certain business or residential developments because the cities do not have the land to compete.
As noted above, the "white flight" aspect cannot be ignored. SOME (not all) of the things you mentioned are rooted in racism. Urban/city = minority-friendly. During Richmond's annexation of the portion of Chesterfield there was (& still is to this day) so much white resentment that it propelled VA legislators into action to quell the resentment (and fear that other white, county areas may be annexed by Richmond or other urban/minority cities in the state).
I think the cities are prohibited from reverting to "town" status until their population decreases to some very low number.
Wasn't aware that airports in the state could not be airline hubs.
Had heard (but wasn't sure if it was true) that there were prohibitions against naming rights on arenas.
This, IMO, is the root of many of VA's problems in being more competitive nationally.

[cathy J.]

Originally Posted by CNI

I think the cities are prohibited from reverting to "town" status until their population decreases to some very low number.
Wasn't aware that airports in the state could not be airline hubs.
Had heard (but wasn't sure if it was true) that there were prohibitions against naming rights on arenas.
This, IMO, is the root of many of VA's problems in being more competitive nationally.

Cities below 50,000 ( I heard its actually 30,000 ) I believe can revert to town status if it feels they should.
but Cities and Counties in Virginia can still merge with each other if the voters in both places say yes.

Recently Winchester and Frederick County is seriously looking at merging with each other by spending big bucks on studies and offering the public to look at the area once and if the two become one. Not the first time of course they tried the merger thing. The first time in 1969 it passed in Winchester but failed in Frederick County. Reason being..well two reasons actually. The race card was played ( The KKK at the time had quite a few members in Frederick County and they did not want to have anything to do with "Black" Winchester ). The second reason was due to a county lawyer who made some wild claims such as a combined city-county means no more hunting not even on your own land. Both Frederick County and Winchester admitted over the years that those wild claims and race were the key factors why merger never passed in the county.

Today much has changed. People are more educated. The old timers who were so vocal against the 1969 merger have since died including that county lawyer. Newcomers in the area see county school buses on the streets of Downtown Winchester. Frederick County even has a few of their own schools within the city of Winchester.

Take a stroll on the old town mall and other parts of downtown, they see Frederick County all over the place such as their offices and even the symbol of the old town mall is...the old Frederick County courthouse. And recent polls I heard have people there actually in favor of a merger. So maybe this will come to be.

Never heard about Virginia airports can't be hubs but I do know that Virginia is very conservative when it comes to their airports as in not trying to lure airlines to start for hub service there unlike many other places around the nation which it seems to promise everything and more to get that perk.

the no to naming rights on indoor arenas is true I believe. Other that Fairfax's Patriot center which has naming rights which is I believe supported totally by private money, look at the list of the other areans around Virginia. None of them have naming rights unlike other states. Not even Richmond's even though that city has several major Fortune 500 companies.

When it comes to their cities, Virginia really is a weird state, well commonwealth.

[roanoker 4]

I could never understand the independent city/county set up here in VA.
Basically it has made the cities of VA poorer than their counties. Regional planning is somewhat of a joke(at least here in Roanoke & Richmond). Virginia was founded by "gentlemen farmers" who also had some ideas about founding the U.S. These people never looked favorably on big cities in America. The Virginia legislature in Richmond has always been a very conservative wealthy man type of social club as the tradition continues.
But really, isn't it obvious in VA? It was meant to put the poor, the non-Caucasian people in a cage and allow the caucasians(who have the financial means) to move to their adjacent counties to be with their own kind. By the way the folks who live in adjacent counties don't pay a dime to support the city in the form of infrastructure. Here in Roanoke, the city residents pay for zoos, museums, civic centers, parks(of which County folks use), crumbling schools, etc and county folks just frequent these places but don't pay for their upkeep or planning. The power of racism is astounding!!

[richmondpics]

Im unaware of anything regarding a prohibition on naming rights on arenas. The Richmond Coliseum was/is actively seeking a corporation for the naming rights, but has not had any serious takers. The Patriot Center is part of GMU but managed by a private company.

And regarding any type of merger among localities, not only do the locals have to agree on it but, thanks to Dillon's Rule, the General Assembly must sign off on it as well.